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Mad Dogs & Me: The Original Comedy Diary for dog-lovers about chaos, catastrophe and unconditional love
Thrown out of training classes, banned from local parks, shunned by the neighbours and now Royal Mail is threatening to sue them...
Marley & Me meets This is Going to Hurt in this hilarious and moving real-life diary about a woman who's bitten off more than she can chew!
Meet Otis and Kiara, two giant Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies who turn Saz's life upside down! Kiara is wild and wayward and does not belong in the civilised world of people and their pets. Otis, her loyal brother thinks it's his job to back her up at every opportunity!
With the experts insisting that she must give one of the dogs up, will Saz be able to get these two mad dogs under control before losing any more friends and family and before almost certainly losing her mind?
Described as Bridget Jones but with giant dogs, if you like dogs and love a laugh, then this book is for you!
Profits from the book will go towards buying land to set up The Gentle Soul Sanctuary to home neglected and abandoned animals. Please spread the word far and wide. ♥
Marley & Me meets This is Going to Hurt in this hilarious and moving real-life diary about a woman who's bitten off more than she can chew!
Meet Otis and Kiara, two giant Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies who turn Saz's life upside down! Kiara is wild and wayward and does not belong in the civilised world of people and their pets. Otis, her loyal brother thinks it's his job to back her up at every opportunity!
With the experts insisting that she must give one of the dogs up, will Saz be able to get these two mad dogs under control before losing any more friends and family and before almost certainly losing her mind?
Described as Bridget Jones but with giant dogs, if you like dogs and love a laugh, then this book is for you!
Profits from the book will go towards buying land to set up The Gentle Soul Sanctuary to home neglected and abandoned animals. Please spread the word far and wide. ♥
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2024
20 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 28, 2024
Written as a comedy and in diary-style, Mad Dogs & Me is a real-life story about a woman who might possibly have bitten off more than she can chew when Otis and Kiara, two giant Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies, enter Saz’s life and turn it upside down.
Kiara is wild and wayward and does not belong in the civilized world of people and their pets. Otis, her loyal brother, thinks it’s his job to back her up at every opportunity.
Thrown out of training classes, banned from local parks, shunned by their neighbours and with Royal Mail threatening to sue them, their capacity for trouble knows no bounds.
With the experts insisting that she must give one of the dogs up, Saz must somehow get these two mad dogs under control before losing any more friends and family... and before almost certainly losing her mind!
Described as "Bridget Jones but with giant dogs" and "Marley & Me meets This is Going to Hurt", I loved Saz's story. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it describes events so memorably and vividly that I felt I'd lived through the pups first year with them. It left me feeling nothing but respect and admiration for her patience and dedication towards, and understanding of her dogs, even in the most trying and difficult of circumstances, and especially when hungover or exhausted. And let's not forget her courage, fortitude, strength of will (and mind!), and her incredible sense of humour.
At the end of the Acknowledgements Saz writes that from chaos comes growth (and a helluva lot of wrinkles), and trust me, this woman knows of what she speaks, with everything she went through in Otis and Kiara's first year! The dogs destroyed the family home and lots of their possessions, turned the garden into a lunar landscape, chased everything from postmen to dogs to New Forest ponies, and scaled 4ft garden fences to terrorise the neighbours like Steve McQueen in The Great Escape but without the motorbike.
Chaos brought growth, but it also brought lots of love, joy, satisfaction and hope of better behaviour, as well as the important lesson that no matter how well you train a dog, they are still a dog, and their instinctive nature will never, and indeed shouldn't be squashed.
At the end I felt I'd finished a really satisfying read, and I really hope that Saz writes a sequel - I definitely want to read more!
Saz is an animal lover and an activist for the welfare of all animals, regardless of their species.
She is also a woman with a big plan - her aim is to use profits from Mad Dogs & Me to buy land and start creating a forever home for animals in need. To find out more about Saz's amazing vision, check out her website, www.sazwilson.com
Mad Dogs & Me us available in both paperback and kindle format and can be bought online at Amazon. Thank you to Saz for sending me a copy to read in return for my honest review.
Kiara is wild and wayward and does not belong in the civilized world of people and their pets. Otis, her loyal brother, thinks it’s his job to back her up at every opportunity.
Thrown out of training classes, banned from local parks, shunned by their neighbours and with Royal Mail threatening to sue them, their capacity for trouble knows no bounds.
With the experts insisting that she must give one of the dogs up, Saz must somehow get these two mad dogs under control before losing any more friends and family... and before almost certainly losing her mind!
