Mochi, My Poodle darling & a powerhouse of Love- Kiara Caban

In this episode of Mountain in Us, host Taran Singh sits down with Kiara and her lovable companion, Mochi, for a warm and candid conversation about life, identity, and the companions who help shape our journeys. Kiara opens up about her Puerto Rican roots, her connection to home, and the deeper meaning woven through music, culture, and everyday experience.

The conversation also dives into the story of Mochi — how he came into the picture amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, how he adjusted to city life, and how his playful personality, big energy, and endless affection brought a new rhythm and joy to Taran’s world. From snowy adventures to sock-stealing mischief, Mochi steals the spotlight in the most charming way possible.

Along the way, the episode explores what pets teach us about patience, presence, resilience, and unconditional love. Equal parts funny, heartfelt, and reflective, this is a conversation about companionship in all its forms and the little moments that make life feel fuller.

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Transcript

Taran: 00:04

Welcome to the mountain in us, where the journey gets its voice. I am Taran Singh. This season we take on new tales for deep-rooted reflections on our passions, paths, and purpose. Together, let's explore the thrills, ascents, and descents of our uncharted adventures. Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of Mountain in Us. Actually, another season of Mountain in Us. This time we are back focusing on companion journey. And today my guest is Kiara, a Puerto Rican native from New Jersey and her energetic companion Mochi, a flavor of her hustle and bussel. Welcome, Kiara.

Kiara: 00:55

Thank you, Taran, for inviting me this new season. I'm excited to kick off the companion series with Mochi as our mascot and our official four-paw guest. Super excited.

Taran: 01:09

Yeah, you know, super excited. This is just,

Taran: 01:12

 you know, a couple of days after uh Super Bowl. So, you know, we in we are right in time to talk about Puerto Rico and your roots. So why don't we kick it off from there, right? Let's kick the ball from uh from Puerto Rico roots. Tell us a little bit about yourself, uh your heritage, and of course, uh a favorite song of your bad from bad bunny. And and let's kick it off from there.

Taran: 01:37

Yeah, of course. Um, so I'm Puerto Rican. Puerto Rico is very, very um important to my identity, my life. Um, everything revolves around our little island. Um as for the Super Bowl, amazing. I think my favorite bad bunny song uh off this album is probably que paso a Hawaii. Um, yeah, that one's probably my favorite.

Kiara: 02:11

Yeah, which is interesting. Hawaii is on the other side of uh of Puerto Rico, probably around uh other side of the ocean or maybe the other side of the earth. But I like how he goes about and talks about hey, Hawaii is a state, Puerto Rico is not a state. Uh deeper meaning to those songs uh than actually you realize. And um uh and so you know, today it's also about mochi.

Kiara 02:37

 So let's let's also start about how did Mochi come into your life? Uh, what made you think of him or getting, you know, get building a relationship beyond uh beyond two hands or human relationships. You said, oh, this is the time I need a dog in my life.

Taran: 02:58

Yes. Um, so I got mochi in 2021. So right after, like a year after COVID had happened, and I think everyone can agree that after the pandemic, it was a little difficult to adjust back into everyday life, to just like wake up in the morning and find a routine, kind of get my myself back into the world. Uh so I don't know. One day I just I just decided I want another living thing to take care of, to give me energy, to give me motivation. And I had a poodle growing up. So I knew I wanted a poodle because they are just adorable and very loving. I like I like that they don't shed. We have matching curly hair. And yeah, I was just on a random online forum that sold puppies, and I saw him, and the listing was, you know, a little too good to be true. He was coming from Ohio, and I believe I had to send the lady like $400 via Cash App first to quote unquote secure the dog, and that I would pay the rest in person once they brought him to me. So I took the chance and I did that, and lo and behold, he was at my doorstep a few days later, and he's been here ever since.

Kiara: 04:44

That's a that's some big leap of faith during COVID era, uh putting $400 on a on a Cash App. Uh you must you must be you must have a lot of money bundled up somewhere.

