“Happiness is a warm puppy.”

The Hes so cute I could eat his little face off photo

Christmas puppy

He was given to me by another PC friend and although my run with animals hasn't been very good in Ethiopia...

Baby chick.... dead
Kitten... probably dead
lol

I promise this puppy will be different! Peace Corps Ethiopia volunteers aren't officially allowed to have animals as pets because rabies is so prevalent here.

BUT as a good mother, I've already found a vet in Addis and I'm just waiting for Mojojojo here to get old enough to take the rabies shot.

Oh yeah... Im awesome ;)

 

What wasn't very awesome was how Mojo ended up peeing on the woman who sat next to me on the bus as he rode to Wolisso for the first time.

 

Yeah that was very awkward... Mojo is from the town of Aleta Wondo in the South of Ethiopia. Hes Ethiopian born and bred. I've had several dogs in the past, so I didnt worry too much about bringing Mojo into my home and making him the newest member of my family.

But then I remembered that I live in Ethiopia...where do you buy dog food? flea collars? chew toys? and dog shampoo? It turns out that you dont. Not even in Addis.

I talked to Mojos new Vet, and he confirmed that all my pups food had to be homemade, and that if I wanted toys and flea collars and leashes and things of that sort then I would have to have them mailed to me.
 After a quick Google search the food problem quickly dissipated. Currently Mojo is eating boiled powdered milk with oats, scrambled, or boiled eggs. Corn flour with hot water and milk, injera, rice, CousCous, and some fruits, veggies and meat when I can afford to give it to him or mix it in his meal.

I know that culturally many Ethiopians, especially those living in rural towns, do not keep dogs as pets and my experience with Mojo thus far has shown me exactly how true this is. Dogs are used solely for protecting the house. They are commonly mistreated, chained up 24/7 and not given much affection. This makes them into very aggressive, yet very affective guard dogs. 

But it also means that I have now given the people of my town another reason to stare at me and think of me as the crazy foreigner.

I play with Mojo, I kiss him, and hold him, and pet him and even let him sleep in my house, sometimes on my bed.

This is exactly how my landlady, the kids in my compound and EVERYONE in town looks at me when Im interacting with my new pup.

Its quite hilarious actually. Im so accustomed to the stares and townspeople talking about me that it does not faze me in the slightest. In fact I've decided that maybe the people of Wolisso can learn a little something about dogs and how they can be more than just vicious biting machines.

Im teaching Mojo how to sit and follow other commands in both English and Amharic. So this way when I say "Sit" in Amharic the townspeople will understand the command and be that much more impressed when they see that the dog listens.

Im trying to show the kids in my compound how to play with him. Because currently they are either afraid to go near him, or they only kick & throw rocks at him because that's what they see other people doing to dogs in town.

 

I walk Mojo on a self made leashe all around Wolisso. People laugh and point at me, they jeer, and smile and shake their heads at "the crazy foreigner" with her dog on a rope.

Grown men and children see me walking with the dog, and now even without the dog and they yell out 

"Woosha!" dog

"Woosha!"  dog

"Woosha!" dog

 I prefer it to "YOU, YOU, YOU" or "Ferenji" haha But in addition to getting a kick out of laughing at me, these people are also seeing Mojo follow me happily with his talk wagging. They see him eager to greet and play with others who come near and they see him not growling or barking. Im going to make my pup into the worlds most friendliest and well behaved dog, in an effort to dispel the myths about dogs that people have here.

When I brought Mojo home, the first thing my landlady said to me was "I do not like dogs", and I was worried that she would make me get rid of him. But she didnt.. well not yet anyway.. so that makes me even more eager to properly train him.

My next door neighbor also approached me and said "Why did you get this dog? He is ugly. He is Ethiopian dog. You should have got American dog. Ethiopian dogs are not nice.  He will give you problem. I am afraid he will eat you."

I tried telling the man that all dogs can be trained and tamed and be great pets. But he just smiled at me, probably thinking "This ridiculous foreigner is gonna die when this pup gets bigger" 

Mojo playing with a new friend... who eventually gave him fleas and so now I've forbidden him from every seeing her again.

Update: Its been about a month since I brought Mojo home and THIS HAPPENED! :D

Kas by kas Seeing the kids play with mojo like this makes me so happy. A few weeks ago they would only throw things at him, and touch him with the soles of their shoes for fear of him biting them. When I brought mojo home I was told by my landlady and neighbors that he was ugly, that he would eat me, and that they didnt like dogs. I knew id have to change their perception and that it would take time.. but little by little I feel it happening :)

A video posted by Ashley Nicole (@ashleysayque) on Jan 15, 2015 at 3:36am PST