Described as "Bridget Jones but with giant dogs" and "Marley & Me meets This is Going to Hurt", I loved Saz's story. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it describes events so memorably and vividly that I felt I'd lived through the pups first year with them. It left me feeling nothing but respect and admiration for her patience and dedication towards, and understanding of her dogs, even in the most trying and difficult of circumstances, and especially when hungover or exhausted. And let's not forget her courage, fortitude, strength of will (and mind!), and her incredible sense of humour.
At the end of the Acknowledgements Saz writes that from chaos comes growth (and a helluva lot of wrinkles), and trust me, this woman knows of what she speaks, with everything she went through in Otis and Kiara's first year! The dogs destroyed the family home and lots of their possessions, turned the garden into a lunar landscape, chased everything from postmen to dogs to New Forest ponies, and scaled 4ft garden fences to terrorise the neighbours like Steve McQueen in The Great Escape but without the motorbike.
Chaos brought growth, but it also brought lots of love, joy, satisfaction and hope of better behaviour, as well as the important lesson that no matter how well you train a dog, they are still a dog, and their instinctive nature will never, and indeed shouldn't be squashed.
At the end I felt I'd finished a really satisfying read, and I really hope that Saz writes a sequel - I definitely want to read more!
Saz is an animal lover and an activist for the welfare of all animals, regardless of their species.
She is also a woman with a big plan - her aim is to use profits from Mad Dogs & Me to buy land and start creating a forever home for animals in need. To find out more about Saz's amazing vision, check out her website, www.sazwilson.com
Mad Dogs & Me us available in both paperback and kindle format and can be bought online at Amazon. Thank you to Saz for sending me a copy to read in return for my honest review.
January 20, 2026
:-) :-) ….
August 2, 2024
You’ll be smiling from ear to ear!
Mad Dogs and me takes readers on a hilarious journey through the escapades of two spirited Ridgeback puppies and their devoted owner. With wit and charm, the author captures the playful antics of these lovable troublemakers, delivering laughs and heartwarming moments in equal measure.
This comedy book is a must-read for anyone looking for a dose of laughter and a reminder of the joy that pets bring into our lives.
Mad Dogs and me takes readers on a hilarious journey through the escapades of two spirited Ridgeback puppies and their devoted owner. With wit and charm, the author captures the playful antics of these lovable troublemakers, delivering laughs and heartwarming moments in equal measure.
This comedy book is a must-read for anyone looking for a dose of laughter and a reminder of the joy that pets bring into our lives.
November 30, 2024
What a very wonderful book! I howled with laughter at some parts and got all emotional at others!
Through diary entries Saz relays the story of her two Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies, Otis and Kiara. She writes about crazy days: chewed furniture, holes in the lawn and explosive diarhhear. She writes about the disasters: unhappy neighbours; trainers who refuse to work with the puppies and terrible encounters. The puppies have very different personalities and it becomes impossible to train or walk them together. Saz is told the only way to manage them is to temporarily separate them and send Kiara away. Instead she decides that the answer must come from her own efforts. Can she turn this around?
So many prospective puppy owners come into the library for puppy books. i would love them to read this and see what owning a dog might look like. Like having a baby, being a dog parent has its own ridiculous mythology. Walks with a dog trotting obediently at your heel and impeccable canine behaviour from birth. I volunteered with a dog behaviourist for over two years and learnt so much about dogs and even more about their owners. Some people seemed to think puppies come ready programmed, requiring no effort by their human! But others were totally devoted to dogs who were deeply traumatised by life, or had ‘special needs.’ Some of us take home the dog who is reactive, the dog who has the equivalent of adhd or Autism, the dog with behaviour issues. This book provides an important insight to what that looks like.
I am so grateful to Saz for her honest account. It made me feel understood. My experience with my dog has so much in common with Saz’s experience and I really relate to the frustration, despair and stress that accompanies this kind of journey. There is so much criticism and opinion levelled at dog owners and I think many owners will be grateful to find a book which shares experiences with which they can relate.
Profits from this book will go to buying land to set up The Gentle Soul Sanctuary to home neglected and abandones animals. That’s pretty fabulous!
November 25, 2024
Anything with dogs in books I’m there and even better when it’s a memoir as being a dog owner you can often relate.
This story of bringing home puppies and life beyond is so funny. Saz was only meant to be getting one puppy but torn with wanting the boy and her daughter wanting the girl, her decision was made when her husband said No F*cking way! She did what any loyal wife would do, she did it anyway.
Welcome to the world Otis and Kiara, 2 ridgeback dogs (if you know your dogs, Ridgebacks are a large breed). Setting a list of house rules from the beginning, Saz is ready to go.