Taran: 04:57

I was I was begging my parents actually. We we split it three ways. It was like uh I got him in December, so I convinced them that it was a Christmas gift.

Kiara: 05:11

Well, a brown Christmas gift. Yeah. Did you know he had curly hair the day it or the day you bought it or the day it arrived at your doorsteps? Yeah, yeah.

Taran: 05:26

I wanted us, yeah. I wanted us to have matching curly hair. So I could see them in the in the photos, they were starting to form. So I knew I knew what I was getting with him.

Kiara: 05:38

Yeah, I I I think uh Poodle's uh lineage probably has some Puerto Rican hair blood in it, right?

Taran: 05:45

That's why they yeah, he's Puerto Rican, definitely.

Kiara: 05:49

Yeah, so he's Puerto Rican, but the name is so not Puerto Rican. So how did Mochi came up being being the name of this uh brown cuteness that you have?

Taran: 06:00

Uh, to be honest, I did steal the name from another giant doodle at the dog park a year prior. Um, my friend actually got a dog during the pandemic, and we would take them to the dog park. And there was another, it was a huge, huge golden doodle mix, and her name was Mochi. And I thought it it was so adorable, it fit so well, and I I just had to have it for myself. I needed my own mochi because she was perfect.

Kiara: 06:38

Yeah, that's a that's a that's a good way to steal a flavor that is going to be your own. Uh I think that's the best way to get a name. I didn't even think when you know the mochi is a flavor that uh that comes from Japan, I obviously, and uh I'm I'm I was surprised when I had mochi. It took me a while to guess, uh but I'm glad Mochi is here and Mochi is enjoying his time in New Jersey. How was you know when you first got him on your doorsteps?

Kiara: 07:13

 The talk to me on that day, and you know, you said it was a Christmas gift, but you know, especially in winter, you had to ensure that you know that the puppy becomes the dog you want. What were the first few months of that relationship?

Taran: 07:30

Yeah, so I believe it was more difficult for him than it was for me, because he did come from a giant farm in Ohio. It was very quiet and peaceful over there. Uh, I remember the first day that I got him, I tried to take him on a little walk, and he was just not having it. He refused to walk. All the yelling and the cars and the horns and just the sound of New York City scared him so badly that he just wouldn't walk, he wouldn't move at all. And so those first few days were very important in, you know, gaining his trust, um, getting him used to all these loud, overstimulating situations. But it was it was nice. It was it's really funny because now he like bolts out the door, he needs to be outside, he always wants to go out. And so thinking back like the first day when he refused to leave the house, it's very funny to see.

Kiara: 08:40

Yeah, you know, every even I would be shocked, you know. I mean, I I remember I moved when I first moved to New York from Michigan, it was like well, you know, even Michigan parking lots are not as crowded as New York streets are, right? So it was like crazy.

Taran: 08:59

Yeah.

Kiara: 09:01

Um so now he's you know, what was there a favorite snack that you had for him in your pocket somewhere when he would get overstimulated? Or like was he just calm or was his personality pretty much shaped up uh pretty quickly to what he is today, or or you had to do some work on him and on yourself uh to get him to to have this companionship that you have with him?

Taran: 09:25

Yeah, uh he always had a very bubbly, outgoing personality. Um he wasn't able to show it the first few days because of the culture shock, I believe. But you know, he would be so happy during feeding time. He would literally hop around like a little rabbit. And even now, when he's walking, he more so trots and skips and hops. He doesn't walk normally, like he's a very, very happy, bubbly little guy. Um, yeah, I always had to have some treats on him to kind of convince him that the outside world, the outside New York world is okay. But I I saw that energy and that personality in him even before he got to me. Um the person I bought him from sent me some videos of him on the farm and just some videos of him in general before I got him. And his his personality just shone it, it was shining through the screen. So yeah, and now, well, I bought him so that I could um, you know, get into a routine, have someone else to take care of, find motivation. And now he's just giving me too too much too much uh energy. So I've I have to get on his level and I'm still still working with that. He's just a ball of life, and it definitely got me out of bed, got me out of doing nothing all day. Now my life is just entertaining him, and I absolutely love it.

