Apollo: The Sea Wolf and the King of the Bay

In 2019, we welcomed Apollo into our lives, and he completely changed everything. He was such an incredibly cute puppy that we started an Instagram account just for fun. To our surprise, his photos quickly went viral. Through social media, we met other dog lovers, connected with our local community, and built an amazing group of followers (240k instagram, 438k TikTok, 129k Facebook) who have been with us ever since. @apollo_germanshepherd

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, we decided to follow a dream inspired by the YouTube channel SV Delos and buy a sailboat. We used to take Apollo to the Venetian Islands to teach him how to swim, since it was one of the few places still accessible in Miami Beach. He learned almost immediately and absolutely fell in love with the water.

While spending time there, we noticed sailboats filled with happy people enjoying life on the bay. That inspired us to buy our own boat, and before long, Apollo—just seven months old—became what we lovingly call our “Sea Wolf.” He was an exceptional puppy: calm, obedient, and so well-behaved that he never jumped into the water without permission. He loved sitting on deck, watching dolphins swim by and boats pass in the distance.

When Apollo was about five and a half years old, we added another member to our family:

Neptune, a Golden Retriever puppy. Neptune has a completely different personality—he’s energetic, playful, and absolutely obsessed with the water.

Now over a year old, he’s still full of endless enthusiasm and brings joy wherever he goes.

Watching the bond between Apollo and Neptune has been one of the greatest rewards. They love exploring islands together, paddleboarding side by side, and sitting on the boat watching dolphins.

Neptune has become the perfect companion for Apollo and our family and seeing them share these adventures makes every day on the water even more special.

by Carlos Leon