Being a previous puppy owner twice myself, I know one alone brings carnage, chaos, thoughts of what have I done, telling your dog to stop being an arse hole but with 2 puppies the chaos is multiplied. I definitely thought Saz what have you done and was so glad I wasn’t tempted by getting 2 puppies at once when Saz’s puppies settled into her home (the home where building work was going on too)
Even the pups having an expensive shoe fetish (dog owners will know, shoes are for destroying not wearing) didn’t seem to faze Saz too much but puppy training classes were a bit more of a sore subject but always good when the trainer goes on to to abuse some other woman’s self esteem (words by Saz)
Were the house rules obeyed? What do you think? 🤭 Saz you are barking mad!
I loved reading this, I laughed, I cringed, I related. Highly recommend for dog lovers, if not one yourself, a great gift for Christmas for a dog lover in your life.
This story of bringing home puppies and life beyond is so funny. Saz was only meant to be getting one puppy but torn with wanting the boy and her daughter wanting the girl, her decision was made when her husband said No F*cking way! She did what any loyal wife would do, she did it anyway.
Welcome to the world Otis and Kiara, 2 ridgeback dogs (if you know your dogs, Ridgebacks are a large breed). Setting a list of house rules from the beginning, Saz is ready to go.
Being a previous puppy owner twice myself, I know one alone brings carnage, chaos, thoughts of what have I done, telling your dog to stop being an arse hole but with 2 puppies the chaos is multiplied. I definitely thought Saz what have you done and was so glad I wasn’t tempted by getting 2 puppies at once when Saz’s puppies settled into her home (the home where building work was going on too)
Even the pups having an expensive shoe fetish (dog owners will know, shoes are for destroying not wearing) didn’t seem to faze Saz too much but puppy training classes were a bit more of a sore subject but always good when the trainer goes on to to abuse some other woman’s self esteem (words by Saz)
Were the house rules obeyed? What do you think? 🤭 Saz you are barking mad!
I loved reading this, I laughed, I cringed, I related. Highly recommend for dog lovers, if not one yourself, a great gift for Christmas for a dog lover in your life.
August 12, 2024
I’m an avid reader, give me any piece of paper and I’ll devour it. That said, I’m not really into comedy- it can often sound forced or unnatural so I usually shy away. However Saz Wilson’s Mad Dogs and Me had me hooked. The author has the gift, a turn of phrase and sharp wit which not in the least twee or syrupy. Not only that, it’s utterly believable - the dogs and their wild antics bound off the page and Saz’s struggles to train them ( she adores them - another plus point) while organising family, business, house renovation et al grab one’s sympathy from the start.
I also lent it to a friend - another great reader whose tastes are should I say, intellectually deep. She read it in one swoop on a flight across the Atlantic and texted me this ‘ It’s hilarious, I loved it!’
Can’t wait for the sequel!
I also lent it to a friend - another great reader whose tastes are should I say, intellectually deep. She read it in one swoop on a flight across the Atlantic and texted me this ‘ It’s hilarious, I loved it!’
Can’t wait for the sequel!
August 21, 2024
"Mad Dogs & Me" offers a delightful and heartwarming peek into a family's journey as they embrace the joy and struggles of welcoming two extraordinary dogs into their lives. This light-hearted and laughter-inducing read is a testament to Saz Wilson's sharp wit and candid storytelling, leaving readers yearning for more. The escapades of Otis and Kiara throughout their first year provide a delightful treat for not only dog enthusiasts and animal lovers but also for those who believe that embracing change can truly strengthen us. Wilson's genuine narrative captures the essence of the transformative power that our furry companions bring, making this a must-read for anyone seeking a feel-good and humorous story.
September 2, 2024
Absolutely hysterical. A very funny, uplifting read that will bring a smile to anyone's face. I can easily see the comparisons to Bridget Jones's Diary. Saz is a very entertaining writer and you can really sense her frustration and despair in all the very funny disasters she tackles with her dogs. And despite all their mischievousness, you can't help but love the gorgeous Otis and Kiara. You definitely don't need to love dogs to love this book. Highly recommended.
March 21, 2024
What a rollicking, heartwarming tale about raising two sibling puppy Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Saz and family take on more than they bargained for when they welcome Kiara and Otis into their home and lives. Through trial and error, a mountain of chew toys and chewed furniture, this is a tale of patience, understanding and love.
March 27, 2025
An enjoyable read for dog lovers, a woman takes on two large dogs, despite being recommended to only take one.
