Decoy (dog)
Dog owned by Shohei Ohtani
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Decoy (born June 18, 2023),[1] known in Japanese as Dekopin (デコピン), is a Kooikerhondje owned by Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani. He is a fixture in the Los Angeles Dodgers fandom and has been described as the team's "Most Valuable Pet".[2] He has also featured in merchandise and was granted an honorary visa by the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo.
Decoy's United States visa photograph | |
| Other name | Dekopin |
|---|---|
| Species | Canis familiaris |
| Breed | Kooikerhondje |
| Born | June 18, 2023 |
| Owner | Shohei Ohtani |
Biography
Shohei Ohtani held Decoy in his lap when he won his second Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player award in November 2023. Upon winning, Ohtani gave the dog a high five, and he became viral among fans.[3] The next month, Shohei Ohtani publicly revealed the dog's name, Dekopin,[4] which is a Japanese term referring to the act of flicking a person on the forehead. He also clarified that Dekopin's name in English is Decoy, which was chosen because he believed that some Americans might struggle to pronounce the Japanese name.[5]
In January 2024, Shohei and Decoy visited the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo, where Decoy was granted an honorary travel visa by Rahm Emanuel.[6][7][8] In August 2024, Decoy threw the ceremonial first pitch at the Dodger Stadium.[9][10][11] To celebrate the event, the Dodgers held a giveaway of bobblehead toys depicting Shohei with Decoy.[12][13][14] Decoy would go on to appear at the Dodgers' victory parade in November 2024 where he interacted with young fans.[15] That month, he also appeared in a video alongside Mamiko Tanaka celebrating Shohei Ohtani's third Most Valuable Player award.[16] In December 2024, Decoy met with celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa and posed with him for photographs.[17] In 2025, Shohei Ohtani was added as a playable skin in the video game Fortnite, accompanied by an in-game bobblehead depicting Decoy. In the game, the Decoy bobblehead can be used in an emote to throw baseballs for Shohei to hit.[18][19]
Ohtani's $7.85 million home purchase was conducted through an LLC named "Decopin," a tribute to his pet dog.[20][21][22]