From Wind Energy to Pet Health AI: Why I Built PetCoach.ai

Eric German — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 20:35:13 +0000

Some of you know me from my work in wind energy. But over the past year, I’ve been building something very different in my evenings and weekends — and today, I’m finally ready to share it.

This project wasn’t born out of curiosity for coding or AI. It was born out of years of frustration, heartache, and ultimately, hope.

Here’s the backstory: My wife and I had an Old English Sheepdog named Riggs. For years, we battled unexplained health issues — skin problems, food reactions, constant vet visits. Nothing seemed to add up.

After years of tracking every bite, symptom, and test result, we finally discovered the culprit: copper storage disease. Once we understood it, we could tailor his diet and lifestyle — and it saved his life. Riggs lived to 13 years old, far longer than expected.

That experience stuck with me. I kept thinking: what if we had caught this sooner? What if the data could have spoken for itself?

The Technical Journey
Last winter, I decided to answer those questions the only way I knew how: by building a tool.

I rolled up my sleeves and started coding. With no formal training, I pieced together Firebase, Next.js, AI integrations, and countless late-night StackOverflow searches. Slowly but surely, PetCoach.ai was born.

It’s a simple idea:

One secure place for all your pet’s health info (food, meds, allergies, vaccines, symptoms).
An AI system quietly watching patterns, correlations, and risks.
Weekly reports that you can take straight to your vet.

It doesn’t replace professionals — but it does make you a better-informed pet owner.

Why I’m Sharing This
This isn’t my “new career move.” I still love renewable energy and my day job.

But I also believe in solving real problems. PetCoach.ai was built out of necessity, and now I want to put it in the hands of others who might need it.

If you’re a pet owner — or you know someone who’s been down the frustrating road of trial and error with their animal’s health — I’d be grateful if you checked it out and shared it: https://petcoach.ai

Thanks for reading, and thanks to those of you who have unknowingly supported me with encouragement along the way. Riggs’ story inspired this — and I hope it helps others write a better one.

DEV Community: Eric German

From Wind Energy to Pet Health AI: Why I Built PetCoach.ai