Kiara: 11:14

Yeah, that ball of energy and the ball of uh bobbliness is is something something that you know dogs bring to us in no matter what what we are going through, right? And no matter what they are going through, they're they always show up in their best energy levels. In terms of, you know, you mentioned that at you know, while it was COVID and you you had time to spend with him ample time during you know work from home scenarios as as you shifted to your work and your study schedule. Did you see an impact on him and yourself both uh while you were guys were out, you were commuting and doing work, and he was he was on home. How was that period? Uh was there anxiety of separation anxiety for both of you?

Taran: 11:59

Yeah,

Taran: 11:59

 yeah, we definitely both had that separation anxiety. Um, like of course, when he was a baby, before he turned one and I had to start going outside for work. Um I bought all of the gadgets that they sell out there. I bought a self-feeder timer that went off at a certain time of the day that would disperse his food. Same with the water. I got him a giant playpen. Um uh I had like the doggy security cameras. I got that for him so I could watch him all day every day. And what I realized is that I was definitely the one stressing and having more anxiety. Um, because after about like 15 to 20 minutes, he was just chilling. He was relaxing, he looked like he owned the place, just sitting wherever he wanted, chewing on his bones, playing with his toys. He was so unbothered. And I was like scared at home thinking that like someone would rob me and take him, or that he would just something he would break a leg or something. And it was the it was the opposite of that. He was perfectly fine, and I'm really glad that there were no scares and that it wasn't too hard on him. Yeah.

Kiara: 13:34

Do you think that you know going through that learning experience has also changed you from a resilience perspective? I know you you recently lost your 

Kiara: 13:43

or you lost your phone or actually got stolen while you were at work. Like, how has that, you know, raising him and raising yourself together with him emotionally has changed you when things don't go the way they they're intended to go in your life?

Taran: 13:59

Yeah, I feel like I've grown a lot in the past few years, whereas, like, for example, that first year I had him where I was panicked and freaked out the entire time. Now I have a very go with the flow type of view on life. And just I like to approach things with gratitude and just understanding that you know you can't change what happened. It already happened. I refuse to be stressed or anxious about it. I'm just going to deal with it. It's not the end of the world, everything is okay. It's fine. And so, yeah, since getting him, I feel like 

Taran: 14:47

I just go with the the flow of life now.

Kiara: 14:51

Yeah, that's that's golden nuggets there uh uh in Mochi's way, like golden cable. Like what so does does he write does he like certain food? Uh what's his daily uh food hustle looks like?

Taran: 15:09

He is like a vacuum cleaner, he eats anything, he really does not care, he just loves to eat. It doesn't matter what what it is, he'll try to get his little paws on whatever he's not picky at all.

Kiara: 15:27

Which is great, which is great. Like it's a is it uh is it was it just because you know you fed him everything in the beginning, or it's just that he doesn't care, you know, whatever is there, he's just gonna gobble it up and say call it a day and then pay the price later and not eat, you know how sometimes dogs do they eat a lot and then they don't eat anything for a couple of days, and you're worried, man, my dog doesn't eat, my dog doesn't eat.

Taran: 15:52

Yeah, I think um I think since he was raised by um a 20-year-old college student who, you know, I I got him, but maybe I didn't think about how expensive pets were. In the beginning, I was always switching out foods, trying to find, you know, something that wouldn't break my wallet, but that was also good for him. So I I would always experiment and give him a little bit of this and that. And so I think I I expanded his palate because now he doesn't have a problem with anything.

Kiara: 16:30

Yeah, that's good to hear. Good to hear. And he's full of energy. And I know he he loves playing with bones. And is that the habit he picked up from somewhere uh from a dog park or he saw somebody, some dogs doing it, or or was it just right off the bat,

Kiara: 16:45

 hey, I am a dog, I know how to play with a bone. That's that's how we know you're a dog.

