In Photos: Doting dog dad Shohei Ohtani shares adorable moments of pup Decoy sporting a crown at first birthday bash

When Shohei Ohtani signed his record-shattering deal with the Dodgers worth $700 million over 10 seasons, public interest in the superstar spiked. Every aspect of the star's hitherto private life was cast into the spotlight, including his dog, Dekopin.

Named for the Japanese word for "Decoy", Dekopin also means to flick one's forehead in Ohtani's native tongue. A Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Dekopin has oft-featured on Ohtani's social media accounts. In honor of his canine friend's first birthday, Shohei Ohtani once again took to Instagram to give the pup some recognition.

Shohei Ohtani celebrated Dekopin's birthday with an Instagram shoutout (Instagram/ShoheiOhtani)

In the array of pictures, Dekopin is spotted at the top of the stairs, and featured alongside a plethora of toys, including a fake cake, a ball, and a crown for the birthday boy. Previously, the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar posted a mock US Visa for his furry Japanese-born companion.

The past six months have been a whirlwind for Shohei Ohtani. In addition to adopting Dekopin and inking his huge contract, the 29-year-old also got married to Mamiko Tanaka, an event that was also announced via his Instagram.

"The Dodgers gave Ohtani a Dodgers themed gift box of chew toys for Dekopin at the end of their 3 hour meeting in December. I can imagine his hyena laugh in reaction" - James1718

Although many positive developments have happened in Ohtani's life this year, not all have been so rosy. During the Dodgers' opening series of the season against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, it was reported that Ohtani's friend and longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, had stolen millions from him to fund a gambling issue. Mizuhara has since pled guilty to federal crimes on account of the case.

Although the Mizuhara controversy was damaging to Ohtani, the star avoided any direct implication. Now 71 games into the 2024 season, Shohei Ohtani is leading the NL with 55 runs scored, and owns a .314/.388/.601 slashline to accompany his 19 home runs and 47 RBIs.

Shohei Ohtani's importance for the Dodgers increases

Now that Mookie Betts has been sidelined for the long-term with a broken wrist, Ohtani knows that the expectations on him have increased. After slamming a 451-foot home run against the Kansas City Royals last weekend, Ohtani showed off his trademark humility:

“It’s a really good sign that I’m able to hit the ball that far in that direction."

Now with Dekopin and Mamiko to cheer him on at home, expect Ohtani to once again contend for the MVP Award.