New York, New York - Entrepreneur Ariella Lorio describes herself as a “millionaire‑maker.” Yet all her money couldn't help her when her beloved dog, Ciuppi, died in March 2025. So, she decided to take an even more unusual route by investing $50,000 to bring Ciuppi back as a clone. But when she recently met the animal, it immediately taught her a lesson.

The millionaire recounted her first encounter with the cloned dog in a forum published on Newsweek. The pup was handed over to her recently at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City, having been flown in from Hong Kong after being cloned there.

"Then the handlers put him in my arms, and he peed on me," Lorio wrote. “I started laughing. I actually thought it was hilarious. I was incredibly nervous, and apparently, so was he. Suddenly this huge, emotional moment became less tense. I was holding a nervous little puppy. His name is Smoochie."

The new four‑legged companion soon taught his owner a lesson: "I learned very quickly that sharing the same DNA does not mean sharing the same soul."

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Smoochie not only looks different from the “original,” but also differs in many other ways.

"At first, I couldn’t stop comparing them. Ciuppi had been a surprisingly relaxed puppy. Smoochie, who was born in a laboratory in Hong Kong, arrived with an unlimited supply of energy. Getting him to sit still long enough for a photograph felt impossible," Lorio said.

This contrast shouldn't end there. The new dog can't stand water, and unlike Ciuppi, who always had a problem with men, Smoochie enjoys every encounter.

In the end, the entrepreneur came to a mixed conclusion.

"I didn’t get Ciuppi back, but I got the chance to love a new soul without having to let go of the one who came before him," Lorio said. Aww!