Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s dog Wendy isn’t the only Samoyed dominating pop culture

Intro for September 2, 2026

Lainey
September 02, 2026

– 4 min read

Apart from BTS, and they are the standard, it’s rare that what’s trending in western pop culture, or from western pop culture, is similar to what’s trending in pop culture that’s coming out of East Asia. This week there’s common ground – a dog breed: the Samoyed.

In the west, the most famous Samoyed is now, of course, family, Wendy Peffercorn Kelce Swift, the baby Showgirl, who just starred in her first fashion campaign for Tommy Hilfiger. Since Wendy shares a home with Taylor Swift, she’s now arguably the top celebrity dog in the west, which means the breed, the Samoyed, will likely soar in popularity.

On the new episode of the New Heightspodcast, Travis talked about Wendy, revealing that she’s now over a year old and that he and Taylor have actually had her for a while and kept it secret.

🚨 Travis Kelce officially confirms that his and Taylor Swift’s dog’s name is Wendy and that she’s a little over a year old.

He also mentioned that Taylor loved the idea of including Wendy in the photoshoot. ☺️ pic.twitter.com/Jgs7NzDZSu

— Taylor Swift Updates+ (@chartstswifty) September 2, 2026

Falling in love with a dog is one of the most enriching experiences a human can have – and we probably don’t deserve it. But when it happens, it feels like you never knew your heart could be so big and so fragile. This year for TNT, then, in addition to their engagement and subsequent wedding must have been the ultimate cozy. 

But with all due respect, because she’s a precious muffin, Wendy isn’t the only Samoyed who is dominating pop culture. In the east, we have another representative of the breed who is lighting up the timeline. And he’s an actor. We don’t know his real name – but the character he’s playing is called “Luke”, and he’s starring in a record-breaking Chinese drama.

In its first week of release, The Early Springis in the #2 spot on Netflix’s Global Non-English TV chart, the first ever C-drama to crack the top three, and now the highest-charting Chinese drama in Netflix history, surpassingPursuit of Jade which came out earlier this year, another series that broke through big internationally. People lost their minds over Pursuit of Jade (including me) and people are straight up feral over The Early Spring (including me).

The show has been described as the Chinese version of Fifty Shades of Grey. I get why – tsundere CEO and innocent young woman trope, love scenes are racy by Chinese standards – but there is no kink, and there’s much more focus on personal and professional growth. So far we’re only halfway through, not sure yet if it will stick the landing, so we can talk more about the series later but for now… as hot as the main character (played by lead actor Jing Boran) Luan Nian aka “Luke” is, the true king of The Early Springis “Luke” the Samoyed who makes his debut in episode 15.

Luke and Luke and The Early Spring are blowing up on Weibo and social networks all over East Asia and beyond. The Samoyed is experiencing a cultural crossover.

[The Early Spring Ep. 15 Preview]

It’s all butterflies, and kisses that make your heart flutter for the next episodes!

But wait—who’s this? Introducing LUKE, the real dog of the show. Not the metaphorical kind (looking at you, Luan Nian), but an actual, fluffy, four-legged good… pic.twitter.com/ZUcDjGzRCL

— ✎ᝰ. Jhazz (@fangirl___feels) September 2, 2026

Don’t be alarmed that Luke is fronting like he’s not into Luke. Baby Luke is irresistible, Big Luke will be powerless to the charms of the Samoyed but also, obviously, to the woman who brought him into his life. I am so f-cked up over this series that I actually read the novel it’s based on in a day. The book is hornier than the TV show is allowed to be because of censorship in China but, again, by Chinese standards, and for a long-form series,The Early Springis horny AF. And in the book Luke the Samoyed is the best. Now someone make an edit of Wendy and Luke, Samoyed Nation where are you?

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