Part 2: 9 things I learn about life from Gigi

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 19 seconds

Picking up where I left off in Part 1, here are more lessons that GG, my tiny but wise Shih Tzu, has shown me about living better—one tail wag at a time.

5. Keep Calm—It Opens Doors

I’m inherently blessed to be a pawrent to a puppy who’s calm, demure, and low-maintenance. That opens up so many doors for bringing her out. When a shop is unsure about allowing pets, I can confidently assure them: she won’t make a sound in her crate. In fact, with the cover on, most people don’t even know she’s there.

We’ve received a lot more “yeses” thanks to that, and GG always delivers. On our way out, shop owners often comment, “She’s a really good pup,” and welcome her back.

And that made me realise: we humans benefit from being less nitpicky and more easygoing too. That doesn’t mean you should be compliant or tolerate things that matter—it just means some battles aren’t worth your energy. Choose wisely.

6. Just Because I’m Small Doesn’t Mean I’m Easy to Push Around

GG is a tiny 5.3kg shih tzu. Quiet, calm, and reserved, she hardly barks—unless pushed. She often just sits and watches other dogs. But cross her boundaries, and she snaps.

It starts subtle: she sits down to avoid being sniffed. If they persist, she bares her teeth. Push more? She’ll snap at their snouts.

She’s cute, quiet, and small—but that doesn’t mean she’ll tolerate disrespect.

Be like that. Gentle, but firm.

7. Communication Doesn’t Need to Be Loud

GG rarely barks—even when she’s hungry or thirsty. But she has her ways of communicating, if you’re observant enough.

She’ll walk to her bowl and look at me. If I miss that, she’ll take matters into her own paws—sniffing around flowerpots or heading to the toilet for water. That’s when I know: time to refill her bowl.

She plays, shows joy, even zoomies—silently. But her body language says it all.

Lesson? We don’t need to shout to be heard.

This is her letting us know she wants the window down: 

8. Be Clear About Your Likes and Dislikes

One thing about GG: she’s very clear about what she loves and what she hates. She’s not food-motivated and would rather go hungry and vomit bile than eat food she dislikes.

She loves chicken. She despises fish. Always has.

This reminded me of my parents. My dad is very clear about his preferences. My mum? Not so much. Which makes it harder to buy her gifts or surprise her with something she truly loves. She’s grateful, sure—but we’re often just guessing.

It’s a very Chinese thing—“don’t complain, just accept”—but if you don’t express what you love, it’s tough for others to truly connect with you.

Before you say, “They don’t love me,” ask yourself: Have I made it easy for them to?

9. Don’t Assume. Ask.

We’ve left GG at a friend’s home for as long as two weeks—and they love having her. They bring her everywhere: restaurants, parks, even a pickleball court.

And that’s when it hit me: I had never created such possibilities for her. Why? Because I assumed most places would say no.

But they didn’t assume. They asked.

They call ahead and say: “We have a small 5kg shih tzu in a carrier—quiet, well-behaved. Is that okay?” And you’d be surprised—more often than not, the answer is yes.

Sometimes you need to compromise—sit outside, adjust plans—but hey, it’s a choice you made. You opened that door. 

Now I realise: every time I assumed, I shut the door on possibilities. And we created that possibility and brought her to a number of places, like the beach and forest and eateries, but a princess she is, she did not like having sand in her feet, she just wanted to stay in the canopy away from the sun.. this was right before she went to hide in the shade.

Whoever came up with “assume = making an ASS out of U and ME”—you, my friend, are brilliant.

Since then, I’ve created more possibilities—not just for GG, but for myself too. Because assumptions close doors. Curiosity opens them. Of course this is still a constant work in progress. I wrote more about it here. 

So what doors are you not opening simply because you never asked?

 Final Thoughts
GG may be a tiny ball of fur, but she’s taught me more about living consciously, communicating clearly, and creating space for joy than most self-help books ever could.

I hope her stories brought a smile to your face, sparked a reflection, or simply reminded you to slow down and tune in.

Sometimes, our greatest teachers don’t come in the form of people or books—but in small, quiet moments… and fluffy paws.

Thanks for reading. 💛