Honouring the dog who changed my life…
Ping Gai — my companion, my teacher, my world.
Introduction
Some dogs enter our lives quietly, without warning, and end up changing everything.
Ping Gai was that dog for me — my companion, my teacher, my world. This page honours his life, his spirit, and the promise I made over his body that continues to guide my path today.
How He Came Into My Life
One day I received a phone call asking if I wanted to adopt a dog. I didn’t know why the woman needed to give him up — maybe she had too many dogs — but I asked his name.
His name was Ping Gai, meaning “Bottle Cap” in Chinese. I didn’t understand it at first, but I soon learned why. He loved plastic bottles — not fetching them, but chewing the caps, pushing them around with his nose, and proudly claiming them as his treasure.
When I went to pick him up, I saw a beautiful white Bichon Frise. The woman handed him to me quickly and walked away crying. He had been her world. I didn’t know then that he would become mine.
Our Life Together
I had him for about five years — years filled with laughter, morning and evening walks, play, companionship, and unconditional love.
He was there for me, and I was there for him.
Even now, when I see photos or videos of dogs like him, the memories come flooding back and the tears follow. He was my everything.
When Illness Came
Then the pandemic hit.
I noticed he was sleeping more, drinking excessive amounts of water, and losing weight rapidly. I took him to the vet, and that’s when I heard the word that shattered me: diabetes.
His condition was already serious. Treatment would be expensive, and I had no work at the time. Still, I took him again and again for drips, sitting with him, stroking him, hoping he would recover.
Even during lockdowns, I carried him to the clinic every day. I refused to give up on him.
The Hardest Decision of My Life
Eventually the vet advised me to take him home for a few days. I laid him on my bed, and he slept there as the days passed. I cried often, knowing what was coming.
When the day arrived, I carried him in my arms to the vet. I laid him on the table. She asked if I was sure. I said yes — even though every part of me wanted to say no.
I stroked him, told him I loved him, and held him as he took his last breath.
Over his body, I made a vow:
I will go into canine behaviour.
I will learn.
I will help.
I will never let this happen again.
The Grief That Followed
For three months after his passing, I could barely eat. I fell into a deep depression. The void he left was unbearable.
Even now, as I write this, the tears come. The lump in my throat returns.
My dog was my everything.
His Legacy — The Promise That Guides My Future
I didn’t know then what I know now about dogs, behaviour, communication, and welfare.
But because of him — because of the promise I made over his body — I began studying canine behaviour. I continue to learn, grow, and honour him through every course, every insight, every step forward.
This page exists because of him.
His life changed mine.
His memory guides my future.
Closing Note
Ping Gai was more than a dog. He was a companion, a teacher, a source of joy, and the spark that lit the path I now walk.
This page is my way of honouring him — his life, his love, and the legacy he left behind.