The Birth of a Dog Trainer

From Hong Kong to Brazil

Growing up in the metropolis of Hong Kong, the city's urban setup always made me long for greenery and raw nature. I guess I am kind of a wild child. I always have a thing for scary animals. Ever since I could run, I would dash to pet a snake. I would smile when I see a big crocodile. I would be excited to watch animal documentaries. And dogs, especially the angry ones, the gnarly ones, drew me in. They somehow pump my adrenaline that I cannot put in words. The best attempt for me to describe that feeling will be..."I want to calm the storm in their unsettling seas". And really that has been the main driving force in everything I do.

Naturally, during all my childhood's birthday, when my mom asked what I wanted for birthday. I always said "I want to adopt a big dog. The one that no one wants." Understandably, it wasn't an easy birthday wish and she always declined. My luck changed during my 14th birthday. I was offered a chance to study aboard in any country my heart desired. Without a second thought, I picked "Brazil". In my mind, I imagined the Amazon Rain forest was covered by birds and reptiles. I imagined a thick canopy that dim the sun. It is where I meant to be. As my parents argued the safety of such trip, the disagreement from my dad seemed to drive my mom into REALLY wanting me to go. I can only say, I was very lucky :)

Isolated and Lonely

When I arrived Brazil, I didn't know a word in Portuguese. The 20+ hours flight made my stomach turn. I couldn’t explain to the flight attendant that I was about to puke. I managed to suppress my urge until we landed. The second I walked into the terminal, a stranger walked up to me and asked " Você está bem? Você precisa de ajuda?" That was it...my nervousness tipped the glass. I puked instantly and fainted... By the time I woke up in the medical office, I already had an IV in my arm. With doctors and nurses talking “gibberish” by my side, I finally feel the loneliness and helplessness of being completely isolated from my world. I knew this was just the beginning.

My host family was "loving". The second we met, they hugged and kissed me on both cheeks, something a Chinese girl NEVER experienced in her life! Culture shock... I felt even more uncomfortable. Although my heart knew they were wonderful people, my mind wondered "what have I done?". To learn a new language was a long journey. I couldn't talk or understand anything for a couple of weeks. I can only watch. Observe. Look at the position of their arms. Look at the twitches on their eyes. Listen to the tone of their voice. And guess in silence.

My First Dog

In the rural part of Brazil, most people consider dog a pest. I watched parents teaching their children how to kick dogs to protect themselves from potential bites. How to throw rocks in a distance so they cannot spread diseases in close range. It was shocking. I couldn’t bear to watch.

One day, on my way to school. I saw one dog being chased by dozens of dogs. I guess it must have crossed a territory. "How dare you, bullies!" my mind burst. Without a thought, I ran straight into the fight. Their fear of humans drove them to disperse like spooked sparrows. What's left was the frozen body of this one yellow dog. She was paralyzed by her fear and was shivering all over. With no eye contact, tail tucked tight between her legs. I knew there was nothing I could do to comfort her. I was the source of her terror, so I walked away.

The next couple days, the superstitious natives told me I was cursed. Apparently, a phantom was following me. Bushes would move near me. People saw ghostly eyes watching me in the dark. I don't believe in supernatural beings, so I ignored them. Until one day, when I went out for a walk. I liked walking alone in the jungle. It gave me peace and let me forget just for a moment how lonely I was. Wait! What was that sound? Someone was lurking in the bushes. I took a couple steps and stopped. It took a couple steps and stopped! Am I being followed? For my safety, I walked toward an open field with short grass and close to the river. When I looked back, there was a dog. A yellow dog! Were you the one I saved couple of days ago? For the first time since I arrived, my heart was filled. She wouldn’t dare to come close but her willingness to be near me made me shed a tear of joy <3

A Lesson on Trust

Looking at her from a distance, I thought "What should I call you?". You brought me new light and was a lighter shade of brown. I will call you "Lighter". We would go on long walks together. I would fish and tossed her the fish that were too small for me. Slowly, our trust grew. The heartbreak started when I had to train her to be further away from me when I was in town. I had to pretend to kick her so she would not follow me into the town. The villagers would not hesitate to shoot her if they had the chance. Using our body language, we were able to build this understanding and trust. She taught me how to trust strangers who guided me through my hardship. She was a true teacher, she believed in me and together we thrived. We were not connected with a leash. We were not connected because of food or shelter. We were together because we both wanted to be. We fulfill each other's emptiness. We could read each other’s thoughts and communicated with our body. It was an incredible bond.

