Follow My Lead: What Training My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Love, and Happiness

by Carol Quinn

Overview

Follow My Lead is the story of how two rambunctious dogs and a tough Eastern European dog trainer named Irina taught Carol Quinn everything she needed to know about life, love, and happiness. 

It all begins when the author—unhappy with her failing love affair, her career, and even herself—decides to enroll her two Rhodesian ridgebacks into dog agility training. She's hoping to both find a hobby and straighten out her unruly pets, but she soon discovers that dog agility demands more from her than she ever expected. What follows is a life-changing experience: one that teaches her not only about her dogs but also about herself. 

With Irina’s guidance and wisdom, Quinn and her dogs develop a deep bond of trust as they learn to navigate the course obstacles, and Quinn begins to accept her own flaws, allowing her to find the inner strength to become the "alpha dog” of her own life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580054249
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	07/26/2011
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Author Carol Quinn is the owner of the social media/PR consultancy ProjectQuinn, and an adjunct faculty member at USC Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism. Carol has written for film and television, and is the co-creator/author of the graphic novel series Pink Flamingos, the creator of the YA book series Palm Beach Prep, and the author of a new novel, Under the Ether. Her second novel is in progress. She has two sons and lives in Southern California.

You can find Carol online at ProjectQuinn.com, 3Lunches.com, Facebook.com/FollowMyLeadBook, and FollowMyLeadthebook.com. On Twitter, @ProjectQuinn, @3Lunches, or @FollowMyLeadCQ.  

Editorial Reviews

"Follow My Lead is so much more than a book about dog training—it’s a book about life and all the glorious ways in which we can learn from our interactions with our best friends. Through melding the stories of training her two spunky Rhodesian Ridgebacks in the agility ring with tales from her everyday life, author Carol Quinn delivers a compelling narrative that evidences the transformational power of the bond between a human and their canine companions. Taking a step back to see what dogs can teach us about our own lives opens the door to truly fulfilling a happy existence, and Quinn’s reminder couldn’t be timelier in our connected world."—LIFE + DOG Magazine

"[T]his uplifting memoir encourages reflection and goal–setting, all within the ever–popular narrative framework of the human–dog bond."—Kirkus Reviews

“Two Rhodesian ridgebacks rescue the Venice–based writer from a midlife funk in this warm–hearted confirmation of what most pet owners already know: Dogs really are man’s—or woman’s—best friend.”—Los Angeles Magazinex

“Quinn’s conversational tone, evident affection for her dogs, and willingness to examine her mistakes endear her as a narrator…”—Publisher's Weekly

From the Publisher

An advertising executive and screenwriter sets out on a path to self-discovery and personal fulfillment by participating in dog agility training.

Throughout the challenges of being a single mother, starting her own business and negotiating a rocky romance, Quinn has had one constant: her love for dogs. When she decided to introduce her Rhodesian ridgebacks, Nairobi and Sheila, to the demanding world of agility training, however, she received much more than she expected, including scathing reprimands from her Eastern European trainer, Irina, and humbling encounters with failure, both on and off the field. As she trained Nairobi and Sheila to turn, run and jump at her command, she also reevaluated her own well-worn responses to stress and chose instead to live in the moment with the same contentment that her dogs exuded. Much of the book has a kind of "Zen and the Art of Dog Training" vibe, which will likely appeal most to readers who enjoy inspirational literature—whether they love dogs or not—but Quinn's enthusiasm for the prosaic subject matter (detailed depictions of dog-walking abound) elevates her memoir above the realm of saccharine self-help. Her tone conveys a sincere desire to share her new outlook with others, especially those who "have a tentative connection with life" rather than feeling fully connected to it. Many readers will empathize with her struggle to end a self-destructive relationship with her boyfriend, as well as find comfort in the commandments listed in the chapter titled "The Way of the Dog." Lively photographs of the ridgebacks on the training course punctuate the text, while a supplementary list of resources devoted to agility training will prove useful for canine enthusiasts as they explore the possibility of engaging their own pets in this sport.

Despite some repetitive moments, this uplifting memoir encourages reflection and goal-setting, all within the ever-popular narrative framework of the human-dog bond.

Kirkus Reviews