Last year, we talked about Lauren Graham’s beautiful Lab/Shepherd/Rottweiler rescue pup. Lauren fell in love with Mochi after seeing her online while working on The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers in Vancouver. She drove to Washington state to adopt her. Mochi ended up having several issues that required multiple surgeries. To help her fully recover, Lauren found a woman named Anita just outside Vancouver who help with Mochi’s rehab. The lady had a nice big farm that Mochi could stay on during the week to maintain her therapy schedule while Lauren was filming. The good news is, Mochi got better, and she fell in love – with Anita’s dog. So in love that she couldn’t bear to be away from her. So Lauren let Mochi go live with her new love.
During a new episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, airing Thursday, Lauren Graham revealed that her puppy Mochi, who she rescued last year, is now living on a farm outside of Vancouver after falling in love with another dog.
The Gilmore Girls star, 54, told host Ellen DeGeneres that it has been “quite a saga” since she adopted the “beautiful puppy” as it turned out the dog had “a lot of medical issues and needed quite a few surgeries.”
Graham said her dog began working with a “wonderful rehab lady” named Anita outside of Vancouver while the actress was filming The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.
“[Mochi] required a lot of massage and therapy so she would stay with her while I was working,” Graham explained.
“Over time it became clear that not only was she very happy on this farm with Anita but she fell in love with another woman,” the actress revealed, clarifying that the woman was a dog.
Graham said that Mochi missed the other dog “to the degree that she would come back to me on the weekends and cry.”
“They really became companions and partners, so she was better off there in addition to living with Anita who would just take better care of her needs,” the actress continued. “So it worked out great but wow, it was quite a year. A happy ending.”
I have no idea how Lauren’s choice will go down here but I have to back her. It happened both ways to me. I had a cat choose my parents over me when he turned 15. I had another cat abandon my neighbor because she loved my cats. I’ve told you before I had to stop fostering dogs because my dog Truman could not handle it when the fosters got adopted. As Lauren described, he’d become so depressed, I couldn’t take it. So we adopted his sister and found other ways to volunteer. Mochi has a story as a rescue, all rescues do. There may be a reason she needs to bond with another pup. Lauren lives in LA so if I was Mochi, I’d pitch a fit just for the chance to stay in the Vancouver area, I love it up there. It sounds like Mochi’s needs extend past her heartstrings, though, with all of her medical issues. I think this was the right choice for her. But I’m sure it was very hard for Lauren. At least she can go see Mochi when she’s working. Aw, my heart goes out to Lauren on this.
Mochi’s absence wasn’t the only change Lauren had to come home to. Her boyfriend, Peter Krause, made some domestic changes as well. Quarantine prevented Lauren from flying back home while filming in Canada, so Peter and his son, Roman, did things their own way back in LA. That included devoting a section of their home to stockpiling items and referring to it as COVID Corner. Apparently he’s so proud of his supply center, he shows it off to guests. Maybe Lauren can move COVID Corner somewhere her neighbor and former Parenthood sibling, Dax Shepard, can see it. She said Dax has a massive tour bus parked in his front yard.
You probably shouldn’t gnaw on your face covering, as Mochi enjoys doing, but wearing one is a great thing to do. I’d say it was about 50/50 on our walks today.
Stay safe, LA!— Lauren Graham (@thelaurengraham) May 2, 2020
#mood 🙃 pic.twitter.com/bzrunuxpso
— Lauren Graham (@thelaurengraham) March 13, 2020
Photo credit: Getty Images, Twitter and Avalon
Beware kids! That’s what all moms say when your dog can’t behave then disappears to a ‘farm’, they really find them a whole new family.
I thought it was a euphemism for the dog passing away, lol
Both. I actually had to use it with one of our dogs who had a biting/fighting issue with our other dogs and one of my kids was still a toddler. I actually did find a farm family willing to take him. As my kids got older each one at some point asked what really happened.
My dog did actually go live on a farm. She’s a shepherd we got before we had kids and then she bit someone else’s kid (herding bite, but he ran from her and everything got really dramatic). Anyway, she went to live on Grandpa’s farm and wouldn’t have come back to us for all the hotdogs in the world. Another dog we had ditched us for a pool back in college. We had a family watching our lab/retriever mix while we moved to across the country and when I went to pick him up he wouldn’t even acknowledge me. He had a pool and two kids to throw the ball whenever he wanted. That was that.
