At Dogopo, we believe the best stories are those rooted in love, authenticity, and loyalty, and that’s exactly what shines through in Viveca Chow’s journey. A New York-based performer and lifestyle expert originally from Hong Kong, Viveca is known not only for her creative energy but also for her deep bond with her rescue pitbull, Mochi. Whether she’s advocating for misunderstood breeds or bringing joy to millions through her content, Viveca leads with heart.
In this candid and heartfelt conversation, she opens up about how her heritage shaped her storytelling, what it means to be a pitbull mom, and why every day really can be a happy day, with a little help from a dog’s love.
Hey Viveca Chow, welcome to Dogopo! We’re so excited to have you here! To start off, can you please tell our readers a little about yourself, your background, and what inspired your journey as both a storyteller and a proud dog mom?
Thank you so much for having Mochi and I. My name is Viveca and I am a NYC based Performer and Lifestyle Expert. I grew up alongside my late Chocolate Labrador, Choco, in Hong Kong. I’ve never known a life without a dog’s love.
I always knew from an early age that I was meant for a creative path – I was always the kid that didn’t follow rules and had to add her own creative flair to every project I was a part of. My skills as a performer have translated to beyond the stage and screen, to social media.
I now use my impact and platform to share tiny moments of happiness in the lifestyle vertical, which includes a lot of Mochi as well as rescue dog advocacy. My impact has reached millions of people with Pitbull advocacy, as well as bringing awareness to how important it is to adopt not shop.
You often say “every day’s a happy day”, how has being a pitbull mom shaped your outlook on life and daily happiness?
I will die on a hill when I say: owning a bully breed changed my life.
I adopted Mochi 6 years ago, and I’m not exaggerating when I say – he has made me laugh every day since. Even if I’m having the worst day ever, he manages to make me chuckle for even a few seconds by simply being his goofy self. Mochi reminds me that every day may not go as smoothly as we anticipated, but there’s still so much good in it if you look for it.
Pitbulls are often misunderstood. What have your dogs taught you about compassion, strength, or loyalty?
They are SO misunderstood and I am so passionate about debunking all the myths.
I used to get really angry whenever someone would say something about Mochi on the streets. But as time went on, Mochi has taught me to have compassion for those exact people. Why? Because they just don’t know better. They’ve never experienced the pittie kind of love.
There was one day where I was so heated I was in tears. I looked at Mochi after the unpleasant interaction with another human, he looks right back at me but with a HUGE smile on his face. I came to the realization that Mochi still has so much love for those who think he’s “vicious,” his compassion is not conditional. And that is a beautiful perspective shift.
You’re a performer, a creator, and a storyteller. How do your dogs inspire or influence your creative process?
Dogs keep me sane, if I’m being honest. As a full-time creative, it can get very challenging because we face so much rejection on a daily basis. Any time I’m able to interact with a dog, they really ground me.
The rescue dogs I work with at the NYCACC also deeply affect my creative process because I’m able to tell their stories and be their voice. I love that they’ve influenced me to strive to use my platform in an impactful way to reach a wider audience.
What’s one unforgettable mini-adventure you’ve had with your pitties that always brings a smile to your face?
I love going upstate with Mochi. He was definitely from the suburbs before I adopted him, because he has terrible noise phobia. Any time we go upstate, he loves running in the fields and my friend’s backyard. It’s so amazing to see him so free.
How do you balance your life as a content creator with the responsibilities of being a full-time dog mom?
I work from home a lot, but I also intentionally picked a dog that would match my lifestyle. Mochi is a very laid back, calm and low energy dog. It was important to me that I matched my dog’s energy. It’s not fair to have a dog when you can’t give them what they need.
Coming from Hong Kong and being so rooted in your culture, how has your heritage shaped your approach to both pet parenting and storytelling?
Great question! My mum was always very fond of dogs. She instilled the idea in me that dogs should be family. This is how I approach parenting Mochi today. He is my baby!
With storytelling, I’m so connected to my culture. I’m just very proud and grateful to be a part of and representing the Asian/AAPI narrative. I hope that the stories I tell will uplift the world around us.
What would you say to someone considering adopting a pitbull but is unsure because of the stigma?
Believe the cute videos you see! There wouldn’t be so many of us passionate in advocating for the breed if the stigma was true. Instead of judging a breed, please learn dog body language instead.
Lastly, if your pitties could talk for one day, what do you think they’d say about you as their dog mom?
He’d probably tell me “I love you, but it’s really not that serious.”