Golden Boy
How to raise a dog all wrong … and end up all right
A memoir (sort of)
Meet Sandy. She's a cat lady. She likes a calm, clean, orderly life, and long days spent writing. A dog really doesn't fit in the picture. Yet when life hits an unexpected rough patch she decides a dog is exactly what she needs to shake things up and bring back the joy. It has to be just the right dog, of course—loyal, loving, and low key. Perfect obedience and good grooming mandatory.
Enter Riggs. He's a 34 lb. Goldendoodle billed as Sandy's perfect match. It certainly doesn't seem that way at first. Riggs has better things to do than sit around adoring anyone. There are muddy trails to run and dead things to eat or, better yet, roll on. He nips the hand that feeds him—and the butt attached to it, too.
This relationship is rocky from the start. Can a novice dog-owner tame the rogue doodle and turn him into her golden boy? Can Riggs get this hangdog cat lady back on track and having some fun? Or will they break each other trying?
Sometimes … you get the dog you need.
Read an excerpt
Currently unpublished until I have time to renovate it.
Reader Reviews
A Unique Read
You know it's been a great book when you're disappointed that you are turning the last page.
This is unlike any typical dog book I've read. As you read this tale you truly become invested in Ms Rideout's struggle to make this rascal of a pup fit into her complicated life. He is supposed to fill a void left by a deceased parent but ends up teaching her far more about herself than she ever expected.
A fluid, captivating and humorous account that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. Don't miss this gem of a book, it begs for a sequel.
Love, Love Love this book.
I have to say this is the best dog owners book I have ever read!
Sandy tells it like it is from the nightmarish puppy antics to the totally gross and finally to what having a dog is all about, Pure Love and Joy!
She tells the stories that the majority of us have gone through but would never want to admit. The roller coaster ride of Canine Love.
What a good read, this book made me laugh and cry.
Great job Sandy!
A hilarious, yet heartwarming, saga of being a good fur parent!
Whether you are getting ready to be a first time dog owner, or you are “hooked” and getting another….everyone can relate to this tongue n cheek memoir of puppyhood trials and tribulations! Sandy, her hilarious way, bares her soul, in the most candid way, of all the things that a fur parent feels (and fears) and finally overcomes.
Very rarely is puppyhood only a joyous “tiptoe through the tulips”…as there are many events and emotions along the way. Sandy brings it all home throughout Golden Boy, making you feel like she & Riggs are part of your family and that you are not alone in your quest for raising a great dog, successfully! A must read, and a a definite repeat….and story to share.