“Malishka” in Russian means “baby”, and this dog, whose name is Malishka, surely lives by her name. Like a baby, she’s so charming, loving, and incredibly clingy. She’s her mom’s shadow and she follows her everywhere she goes.
Malishka enjoys long walks at the park, but not when there are other dogs around. It doesn’t matter whether the dog is small or big, she freezes when one gets too close to her. She tucks her tail right between her legs and tries so hard to make herself invisible.
Anastasia, Malishka’s mom, wanted her dog to be social so she brought it to work with her. But when she started to telecommute from home, she worried that it might get too dependent on her. She needed to get her pup a friend, someone Malishka could socialize with a little more, she realized.
Knowing that her dog wasn’t so crazy about other pups, Anastasia thought a kitten might do. And so, she brought home Almond, a two-month-old rescue kitten. She didn’t expect a lot would change, but she was surprised to see the difference in her dog right off the bat.
The moment the kitten arrived home, Malishka had a sudden burst of energy. She initiated to play with it, and she did not stop challenging it. It was an incredible change in her demeanor, and her mom knew bringing home the kitten was the best decision ever.
Almond spent a night with her foster family, and on the second day, she convinced them to let her stay for good. And since then, she and her new dog sister have been inseparable.
The pup adored her sister in an instant, and so did the feline. Almond always felt the need to be beside her dog sibling, and she hoped to snuggle with her all the time.
With Almond beside her, Malishka was never alone again, even when their mom needed to be away from home for hours. And because of her feline sister, she found the courage to meet other dogs and make friends with them. Malishka conquered her fear, all thanks to Almond.
Source: Instagram@Malishka and The Dodo
