Staycation @ Lamma Island!

We finally made it on our first overnight "staycation" with Mochi.  In some ways it was exactly like bringing a baby or toddler out for the first time -- there's an inundating amount of stuff to bring just for one night.  Pee pads, pee tray, water bottle, swim gear, food supply, toys, wipes, harness, leash, pillow, treats, brush, shampoo, the list goes on.  

When we got to the ferry pier entrance we found out that we had to buy a doggy ticket for Mochi -- $10 HKD versus a child's fare of $8.7 HKD! :-O  

Mochi did really well on his ferry journey:

After checking into our AirBnB flat which was conveniently located right next to the only dog friendly beach on the island, we took Mochi out for his very first swim:

He was a natural and though he was a bit nervous at first, we soon were able to take off his lifejacket and he swam towards the shore with the waves helping push him in. Afterwards he was exhausted and all the big dogs on the beach were a bit intimidating so he konked out:

Shortly after his nap and a subsequent bath in the bathtub back at our 'home' for the evening, he was ready for action again!  We went to the Concerto Inn restaurant where dogs are welcome and this was his happy satisfied look after a day of fun in the sun:

On Sunday we took an early ferry back to Central and decided to introduce Mochi to our church family.  He got lots of love and even enjoyed the entire worship session without a single whine or bark!

It was a fun weekend and our next outing will be when we get back from Holland (traveling without Mochi unfortunately due to horrendous customs and airport regulations for traveling with animals) in a few weeks' time! 

Mochi's IKEA bed!

Following the Japanese-led trend of turning IKEA DUKTIG dollbed into a bed for pets has been great fun for Mochi as well as Harry and I.  The size is perfect for a cat or a toy breed dog like Mochi, and at $129 HKD you can't beat the value.  Mochi was a bit apprehensive at first to get up onto his new bed but after a few treats he was convinced and now it is one of his favorite lounging spots in the house.

Photos with Mochi

Our good friend Beatrix came over on Sunday to take some photos of Mochi and us -- and it was a lot of fun!  Mochi was very active and we needed to bribe him using some treats in order for him to pose for some still shots.  I love the way that they came out, here are a few samples from the shoot:

Mochi's Behavioural Issues and First Time Puppy Socialization Class

Mochi has entered his "terrible two's" so to speak, in terms of puppy behavior.  For the last two weeks he has been trying our patience with:

- constant pee off the pee pad
- growling
- jumping up on everything (and he's getting taller on bigger....)
- barking
- biting everything in sight
- resource guarding (especially his favorite toy, a small round duck)

We had another week or two to go before our first puppy training class with my parents' dog, Boo, and the trainer we had hired, James Leung.  That meant that we needed to just get through this trying period before official training without losing our minds.  To top it off, I had been going crazy with trying new foods with Mochi, not knowing that puppies' tummies are extremely sensitive, and the day I gave Mochi some cheese to eat he got seriously lethargic and ill and sulked in the corner of the living room all day.  The following morning, he vomited.  The vet advised us to keep him on a chicken and rice diet for a few days, which we followed but then I introduced a few kibbles back into his diet and he vomited again the next morning!  It seems he had quite the irritable tummy and it was too soon to get him back on his kibble diet.  The vet (who is extremely patient with our first time parenting skills) said, "Ok, no kibbles! Four days of chicken and rice only!" So now on a daily basis we are preparing chicken and rice for the Mochi.  He seemed to be quite bright and active other than his vomiting, so we decided to go ahead with his puppy training class.  This is the first time he met Boo, and the first time he had seen other dogs in a good long while, so it was a pretty big deal for him!

Mochi's mood all day after eating cheese -- who knew he's intolerant to dairy???

Mochi and Boo meet for the first time at puppy socialization class!

Dog-Friendly Outings in Hong Kong with Mochi

Ever since Mochi arrived in our household, I have been looking for dog-friendly places to take him-- indoor, outdoor, whatever!  He hasn't gotten his third shot yet (that's in two weeks' time), but I am eagerly waiting for the day that he can finally roam around in the "real" world outside our apartment without fear of contracting some funky illness.  In the meantime, I've been doing research and conjuring up some fun outings for when he's ready to go.

Outing #1:  Mikiki Mall in Prince Edward (May 2015)
I was very excited to find out about this mall, which was built with pets in mind.  You can rent a pet stroller for free and dogs are allowed to walk all around the mall with you.  They are not allowed in restaurants except for the terrace of California Pizza Kitchen.  It was Mochi's very first outing and he didn't like much the pet pram -- I think he would have much preferred walking but as he hasn't gotten all his jabs yet I didn't want to take the risk.  There are plenty of dog supply shops in the mall and we saw a few other canines including Corgies.