Traitor! Lol
@ Kgeo : I had a cat that I got from the humane society. His only job was to give the side eye to the mice in the basement of my old house so that they would not come up the stairs. Mission accomplished. I got a contract to teach in China for a year and I was going to have him stay at my friend’s house while I was gone. I took him over there for a visit to see how he got along with my friend’s cats. They had three cats, a larger house and several adults who were home all day. Pet doors were everywhere so the cats could move around from floor to floor at will. The visit went well but when I tried to take him home, he hid behind the couch and wouldn’t not come out. When I came back the next summer, I did not take him back because I was afraid he would risk life and limb (and cross at least one four lane street) to return “home” to them. He would acknowledge me fondly when I visited but it was clear he was no longer my cat.
Aw, Mochi is so cute. I find it hard to imagine criticizing someone for letting your pet go where she is clearly much happier and also well loved. The thought of the two dogs happy together is very sweet. But I know people will criticize, that is the American way.
When I was little one of our cats got hit by a car and spent months at the vet. When it was time for discharge, the vet cried because he had become so attached to him. We ended up letting them stay together. Stuff happens sometimes that you could never foresee.
I would like to see this COVID Corner that Lauren came home to.
Sounds like she made her decision based on what was best for her pup, which is the least selfish thing to do, even though Im sure it was really hard for her.
Yeah, this story is very unselfish considering what I have come to expect from celebrities. Good for Lauren, that must have been really hard!
Greetings, all. I got a puppy a month ago. She’s beautiful and very sweet. Yes, it’s been an awful amount of work to have a puppy, but as it turns out, I’m also terribly allergic to her. Went to a wonderful allergist last week and the #1 thing I was recommended was to surrender the pet given my symptoms. Today, I woke up and burst into tears after my dog tore all my used tissues into pieces all over my bedroom and chewed on my dresser while I tried my best to take deep wheezing breaths to let her out of the bedroom only to step on her pee and poop bc I can’t even take her outside for another month per vet vaccination instructions. I’m sure my crying had a lot to do with the whole of the context. Has anyone ever gone through anything like this before? I’m at a loss of what to do.
I’m so sorry to hear that 🙁 it sounds like that puppy may not be the best fit for your life right now. There are dogs that are hypoallergenic and lots of families who would love a puppy right now.
Well my first comment would be that your puppy needs to be crate trained. Dogs will not pee/poop where they sleep. If you cannot go outside, buy some puppy training pads. When you let the puppy out of the crate, go straight to the pee pad (which should be beside the door you intend to use) Google crate training for further advise. As far as allergies go, I am allergic to everything. I take allergy pills every day, twice a day in addition to nasal sprays. It would depend on the breed (re: how much dander it produces) whether you’d be able to be comfortable or not. But now would be the time to sort that out, not when it’s older. Just my 2 cents.
@Genevieve, we used to work with a rescue, and often fostered pups for them. One morning my daughter woke up in an asthma attack (she never had asthma before) and we had to administer emergency meds. It turns out she was allergic to our new foster, but had never shown allergies to the dogs before. Because it was a foster, it was a temporary situation anyways, and we decided after that that we would take in only hypo-allergenic breeds for her sake. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you right now, weighing your options. Allergies are a total B when they are serious. I am deathly allergic to cats, and even being in a room where one was one time, years ago, is enough to make my eyes swell and close up. Having worked in rescue, allergies were a common reason why people had to give up their dogs, and it is an agonizing decision. If you are comfortable doing so, you might reach out to a local rescue and discuss options with them. If your dog is a purebred, I recommend reaching out to a breed-specific rescue. Many rescues have waiting lists of available adopters, especially so if the dog is younger.
So sorry you’re going through this. The first thing (per my ENT due to my own allergies) is don’t let him sleep in your bedroom anymore and clean all of your soft coverings in there, vacuum, etc. get a HEPA filter air cleaner in there.
The Kleenex chewing is kind of a dog thing for many, I got closing trash cans because of it, but that’s really not your big issue here seems like it just added to the feeling of being overwhelmed while trying to breathe, which is a horrible feeling.
Don’t feel bad if you need to rehome. You have to be able to breathe.
Allergy shots for pet allergies are incredible these days. I have a friend who couldn’t be around cats for even a few seconds who started on new allergy shots a few years ago, and she got a cat and is thrilled. I’ve seen this happen with other people as well. Have you tried that? If that doesn’t work, don’t feel bad about finding another home for the puppy. You deserve to breathe.
