3 Malaysian pet owners talk about how their beloved furkids are like family

Chong (left) and Loo with their golden retriever, Mochi, during their pre-wedding photoshoot. Photos: Bitesize Visuals

Mochi the golden retriever must know that dogs are considered man’s best friend. After all, he has two people who consider him theirs.

So inseparable are they from each other that when Winnie Chong, 31, and Ivan Loo, 30, sat down to plan their pre-wedding photoshoot, they knew that Mochi had to be part of it.

“Mochi has been the centre of our lives for five years and counting, so it is a no-brainer that we included him in our pre-wedding photos.

"It was the perfect arrangement for us as we didn’t fancy the usual pre-wedding photography styles with over-the-top attires and poses.

"We wanted a casual session that best portrayed what our life together is like with Mochi, ” says Chong.

The photos are framed and hang on a wall in their living room now, a celebration of a journey together and of the adventures to come.

It is also a reminder of the glorious outing they had at Desa ParkCity in Kuala Lumpur.

And no prizes for guessing who had a whale of a time at the park that day!

“Mochi was delighted at the sight of so many other dogs there. It isn’t easy photographing pets, especially larger sized active dogs like Mochi, so we are really grateful that both Kenny and Li Anne from Bitesize Visuals are dog lovers themselves who didn’t mind going the extra mile to capture the beautiful memories we had at the park.

The couple adopted Mochi as a young adult. Now he is around seven or eight years old.

“Mochi had the most fun that day, running around and barking at his new four-legged friends – his way of saying hello to everyone. He was so tired when he got home that he had a long nap all the way till dinner time!” Loo recalls.

Chong and Loo adopted Mochi as a young adult. He is now around seven or eight years old, but is still as frisky as a puppy, especially when his favourite treats are in sight.

“We are sad that we missed out on his puppy years but it is OK. It was a random decision to adopt him from a friend. We just grabbed the opportunity that came our way and you can say our lives have been richer ever since, ” says Chong.

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The same could also be said for Mochi. He has been on many family trips and whenever Chong goes back to her hometown, Sitiawan, her parents pamper him by turning on the air-conditioning and presenting him with his own portion of cut fruits.

“Mochi is definitely very food-oriented. You can count on him to miraculously appear every time he hears the rustle of plastic bags or packets that we open.

“He loves retrieving balls and enjoys a game of tug of war, where he would wait for us to snatch his favourite ball that he holds tightly in his mouth.

"He is also great at socialising and will not hesitate to walk up to a stranger to be patted. Whenever he wants belly rubs, he places his paw on us and waits for us to pat him, ” she adds.

Chong and Loo feel that their lives have been enriched ever since they adopted Mochi.

Chong and Loo both work full time – she is a web developer and he is in sales – but they have a CCTV system installed at home to keep an eye on Mochi while they are out.

Mochi sleeps in different spots around the house during the day, and whenever there is a thunderstorm, he snuggles up in a hideout because, like most dogs, he is afraid of thunder.

“Having him at home means we rush back after work every day just so we can spend time with him. The recent MCO (movement control order) was truly a blessing in disguise for us as we got to spend quality time with him while working from home.

"We think Mochi didn’t quite understand why we were at home all day every day during the MCO, but he enjoyed all the attention he could get from us during those months. Our colleagues were all excited to catch glimpses of him during video calls, ” says Loo.

Of the two, Mochi knows who will be the first one to give in to his charms and puppy dog eyes.

“He tries his luck with me all the time!” says Chong.

“Ivan is the stern one when it comes to disciplining Mochi. That’s why Mochi listens to his every command. But with me, I often give in to his glistening puppy eyes and shower him with all the love and treats he deserves.”

Happy binkies

Goh Eu Jin knows when his rabbits are happy because they literally jump for joy. A bunny binky, where they jump and twist in the air, is a sight that makes his heart soar.

This expression of happiness, coupled with cute rabbit licks (which is rabbit speak for affection), assured Goh very early on that he was on the right path in providing a good home for his two Netherland Dwarf rabbits.

Goh's rabbits, Mochi (left) and Oreo, are free to roam around the entire house. Photos: @moreo_thebunny

“We adopted Oreo and Mochi last October and I was so happy and touched when I saw them doing binkies for the first time after just two months.

"That was also when they started licking us. It shows that they trust you completely and every bunny parent would be so proud when this happens.

"I was pleasantly surprised that the bond developed so quickly and it is so rewarding that we gained their trust, ” says Goh, 34.

He isn’t a fan of caging animals, so Oreo and Mochi are allowed to roam freely around the entire house.

They have been trained to use their litter boxes, a feat that Goh – together with his parents and housemate – managed to accomplish in just under two weeks.

“Some people blame their pets when they pee or poo everywhere, but they can be trained. You just need a bit of patience.

"Rabbits are intelligent, smart and are social creatures. They come up to me and keep me company when I am going about my daily activities at home.

“The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is to feed them. They have also worked up quite an appetite for fruits because we often end up sharing our fruits with them. Their favourite is banana, they go crazy for it, ” he says.

Rabbits are often timid and shy by nature. They are sensitive to noises and can get very stressed when in unfamiliar surroundings.

The only time Goh brings his rabbits out is when it is time for a visit to the vet.

Goh adopted the Netherland Dwarf rabbits last October and trained them to use their litter box within two weeks.

As any pet owner will tell you, they might not be able to speak your language but they will find ways to communicate their feelings.

With Oreo and Mochi – who are siblings – their personalities are as different as night and day.

Mochi is the active, sociable brother who will come right up to you to ask for attention, while Oreo is sweet and shy, preferring to hang out in corners but will happily let you pick him up.

“Oreo is a good groomer and licks us whenever we are near. And he is the bigger ‘dancer’ of the two!” says Goh.

The year has been a busy yet fulfilling one for Goh as a rabbit parent. Between his day job as an engineer and his singing gigs, he has been sharing photos and videos of his rabbits on Rabbit Club Malaysia’s Facebook group ever since he got them.

“Initially, my intention was to preserve memories of them and be able to look back on old posts as time passes.

"I have also been sending photos to the breeder whom I got my rabbits from, and she encouraged me to start an Instagram account for them.

"So I thought why not, as I can compile all my photos of them like in an album, ” he says.

Oreo is sweet and shy, preferring to hang out in corners but will happily let you pick him up.

And that was how @moreo_thebunny Instagram account was born.

Besides it being a personal journal of sorts, Goh hopes to entertain people with the antics his rabbits get up to.

They really are showstoppers – in fact, they came in second and third in a competition organised by Very Important Pet magazine in collaboration with Rabbit Club Malaysia earlier this year, and won themselves some premium hay to munch on.

But just as importantly, Goh aims to spread awareness on all things rabbit-related through this account, including tips on rabbit handling and information on their habitat, behaviour and temperament.

“We hear of rabbits being abandoned when they grow up because their owners think they are no longer cute.

"I feel sad when I hear about irresponsible pet owners who lack compassion and knowledge on how to raise their pets right, ” he says.

We will definitely see more of Oreo and Mochi on Instagram in the coming years – Goh will make sure of that.

“They have been a part of my life since the first day I took them in and I have promised to love them unconditionally.

"They are family now, and companions that stand by you through happiness, laughter and sadness, ” he concludes.