It would have never occurred to me that a dog and a smartwatch could be the catalyst to a transformed life, said Amanda emotionally when I met her during a joint dog walk session.

Since childhood, Amanda had developed a special bond with dogs, particularly German Shepherds, that she first encountered on her grandparent’s farm in Shepperton, a small town in Victoria state, Australia.

Amanda’s parents used to live in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, operating their small family fish and chips shop. She had to help her parents during the school holidays.

However, she constantly desired to visit the farm where she felt lively and joyful watching the animals grazing and playing with dogs. The city life was not appealing to Amanda. Conversely, her parents preferred to live in a city, so she had no choice.

Amanda grew up as a chubby and introverted kid affecting her self-esteem. She couldn’t make friends. Even her best friends disappointed her several times, criticizing her physical look overtly. Finally, she broke up with them and kept her distance from other kids in school. She did not want to go to college to her parent’s disappointment. Her older brother, who became a mechanical engineer to their parent’s pride, was just the opposite of Amanda.