First time in a shopping mall

Outing #2: Weekend getaway @ Lamma Island 
- We booked an Air BNB flat allowing doggie friends to join and we will take Mochi to the dog friendly beach (one of the only ones in HK!) for his first swim.

Outing #3:  Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park + Brunch at Open Door Cafe (Planned for July 2015)
Every Saturday morning I do boxing with my bootcamp, BikiniFit, at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park.  I was happy to discover that there's actually a pet park located adjacent to the SYS park, where Harry can hang out with Mochi while I exercise.  After boxing class, we can walk over to Open Door Cafe & Courtyard where puppies are allowed inside the restaurant and they even host puppy and owner yoga classes here!  This would make for a fun Saturday morning outing.

Outing #4: Tai Long Wan Camping (Planned for when weather gets cooler)
Tai Long Wan is probably one of the best beaches in Hong Kong, and Ham Tin Wan is the place to go with some tents in tow for the night.  I plan to drive from home to Sai Kung Town on a Saturday morning and park at the cheapest overnight parking in Sai Kung (http://www.mackcarpark.com.hk/eng/carpark_info.php?id=28#), the Sha Kok Mei Car Park, and then grab some brunch and supplies in Sai Kung Town Center (probably Classified or Pepperoni's or any of the dog friendly places around Sai Kung Town Center) before hiring a water taxi to take us to Ham Tin Wan (about $130-$150 per person, 30 mins each way).  Hopefully the boats won't mind puppy in lifejacket for the ride! On the way back we can book our water taxi back from the shop/restaurant in Ham Tin.

Mochi's First Grooming! (and other updates)

On May 9th, Mochi got his first grooming session.  We hired someone to come up to the flat to wash him, clip his nails, and cut the fur on his paws (for better floor traction), belly, and around his eyes.  Mochi remained relatively calm for the first half of the process, but around 30 minutes into it he saw no end in sight and began to whine and squeal.  It was hard for me and Harry to bear his cries but the groomer said that it was very normal for a puppy getting his first wash.  After what seemed like hours (in reality only one hour total), Mochi was washed, clipped, and fluffed to teddy-bear like cuteness!  What a difference it was between his "wet" look and his "dry and fluffy" look -- I wouldn't have been able to recognize him if I saw him coming in from the rain!

Mochi's Not Yet Dry Look

Getting fluffy

Showing his disapproval of the washing and fluffing process

Fluffed and dapper with Daddy

Look who's acting charming now!

One day later, Mochi started losing his "fluffy" hairdo and going back to raggedy!

In other puppy related news, I visited Boo, my parents' puppy!

Meanwhile we got a Sunday morning visit from Aunt Bee.

Mochi in cuddle mode (he alternates between cuddle mode and beast mode)

Mochi's new favorite position is flat on his hind legs 

Mochi's daily routine when waiting for his meal or whenever he wants something

Mochi's new favorite relaxing position!

We finally found a small enough harness that sort of fits him. After trying multiple XS harnesses that were too big for him, this one kind of fit -- if it's not adjusted extremely tightly, his leg can still sneak out of one of the holes.  At the rate he is growing (nearly 235% growth since his arrival in our household) he should fit it very soon. 

Discovering the KONG toy!

In the last few days Mochi's jaw strength has increased tremendously as he is teething and gaining better motor skills and overall strength, and he is starting to discover the intrigue of the KONG, a reputed puppy/dog chew toy used by many to stimulate chewing and mental exercise.  You can hide all sorts of treats inside the KONG and a puppy has to manipulate it to get to the treats.  Some owners put peanut butter, canned dog food, veggies, kibble, and other treats inside to KONG to hold a puppy's attention for hours. The KONG company even produced a squeezable treat (for those who grew up in the USA in the 80's, it's not unlike CHEEZ WHIZ!) to fill the KONG with.  Here's a few good sites that suggest things to insert inside a KONG.  Keep in mind that your puppy's tummy is sensitive so use your judgement for what he can handle.


http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/02/stuff_this_in_a_kong.php
http://www.caninemind.co.uk/kong.html
http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/02/dog_recipes_for_kong_chew_toys.php

Here are also some other toy ideas for keeping a puppy busy:

http://gizmodo.com/5913008/the-6-best-toys-to-keep-your-dog-really-busy
http://tullystraining.com/blog/the-best-puzzle-toys-to-keep-your-dog-busy


 I tried to put some of Mochi's wet dog food inside the KONG last week as well as a few kibbles but Mochi wasn't interested.  However, the last few days we have seen him grabbing toys with a new strength and vigor so I revisited the KONG by putting a few dry kibbles inside and he loved it!

Update May 23rd:

I got Mochi a puppy sized and puppy textured tiny Kong, and he's been doing so well with it compared to the normal adult sized one he had been playing with.  The puppy sized Kong is lighter and easier to manipulate for tiny dogs and he has learned that picking it up and dropping it is the best way to shake out the treats locked within.