Taran: 16:52

Well, actually, um a friend suggested it to me because I never really uh it never really crossed my mind when I think about like bones. I think about bigger dogs chewing on like huge bones. And I never really considered that, you know, the little the little guys can can have their bones too. And so um he went through a period where he would for some reason I don't know how, but he would get into my laundry basket, like he would jump in and eat all my socks, and I would have to buy a new pair of socks, a new bag of socks every week. And so my friend was like, Why don't you give him a bone so he can focus on chewing that and not your socks? And it worked, he's obsessed with the bone, he loves it.

Kiara: 17:47

Yeah, no, they they like to chew, especially when their canines are coming sharper, right? They want something, something to soot them, and and bones or a piece of laundry would do the job. Uh I remember growing up, we had the same thing, right? My dog would eat our socks, and and you know, I didn't have as first dogs, we didn't know what they would what to give them to keep keep them engaged. But yeah, guess what, right? Bone does the job.

Taran: 18:14

Yeah, absolutely.

Kiara: 18:16

Yeah, in terms of you know, your circle of friends and circle of people that you know and circle of people you trust,

Kiara: 18:22

 how has that changed and how has that evolved since you know Mochi is part and parcel of your, you know, not just your daily life, but also your social life?

Taran: 18:34

Um, well, now that I'm able to go to dog parks because I have a dog, uh it's it's been you don't feel odd. You don't feel odd, you're not weird anymore. Just sitting there without a dog. Uh but yeah, that's been fun, you know, talking to people, asking them advice. Um, I love seeing dogs out in public, or yeah, dogs out in public and asking their owners questions, or if I see another poodle mix, I'll say, wow, your dog looks so cute, so nicely groomed. Like, where do you go? Um, just to just to expand my horizons and and see what I can provide for mochi.

Kiara: 19:21

Yeah. Have you has that brought also new friends in your circle? Have you made good, you know, friends that are dog owners? Like I see all the time, hey, dog owners talk to each other as if they know each other from a long time, right? And and they they have they have a lot to talk about uh in more than themselves and more than the dog sometimes.

Taran: 19:43

Yeah, absolutely. Um, I make like I would say acquaintances, maybe not friends, but um as I mentioned earlier, my friend had gotten a dog during the pandemic, and I got Mochi a year after. So now our bond has gotten closer, and our dogs love each other. And it's really, really funny because she has a pit bull terrier mix. So he's huge, he's like 50 pounds, really big dog, and mochi is a 10-pound poodle, but they are best friends, and Mochi loves to be like the king of the house, he loves to be the macho man, and my friend's pit mix is just kind of like okay, little guy, like share whatever you say. He just lets him do whatever, and it's really funny to watch. Um, so that's been fun. Our friendship reaching like a new level because we have two dogs that that love hanging out with each other.

Kiara: 20:50

Yeah, that's interesting. Like a 10-pounder and and pit bulls, right? It's not just their weight is uh weight is 50 pounds, you know, their mouth is so big. Like I'm always my neighbors have a pit bull, and she's great and she will hug me and whatnot. But uh part of me is like, man, that is a huge dog.

Taran: 21:10

Yeah, yeah, they're so strong.

Kiara: 21:13

Yeah. 

Kiara: 21:16

He moved from Ohio and he now now in a big city, and especially this winter, winter being such a cold winter, maybe he he doesn't feel the freeze. But are there times that you thought, hey man, this is a lot of work? Uh and and this is this is this is something I didn't think that I would have signed up for, like, or or could be the other way around. How does he like it in the winter, right? Is he okay with the with the landscape that he has to deal with?

