We adopted Moka from the Homeless Animal Rescue Team (HART) in 2012. Jessica and I had recently left the military and were living in an apartment. I wanted a dog. Jessica wanted one too, but with one stipulation, we needed to purchase a house. Shortly thereafter, Moka, whom we met at a PetSmart adoption event, was in our home. It was the 8th of March, 2012. She was already one year old, and we were told that her previous owner had her as puppy but gave up on her because after she outgrew her puppy coat, she no longer matched the furniture of the house. Unbelievable. They didn't know what they gave up on.
Moka, an Australian Cattle Dog mix, had a gorgeous red coat. Many people would comment on that. She also had a black muzzle with some white hair for accents. Her tail had a cute white tip. There were spots on her tongue, and she had deep reddish-brown eyes. The kind that was always telling us how she felt and what she was thinking. She was also extremely intelligent. She was always figuring out ways to get to places or areas she wanted. She didn't have a strong toy drive, but she took pride in her collection of stuffies, squeaky toys, and sticks. And she loved hiding her toys. I bet we will be finding chewable bones and toys around the house for the next couple of years.
She was nervous exploring the house, but I remember the first night at her new home. There was a little accident in the living room. She felt so guilty when it happened. But we reassured her everything was fine, cleaned up the mess, and introduced her to her massive backyard. Later that evening, she came up to me as I was getting ready to go to sleep. She looked at me with some sad eyes. I told her she can jump on the bed and sleep with us. She did and was so happy. She got comfortable. I think it was then when she finally realized she was in her true home. Up until a year ago, she always slept on our bed.
We took her to obedience school. She graduated from the PetSmart Basic and Intermediate classes. We got her all her vaccines and registered her with Fairfax County for her license. She learned to share the house with the cats. Which she tolerated. We got to learn about each other. We became a family. Her fun name was "Moka D. Mutt".
Moka was the perfect dog. She always wanted to spend time with us. She loved going on car rides, camping, hiking, and trips to Home Depot and the dog park. Or just walking to and from town. She always was happy to welcome us when we got back from work. She loved showing off her toy collection when we got home. "Moka has a toy!" or "Moka has a bone!" were fun phrases. She was always up for a game of puppy wrestling on the stairs. She hated her ears being touched, so we avoided that. She loved chasing the laser pointer much like a cat. She loved to play with the water gun but hated baths. And she always supported the family by cleaning up any meal items that "accidentally" fell to the floor. She had this one spot in the backyard where she would always dig a hole. I always filled it back up. And never figured out why just that one spot.
I remember, one day, I baked a take home pizza. It came out perfect. I sliced it up and took a couple of slices with me to the living room to watch whatever I was watching. A few moments later, I got up to get more pizza. It was gone. But there was a puppy, wagging her tail, and with the distinct aroma of pizza emanating from her mouth and sauce stains on her lips.
Not that it was always perfect. Moka did have a penchant for running out the front door. She would go on her sprints and tours of the neighborhood. One time, she was just gone for so long, we had to call animal control for help. But we found her hours later, at the nearby golf course, "playing" with the golfers. I bet they loved that. She would also climb over the fence. We had to make some modifications to the fence line to encourage her to stay in. She was scared of fireworks. Which was a problem since Herndon had fireworks during the Town Festival and during the 4th of July, and we lived very close to them. She would hide under the bed during the shows. I would be there to comfort her.
Baseball games, shopping trips, fairs, the beach, Moka went to them all. But what she wanted most of all was to be with us. When I was at home, she was always within eyesight of me. If I changed rooms, she followed. In the living room, she had a bed she would chill out on if the family was there. But if it was just her and I, she would join me on the couch. During the pandemic, when I was teleworking, she was always close by. She loved cuddling under blankets. Sometimes we would go for drives. She loved sticking her head out and taking in the smells of the places we went to. Her favorite spots to be scratched were around her collar and her back at the base of her tail.
For work, I had a 6-month TDY overseas several years back. I missed my family. My wife and Moka. When I finally returned, Moka was there to greet me. I have never seen such a happy and excited dog! She kissed and jumped all over me until I was flat on the ground. And still more kisses, howls and nuzzles.
Moka was there when our daughter, Beatrice, came home from the hospital. She loved her sister. She would take naps next to her on our bed. Beatrice loved her too. Sometimes Moka would accidentally step on or bowl over Beatrice, leading to little rows between the two. But they would always make up with hugs and kisses. Beatrice and I had a fun game we played when we got home after a day of school/work. We would race to be the first to greet Moka and tap her nose. The first to touch Moka would win an imaginary "puppy gem". Moka loved this game.
Snow. Moka loved snow. Especially when there was a lot of it. She would love to jump into the big piles of the stuff, bounding and leaping. She loved being part of snowball fights, trying to catch the snowballs in midair. She, like me, also loved fall. Taking naps on piles of leaves was a fun pastime for her. Thanksgiving was very popular for her. Especially since she knew a significant percentage of that turkey meat was for her.
Time moved on, and she slowed down. She could no longer climb the bed, so we got her her own bed in our room. The walks became shorter because she tired a little earlier. The barking at random strangers across the street became less common. She stopped digging that hole. But her heart for her family was still there. We still had the baths of endless kisses. We still had the companionship. But we knew that her time was coming. Despite that, each day was filled with love, both ways.
Moka's last day, 26 March 2024, was a sad day for the family. We took her to the park, so she could see the Spring birds, and all the trees coming to life from their winter hibernation. She loved the outdoors. I then took her home and laid her on her bed in the living room. Her last moments were with me. It was as if she wanted to stay. To continue to take care of us. I pet her, kissed her and told her "We are home. We are safe. It's okay. We love you, Moka. You can go". And she left to cross the rainbow bridge. It was 11:34 AM. We decorated her earthly remains with flowers from our home. The family said their goodbyes.
We are a family in mourning. But a family that knows we are better because of how Moka impacted our life. She was not only our pet, but our friend and family member. We love her and she loves us. We thank the Lord for the time spent with her and know she's up in heaven, watching over us. She will be missed. This morning, Beatrice told her mommy that she was crying in bed last night because of the loss. But then she felt warm and comforted. It was Moka, still taking care of us. We love you Moka.
- Les Flores, Moka's Daddy.