I have 2 cats and am mildly allergic to cats and dogs. I was a few weeks into the shots when the pandemic started…
Years ago, I had an allergy doctor tell me to “get rid” of my cat. Who I had for 16 years at that point, since she was 8 weeks old. And who I was only mildly allergic to.
I got rid of that doctor.
I don’t know if you’ll come back and read this, but if you do, take heart:
I had three cats, who as kittens, made me insane with the kitty krazies (getting them to sleep when I slept at night, instead of their natural nocturnal “hunting”, litter box training, etc). Also, turns out I was HIGHLY allergic to cats (4+ on a 1-4 scale).
So, I had a MAJOR problem: HUGE allergy to cat dander (even though they were short-haired cats).
Solution: I loved my cats lol. I got allergy shots (2xs/wk for a year, then down to 1x/wk). Plus pills and spray. By the 2nd yr. I was allowed to give myself the shot at home (which was nice, so I didn’t have to schlep to the Dr’s office). Not long after, I built up enough immunity that the pills/nasal spray alone did the trick.
My cats gave me 13 years of unconditional love and joy. It was worth it to me.
You’ve misunderstood the vet’s instructions, I promise. The puppy still needs to be house trained, not peeing and pooping indoors. So yes, take your puppy outside for breaks to relieve themselves. Do not go to any dog parks. Avoid places where many dogs congregate. At 3 months, they get their last shot and you can start introducing him to the neighbourhood. But if you sequester the dog completely, you are setting the pup up for failure. S/he needs to be exposed to new sights and sounds and smells so he doesn’t get stuck in his fear stage, and then you (or someone else) have to deal with a dog with fear issues for the rest of their life. Trust me. I have one of those dogs. Met her when she was already an adult, so fear and responses were set. Behaviour management for life vs 2 months initial exposure and training. Put in the work and be her leader/First Companion. Please call your vet and have them explain their instructions more fully, as you have completely misunderstood them. Because your dog is bored and frustrated by having to relieve herself in her living area. Please, for the love of dog, call your vet back. Allergy shots work. So does regular grooming so dander isn’t throughout the house. When in your bedroom, (8 hours free bonding so pls don’t isolate puppy) she needs to be happily ensconced in her den (kennel). LOTS of info on humane kennel training. It’s a lot of work having a puppy for the first year. Do it right, and the companionship you enjoy for the next 10-20 years is SO worth it!!!
Thank all of you for your responses. They all REALLY helped. And yeah I put my dog down on the sidewalk after I picked her up from her visit and the doctor told me not to do that, that she could not be outside on the ground at all until she got her last distemper shot-a month and a half from now. Could have something to do with the fact that we live in Brooklyn and NYC isn’t known for its hygienic sidewalks.
Ive decided to take up a lot of your advice! My puppy will not be allowed in my bedroom. I have purchased a nice air purifier and she’s responding quite well to crate training. House training will follow just as soon as she’s allowed outside. It helped me feel better that I wouldn’t be the first to contend with the possibility of having to give her up, although of course that’s true. I’ve decided not to surrender her and I will be getting allergy shots. It will be a big time and energy commitment bc as one of you noted, this is a 1x/wk shot for a long time until they eventually decrease in frequency. I already take allergy medication and since it doesn’t help much, the shots will do much better for me over time.
I was supremely overwhelmed the morning I wrote the comment and this post hit close to home. THANK YOU for your thoughts and advice and thanks to the moderator for allowing it.
Wishing you all a beautiful rest of the season!
when I saw the headline I thought this was metaphor…so glad to hear he’s just truly happy and has found love on a farm. I didn’t even know about this story but it brightens my day.
Keeping your pet miserable is not fair.
This includes conditions, but it also includes yourself!
If it finds and chooses another family or soulmate, then why not respect it’s choice.
Sometimes an animal is our soulmate or just an added family member- but sometimes, an animal is adopted or bought or found or stolen by the “wrong” person. let them find their path in this world.
as someone on the board of a dog rescue, we would absolutely support Graham’s decision given the circumstances. she put the dog’s needs first and did what was in the best interest of the dog
When I was 10 we had to give our rescue dog to a farm – we’d had him a few years but he would cry at home all day while we were all at work/school, it wasn’t fair. We gave him to a woman (I screamed that she was stealing my dog) and we went to visit him once… He was so torn. He loved the farm, had doggy friends and so much attention, but he still loved us. We couldn’t go back, it wasn’t fair. He had a better life – you have to do what’s best for them and not be selfish.