Taran: 21:49

Yeah, I you know, I got the dog spontaneously. I it was so quick, it happened very, very fast. And so I dread the winter. Because obviously no one wants to be outside in negative 13 degree weather if they don't have to be. But the dog has to get walked, of course. Um, so I do not like the winter time. But Mochi actually really loves the snow. Um, I think he witnessed his first snowfall when he was about three or four months old. Uh yeah, he I it it happened just when I first got him. We had a snowstorm shortly after. So I immediately put him out there, showed him what's going on, and he loved it. And so this past snowstorm that happened, it was really cute. He just hops around like a bunny, he jumps in the snow, he kicks up the snow, he eats it, he he just gets so excited to see it. And so I'm really glad that didn't like he's not dreading it the way I do, but he likes it.

Kiara: 23:03

He's in his he likes the snow park. He can he can get he can go to the playground and slide on the snow. Extra adventure for him.

Taran: 23:12

Yes, yes, he's always slipping around, it's so funny.

Kiara: 23:16

Yeah. 

Kiara: 23:17

And you know, of course, there is a lot of good things that you know companionship of a pet brings to us, but there are things that probably Mochi does, like just like any other companionship that you probably don't like or you don't approve of. Are there things that he's that things that come between you where you have to scold him or or course correct or just ignore him?

Taran: 23:39

Yeah, I got a very clingy and loving dog, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but he does not know what personal space is at all. He doesn't want that, he will not be a part of that concept. He is just on top of whoever. It doesn't even have to be me. He's like this with anyone who visits. He is just on top of them. He needs to be physically on top of you, pushing his face against your face. He just wants it all. There'll be times where I'm I'm just tired after a long day. I just want to get in bed, look on my phone, and he'll either put his paw on my phone with full force and just knock it out of my hand, or he'll put his head like directly under my hand that's holding my phone and push his head up so that he I'm looking at his face and not the phone anymore. And it's really funny when he does that. I'm like, okay, this is so hilarious that the phone is gone, I'll pay attention to you. But he's very like vocal about wanting attention and wanting to be near you and and seen all the time, which it's cute, but sometimes you just want to go to bed.

Kiara: 25:12

Yeah. So you have signed up for that companionship, and that's what they are. They are not addicted to their phones. And luckily for us, uh they are our they are our relief from our digital digital world in many ways. Uh, but I do get it, right? They they want all of us all the time, and that sometimes is impossible. But I do bet, you know, if that's if you look at it, or at least I look at it, I don't have a dog now, but whenever we had a dog, that that that unwavering love that they provide you, and and just their being there for you sometimes is what all you need. That physicality of and the emotional well-being that they just nurture within yourself is a gift to uh uh to all humans and to us in many ways also tells us how to how to treat our relationships beyond our you know four four-pa friends.

Taran: 26:10

Yeah, absolutely. Definitely learned how to be more present and in the moment, thanks to Mochi and him pushing my phone out of my hand. I I take that into consideration even when I'm not hanging out with him. Um yeah, yeah, it's just it's nice.

Kiara: 26:33

Awesome. Final

Kiara: 26:34

 question for you and both Mochi in this way. Like, you know, uh any any thoughts you have for you know folks that are thinking of getting uh a poodle in their life or and and what do you think about what are the best things somebody should do uh to get ready to get a dog uh in their life?

Taran: 26:59

Yeah, absolutely. I got Mochi, I definitely was not prepared for him, but regardless of that, it's much easier than I think a lot of people would say. They are, yes, they are like having babies. I would I definitely like when I look at him, I just like imagine a little child, like just a little baby boy, and it is you're gonna have to take care of them for the rest of their lives.

Kiara: 27:32

A little much, right? That's what they would say in Spanish, right? Little Naughty.

Taran: 27:37

Yeah, yeah. And it's funny, they're just like children, they're mischievous, they're they want hugs, they have tantrums. Um, but I think if it's if you want one, you just have to get it. You you have to. There's no there's no better time. There's not gonna be a perfect time. They're gonna make your life feel so much more just easy and worth it. It's nice to come home after a long day and have someone so excited to see you. Every time I walk through that door, it's like the first time he's ever seen me in his life. So happy, so excited. It's just such a nice, warm feeling to have.

