Introducing…Mochi!

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I received a request for more about our dog, Mochi. I post about her fairly often on Instagram, but have only mentioned her briefly on here so far. She has a led a pretty interesting, if not challenging, life so far. For those who have yet to meet her, here’s a little more on our Miniature Pinscher-mix ball of fury.

Misha adopted Mochi from a market in Kiev, Ukraine in 2011. Mochi was the calmest, quietest pup of the bunch, so the selection came easy for Misha. It was only after she brought the little lady home that Misha suspected the shelter may have had her sedated. In addition, a tiny scab on her head turned out to be mange, so Mochi needed to be kept away from other dogs for the next four months. The last thing Misha wanted to be was that new American who adopted a puppy and spread mange to all her neighbors dogs.

For those who have not been to the Ukrainian capital, street dogs are quite common there. Unfortunately, they can be aggressive, and one night a couple of these streets dogs attacked Misha and Mochi. Mochi got away physically unscathed but emotionally shook, while Misha was left with a scar on her thigh. This attack, combined with her early isolation, stunted her ability to socialize.

As time wore on, Mochi became increasingly afraid of both humans and dogs. Before Misha finally left Ukraine, Mochi had to be sent back early due to international travel restrictions. This long term separation from her mother combined with anti-social tendencies would manifest in the form of fear-based aggression, and by the time Misha and Mochi were reunited, the young dog learned to bite whenever she became scared or nervous.

Mochi bit me the first time I met her. I didn’t tell Misha right away because I didn’t want her to be embarrassed, but it was a little scary. She might be small, but she has some sharp teeth! Misha had taken her to several trainers in the past, but her frequent moves made it hard for any of the training to stick. Despite Misha’s own attempts to train, Mochi was not getting any better around others, frequently barking in the presence of company and showing signs of aggression when she felt her personal space being invaded. It’s a sad and stressful thought to have that if one person or child on the street ignores her “Do Not Pet” vest, she might need to be put down, a reality no dog owner wants to face.

Luckily, Misha found Solid K9 Training in Providence, RI. For anyone with a dog who was behavioral issues, we could not give higher praise for these trainers. They are incredibly friendly, communicative, and above all, great with dogs. Mochi was there for the full eight week duration, and the staff is always available for help when we reach out.

Although Mochi still has her issues, the improvement has been night and day. She’s calm around strangers, is increasingly curious around other dogs, has a dog-walker, and snores more than she ever has before (we think it’s because she is no longer on edge all of the time). Others are finally starting to see her goofball personality, and we could not be more overjoyed. Our goal is to have her comfortable enough around someone who can watch her for an extended stay while Misha and I travel. It’s seeming more and more likely that we’ll reach that goal!