Goodbye

On a beautiful day in the middle of summer, I went for my usual walk in the jungle. Usually I am joined by Lighter within a matter of minutes. Her nose seems to guide her to me. Since I had no idea where her den was, I always relied on her ability to find me. Odd. Where is she? She didn’t come. The next couple of days, I would spend most of my after-school hours looking for her. Crossing rivers, checking under rocks, calling her name. This was like she vanished. I was worried. I began sitting out on the street at night until I must go back inside for bed, just to give her more time to sniff me out. She never came. I didn't give up. A week later, while I was sitting on the street near my house, a peculiar shadow appeared from a distance. It walked with a wobble like it was drunk. It had reflective eyes and had a long skinny silhouette. Oh no, Lighter! “Why is there foam in your mouth? Why are all your rib cages showing on your chest?” I ran toward her and she collapsed in my arms. For the first time, I touched her. With tears rolling down my eyes. I couldn’t bear the pain. "Lighter, please, don't die..." I whispered. My host family watched me wept from a distance but only said "It is too dirty and it is sick. Shower as soon as you come into the house." My only comfort was being able to hold her as she grasped for air. It is now pitch dark, I had to go back inside. There are predators out at night. I could no longer stay. I took off my T-shirt, put it under her limped head and said my final goodbye.

The next day, she was gone. I knew dogs prefer to die away from their pack. I was heartbroken but I was determined to learn enough Portuguese to know what happened. Apparently, someone didn't like dogs loitering around town. They put out rat poison throughout the village claiming there was "a rat infestation". Lighter was poisoned.

A New Life

After two weeks, I had accepted that Lighter was gone. I continued our tradition and walked the same path in the jungle to honor her. Today, I sat on a rock overlooking a hill to enjoy some sunshine. Suddenly...whoosh whoosh whoosh...something was running in the tall grass directly toward me. What is that!? Lighter jumped out of the bushes! Skinny but alive and strong! "Where have you been, my girl!" we danced in circle around one and another overjoyed! As quick as she appeared, she ran off again. Whoosh whoosh whoosh...back in the tall grass. Somehow I could hear a voice in my head telling me she wanted me to stay here and she would be right back. So, I sat with a large grin on my face. Not long after, she returned with something colorful in her mouth. I tried to approach for a good look but she kept moving away. Walking side to side, hinting that she wanted to show me THIS greenish reddish thing but didn't want me to take it. I got the message and stopped my advance. She dropped that thing and there I see, it was a parrot! How on earth does she catch a parrot is beyond me. Most importantly, I have never seen this dog hunt, let alone bringing food to show me how proud she was. I knew that it was her way of telling me "I am ok. I am strong. I can hunt now!" Watching her grew stronger again, I can hear the calm sea...

From Brazil to Canada

Whoosh whoosh whoosh... standing in the prairie on a windy day in Western Canada. That noise always brings back so many good memories. I have since immigrated and completed my Bachelor degree. Without Lighter, I would never learn how to decipher dog’s secret language. Without Lighter, I would never learn how to tame the wide-eyed fear in aggressive dogs. Looking back, I have been a dog trainer for 6 years now. I still live with everything Lighter taught me. With patience and trust, we can conquer any obstacles together.

If you enjoy my stories, leave me a tip, or even share my work on social media! Any support is appreciated. 😊 I plan to write a second story to honor the memory of Lighter. Check back on my profile to see our story - "A wild dog and I".