Kiara: 28:27

Yeah. That that newness that you just said, that is priceless, right? They they they they they give you the same kind of love and attention that they would give you no matter how many times they've seen you in the past.

Taran: 28:42

Yeah, it's so funny. Even when you go to the bathroom for two minutes and you come back out, they're like, whoa, where did you go? It's so cute.

Kiara: 28:52

Yeah, it's I think it has to do with how how their brains are, but also has to do with, yeah, anyhow, that's more to do with love in many ways. I would do it

Kiara: 29:01

 that way. Before we end our conversation for today, uh, I just want to go back to your roots. That's where we started off from, and you know, Puerto Rico. Is there is there a Puerto Rican breed? Uh, you know, how is how is Puerto Rico in terms of relationship with plants and animals? I believe, you know, in islands, usually I've seen, at least in Hawaii, I've never been to Puerto Rico, uh, that there is a deeper relationship with nature because of just the elements of nature are always there. And when I say nature, it's the whole nature, right? Is that also part of the Puerto Rican culture songs where you know pets and other pets, plants, all of these things uh make into the culture somehow?

Taran: 29:49

Yeah, absolutely. There's very um, there's a specific flower of Puerto Rico, specific plants and animals that you can only find on the island that make it very special, that make you feel very connected in regards to the dogs. I feel like there's so many beach dogs specifically. Uh they're strays, of course, but it's really funny. Any beach you go to, there will be stray cats and or dogs on the beach relaxing, enjoying the water. They'll be playing in the ocean, playing tag with each other. And it just it's funny because that's what we go there for. And they're just like the locals. They love the beach, they love the sun, they love outside, and it's really I I haven't seen it anywhere else. Um, but definitely in Puerto Rico, the strays love the beach, and it is such an amazing thing to see.

Kiara: 30:55

Yeah, they like they like to hang out uh with their buddies in the water, right? Who won't, right? I we will do the same.

Taran: 31:02

Exactly. It's so funny.

unknown: 31:05

Yeah.

Kiara: 31:06

Yeah. 

Kiara: 31:06

This was such a pleasure talking to you and hanging out, and and I just learned so much about not just about you, but our dear Mochi. You know, I I like him so much, you know, it's it's like a part of me is always like itching to get him, get him on my on my lap and just you know, cuddle him and then stay.

Taran: 31:29

Yeah, we have to make a flight out there to California. I think he would love, love, love the nature out there.

Kiara: 31:37

Yeah, he would, he would. It's less less stimulating than New York, but uh more engaging. Yes, yes, yes. Thank you, Kara. I've made for making time for me and sharing this incredible journey of companionship with Mochi, and I look forward to seeing you both soon, hopefully this year.

Taran: 31:59

Yes, fingers crossed. Thanks for having us on. He's been here in and out, but you know, we it's always a pleasure. Yeah, yeah. Oh, we got um I have a photo of him in a Puerto Rico shirt for the Super Bowl. I'll make sure to send your way.

Kiara: 32:17

Yeah, that would be funny. Like, yeah, good. No, that's good. I like I like his character. He's he's he's so full of life, but also he enjoys the life he is in, right? And that is such a such a testament to his character, but also to ours, right? That we're yeah, we're also being that now is the kingdom of happiness, and dogs know it how to how to make the most out of it, and that's something I take it to the heart to learn from them.

Taran: 32:46

Absolutely.

Kiara: 32:49

Great. Enjoy your rest of your weekend and thank you for making time for me again. I wish both you and Mochi, you know, a happy Valentine and uh what uh and a happy long weekend.

Taran: 33:00

Yes, thank you. Thank you for having us, of course. You have an awesome, amazing weekend as well.

Kiara: 33:08

Thank you for joining us on the Conversation Trails of the Mountain and Us podcast. Each episode here is crafted with love, adventure, and reflection. We hope you have enjoyed this one and we welcome your thoughts on it. And if you want to be on the show, feel free to reach out.