What a wonderfully selfless thing to do. She did what was best for Mochi. I hope she finds another pupper better suited to her lifestyle.
This happened with my childhood dog who was really more like another sister to us kids. She was the kind of dog that everyone fell in love with instantly, she had a way of understanding people and would often just randomly run up to some stranger and lick or cuddle them and they would burst into tears because they were having a rough time or suffering some loss and she just knew. She was an ordinary looking little mutt but we were literally offered thousands of dollars by people who met her because she just had this beautiful old soul. My parents were Missionaries so we traveled alot. At one point we drove all the way from New Brunswick, Canada through the United States and Mexico down to El Salvador, dog in tow, so she was able to touch so many lives in so many different places. Our beautiful pupper got cancer when she was about 15 and My older sisters Mother-in law was a vet so she went to her for treatment and stayed with her for the surgery and the chemo. My Mother in law had this huge beautiful property filled with cats that had been left by their owners and she loved it and loved them. My sister in law was also living on the property and had a serious drug problem and our dog just sort of adopted her and wouldn’t let her out of her sight, she became her therapy dog and helped her get sober because she said she couldn’t bear to let her down or do drugs in front of her. ( She’s still sober and thriving and when she had her daughter she named her after our doggy) They spoiled her rotten and loved her to pieces and could also provide the care she needed as her health failed so we let her stay there and would visit her whenever we could. She passed away two years later having lived a most excellent life. Our beautiful puppy’s name was Angel and there was never a more perfect or apt name. I still miss her 16 years later.
Thank you for this beautiful story about your good doggo. So warm and it made me really happy to read. It’s like one of those young teen books about a dog/pet that changes people lives, lol – the epilogue is having a angel of a time somewhere new!
Aw. Team Lesbian Dogs.
I had a cat who fell in love with my roommate’s cat. From kittenhood until age 2 he was my lapcat and followed me everywhere and then we moved into a new place and I barely ever saw him again. During the day they would go out on the roof of our apartment building, at night they would sleep on the couch together. I couldn’t give him up to my roommate though when we moved out 3 years later, although we both always offered a home for the other’s cat if ever needed. It was really sweet and interesting to learn how animals can sometimes bond like that. We got a kitten at some point thereafter and they never really bonded the same way.
If the intention is to give the pet, any pet, their very best life………
Have some friends in our small town whose neighbour, who after he left his wife, was abusive to his dog and kept it tied on a short rope all day. Every chance the dog got it escaped to my friends’ place – he loved their kids and the whole family. And every time the neighbour would come menacingly around to my friends house to reclaim the dog…. But the dog kept voting with its paws, until finally one day my friend told the owner to f off and never to come around again!
It worked! The dog’s now elderly and has had a beautiful, happy life and is much loved.
Sometimes animals just decide for themselves, and it’s whether we can listen.
When my husband came home with a second cat, the cat we already had prepared to do normal territorial things. She got along with other cats, but she wanted them to know she was the boss when they first met. Well, the new cat got out of the carrier and immediately started purring and rubbing against our cat. Our older cat was utterly confused and didn’t know what to do.
What had happened is that the second cat had fallen in love with our cat at first sight/scent. After a day, they were curling up together and bathing each other. Our first cat has passed away now, and our second cat’s an elder — we have another younger cat too, and while they get along well, it’s more like sisters, with our elder cat being annoyed with the younger on occasion. Sadly, our elder cat is a widow, and though she’s a happy cat, she’s not as happy as when her wife was with her.
Mammals fall in love. It’s good that Mochi found both love and a wonderful home, and that her owner let her stay there.
My husband’s family has a very weird dog story. This happened in the ‘70’s. So he grew up with his dog Smokey, a mixed breed terrier of some sort. Smokey would roam around the small town, following my husband and his friends. Overall a great dog. When my husband left for college, the dog started hanging out with the neighbors across the street because they would give her treats and pet her. Eventually Smokey just moved across the street. My husband came back from college and was like, “where’s my dog?” His parents told him she moved across the street and everyone just accepted it. The even weirder thing was that the neighbors loved Smokey so much that when she died they had her stuffed and kept her by the fireplace.
I was hoping to see her husbands Covid Corner or whatever he calls it, I love him!
I love her for doing this. What a kind lady.