Whistle Paws.

Sarcopenia — the natural loss of muscle mass with age — quietly limits older adults from performing the daily tasks their dogs need. Feeding, walking, grooming become risk vectors for falls. But surrendering the dog isn't a real option: research links pet loss to depressive symptoms and acute loneliness in this population.

The medical advice is often to give the dog up. The emotional reality is that the dog is often the only thing keeping them going.

Interviewed aging adults 55+ living with dogs — many single, all quietly negotiating their physical limits against their dog's needs. Synthesized 100+ quotes through affinity clustering and a problem tree. Self-neglect was the root; fall risk was the consequence; surrendering the dog was the worst outcome.

One thing came through every interview: "I'll prioritize my dog over my own convenience."

The reframe changed the design space. Instead of another dog-walking service (which research showed aging adults distrust on safety grounds), the goal became turning the dog itself into the support system. A trained service dog could assist with mobility, medication reminders, and emergencies — turning the source of strain into a source of help.

Every training task in the app moves through the same four verbs — Read, Watch, Perform, Evaluate. Large fonts, high contrast, generous tap targets. Designed for the user, not for the design portfolio.

Ran usability sessions across five tasks. Three of five hit 100% success. The two that didn't pointed to specific friction — terminology ("Evaluate" and "Progress" confused users) and pricing transparency. High success rate doesn't mean low friction — users completed the tasks, then told me exactly what to fix.

The thesis went past the prototype into a full business case — mission, SWOT, business model canvas, and a phased launch plan. Three subscription tiers (Freemium, Premium, Deluxe). Partnerships with senior living communities. AI-tailored training based on the user's health condition and the dog's breed and age.

Whistle Paws hasn't been built yet — I have the deck and the plan if anyone wants to invest.

This thesis was the moment I realized my real strength wasn't in screens alone — it was in scoping the whole system. Research. Design. Business. Development. Ethics. The same lens I'd later use building Bracetek — except that one I actually got to ship and run.