This book of her diary of the dogs first year, shares the ups and downs of training a dog, as chaos follows every day
It definitely shows the love and bond between human and dog
It also made me grateful I only have a chihuahua haha
This book of her diary of the dogs first year, shares the ups and downs of training a dog, as chaos follows every day
It definitely shows the love and bond between human and dog
It also made me grateful I only have a chihuahua haha
September 1, 2024
A hilarious, eye-wateringly honest portrayal of a year living with the world’s most challenging dogs. This is a story full of heart, incredible determination, and chewed-up shoes
August 24, 2025
Such a fabulous read for many reasons - relatability, humor, ease - and the enjoyment of laughing out loud on many occasions. Anyone who has dogs will fully appreciate this incredible read.,
February 4, 2025
When I was offered a review copy of this, I didn’t hesitate to say yes please.
I’ve had several dogs in my life including one German Shepherd puppy who was labelled as a canine delinquent and expelled from puppy training school. I had every sympathy for Saz trying to deal with her two wayward hounds.
When Saz went against all advice to get two sibling puppies from the same litter, she had no idea exactly what she had let herself in for. Otis and Kiara were trouble from the beginning with Kiara the ringleader and Otis following in his sister’s wake. Within their first year, they had wrecked the house and garden, destroyed so many belongings including the ‘Jimmy Chews’ and terrorised the neighbourhood.
Reading this, I was wincing at the mayhem and wondering how on earth Saz would ever train these two hooligans. The book documents Saz’s struggles with the pups over the course of a year in diary format, the brief snapshots of their lives made for an easy and entertaining way to enjoy the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It’s humorous, Saz’s witty writing is so engaging. It is also honest with Saz reflecting on things she has also done wrong. Many dog trainers say it is not dogs who need to be trained but owners. There are no pictures sadly, but there are plenty of photos of the two on Saz’s website.
Despite the many problems and behavioural issues, Saz and her family never gave up on the dogs, despite the advice to give one back. Her bond with the dogs was heartwarming and although sometimes broken and at the end of her tether, her patience and perseverance paid off. Dog lovers especially would enjoy this but indeed it could be for anyone who wants a witty and heartwarming read.
I’ve had several dogs in my life including one German Shepherd puppy who was labelled as a canine delinquent and expelled from puppy training school. I had every sympathy for Saz trying to deal with her two wayward hounds.
When Saz went against all advice to get two sibling puppies from the same litter, she had no idea exactly what she had let herself in for. Otis and Kiara were trouble from the beginning with Kiara the ringleader and Otis following in his sister’s wake. Within their first year, they had wrecked the house and garden, destroyed so many belongings including the ‘Jimmy Chews’ and terrorised the neighbourhood.
Reading this, I was wincing at the mayhem and wondering how on earth Saz would ever train these two hooligans. The book documents Saz’s struggles with the pups over the course of a year in diary format, the brief snapshots of their lives made for an easy and entertaining way to enjoy the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It’s humorous, Saz’s witty writing is so engaging. It is also honest with Saz reflecting on things she has also done wrong. Many dog trainers say it is not dogs who need to be trained but owners. There are no pictures sadly, but there are plenty of photos of the two on Saz’s website.
Despite the many problems and behavioural issues, Saz and her family never gave up on the dogs, despite the advice to give one back. Her bond with the dogs was heartwarming and although sometimes broken and at the end of her tether, her patience and perseverance paid off. Dog lovers especially would enjoy this but indeed it could be for anyone who wants a witty and heartwarming read.
November 28, 2024
This book is told in diary form as Saz begins the journey of bringing home two feisty and huge Rhodesian ridgeback puppies, Otis and Kiara, and adjusting to having them take over her home and life.
I love the writing, it’s conversational and so engaging, pages and pages would go by where I was unaware of the passing of time, I was that absorbed. She expertly conveys both the fun and horror of what she goes through with the pups.
And whilst the dogs get into some hilarious escapades that had me laughing out loud, there seems to be something more serious going on with Kiara that sees her banned from training classes and local parks. Saz’ search for answers about Kiara made me so emotional. Even the experts seem unable to help her and advise her to give Kiara up but she’s determined to persevere and understand her girl.
If you love animals and/or witty, fun writing then I would thoroughly recommend this to you.
Saz plans to use the profits from her book to open an animal sanctuary, even more reason to pick this one up.
I love the writing, it’s conversational and so engaging, pages and pages would go by where I was unaware of the passing of time, I was that absorbed. She expertly conveys both the fun and horror of what she goes through with the pups.
And whilst the dogs get into some hilarious escapades that had me laughing out loud, there seems to be something more serious going on with Kiara that sees her banned from training classes and local parks. Saz’ search for answers about Kiara made me so emotional. Even the experts seem unable to help her and advise her to give Kiara up but she’s determined to persevere and understand her girl.
If you love animals and/or witty, fun writing then I would thoroughly recommend this to you.
Saz plans to use the profits from her book to open an animal sanctuary, even more reason to pick this one up.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews