Episode 81
When a Dog Becomes a Lifeline: The Heart Behind Golden Boy
A single dog can change a life—sometimes so profoundly that it redirects the entire future. In this deeply moving episode of Animal Posse, Dixie sits down with author A.J. Symon to explore the extraordinary bond he shared with his first service dog, Chip, a golden retriever who became his protector, his partner, and ultimately the inspiration behind his debut novel Golden Boy.
A.J. opens up about living with a seizure disorder, the intuitive connection that made Chip indispensable, and the devastating grief of losing a service dog who had been by his side 24/7 for a decade. He and Dixie share candid stories of guilt, healing, and the silent language animal lovers know all too well.
You’ll also meet Bubba, Chip’s son, who now carries on his father’s legacy as A.J.’s new service dog—and as a character in the Golden Boy universe.
Listeners can learn more about A.J., his work, and Golden Boy at his official website: https://www.ajsymon.com
This episode is a celebration of the animals who save us, shape us, and stay with us long after they’re gone. If you’ve ever had a soul dog or soul cat, this conversation will stay with you.
About Animal Posse 🐈
Welcome to Animal Posse! We share heartwarming stories and crucial insights to make a real difference for animals in need. As a project of the Unwanted Feline Organization, we are a community of animal lovers dedicated to rescue, advocacy, and education. This podcast does not provide medical, veterinary, or professional advice.
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📌 Disclaimer
This show is for entertainment and general discussion only. The experiences, opinions, and information shared by our guests are their own, do not reflect the position of the show and are not intended as veterinary advice. This content should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or guidance. Always consult a licensed veterinarian regarding your pet’s health or any medical concerns.
Transcript
Welcome back to Animal Posse.
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:Today we are gonna celebrate
the animals who change our
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:lives in ways we never expect.
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:Today's guest has a story that sits
right at the heart of what that is
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:all about, the kind of story where
a single dog doesn't just change a
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:life, but it redirects it entirely.
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:I'm joined by author A.J.
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:Symon whose debut novel, Golden Boy, was
born from the bond he shared with his very
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:first service dog, a dog who entered his
life after he was diagnosed with a seizure
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:disorder and who became his partner,
his protector, and ultimately his muse
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:Hi, AJ.
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:Thank you for coming on the show.
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:AJ: Oh, of course.
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:Thank you for having me.
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:I'm grateful to be here.
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:Dixie: Sure.
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:So today we're gonna be talking
about a dog who inspired you to
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:write your first novel, Golden Boy.
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:So- Yes … let's start at the beginning.
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:For listeners who may not know
your story, can you take us back
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:to the moment that you received
your first service dog and what was
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:happening in your life at that time?
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:AJ: Oh at that point, I
actually, I was out of it.
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:I had a seizure disorder.
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:So I honestly, at the point
that it actually happened,
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:I was completely unaware.
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:But after, I was seen by the doctor and
given meds and everything, they said,
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:it would be helpful to have a dog who
could be there to stay with me if if I
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:have a, a seizure or if, and they can
even the dog that I had actually could
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:kinda sense before and would get a little
anxious so I would know to lie down
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:Dixie: Wow, that's amazing.
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:AJ: Yeah, no he was incredible.
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:Dixie: Before that, did you
have any pets in your life?
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:AJ: Oh yeah, I've had dogs my entire life.
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:In my entire life I've had since
I was, I don't know, three or so.
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:Actually, when I was
born, my parents had dogs.
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:We had two collies
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:Dixie: What was your service dog's name?
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:AJ: His name was Chip, and he was awesome.
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:He was so sweet
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:Dixie: Tell us about Chip.
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:What did he bring into your world
emotionally, practically, spiritually
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:as you learned to, get along
with a service dog in your life?
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:AJ: He was…
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:there was no real there was no
learning curve on his part for sure.
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:He was just, he just fit in perfectly.
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:I not sure if there are actually words
to describe what the relationship
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:is like, but there was just like an
instant bond with him for some reason.
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:He would like-- I, I never
really even had to talk to him.
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:He would anticipate when I was about
to go somewhere, like he'd know.
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:He would have his leash before
I even said, "Hey, let's go."
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:He was that in tune with me.
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:And I also could read him pretty well.
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:I could tell when for the most part
when, if something was wrong, I knew
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:when to take him to the vet or if
he was feeling down or something.
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:I could kinda read him but, I think
that's common among people who have pets.
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:You…
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:It's one of those few re-relationships
where there are no words, but you
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:communicate, and I have no idea how
that happens, you know, but it's there.
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:I'm sure you probably know what I'm
talking about as a animal lover yourself.
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:Dixie: Yeah, absolutely.
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:Like a prime example that I can give
for that, whenever it's time for
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:the cats to go to the vet, I don't
even have to take the carrier out.
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:They're hiding before I
can go get the carrier.
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:So it's like they know that they're
going to the vet before I'm even
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:getting the carrier out and getting
ready to take them to the vet.
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:And I think sometimes too, like
I know I talk to my animals.
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:Do you talk to your animals as well?
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:AJ: Oh, yeah, all the time.
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:Dixie: Yeah.
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:It's like sometimes you almost have a
conversation with them, and you'll answer
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:them, but they didn't ask you anything.
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:Like- … oh, you're hungry.
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:Yeah, I'm coming with the food
right now, so yeah- exactly … I
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:definitely understand where
you're coming from with that.
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:AJ: That's why sometimes it's so hard
to put that kind of a relationship
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:into words because there are no words
between the two people who are involved
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:in it, but everyone, I think, right now
everyone talks about a soul dog, which
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:is what that is, you're a soul cat.
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:People that's I guess the
new phrase that sums it up.
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:But even that to me doesn't
really do it justice.
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:It's just a very intense close bond,
especially, with a service dog,
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:they're with you more than your family
is really, 'cause they're with you
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:24/7 all the time, everywhere you go.
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:And so it's, a constant presence,
like your best friend's there all the
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:time, and you just get into a rhythm,
I think, where words aren't necessary
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:Dixie: And how long was Chip in your life?
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:AJ: 10 years.
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:10 years
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:Dixie: And I think that's the
part so many of our listeners will
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:deeply understand is how you have
that grief when you lose them.
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:So- … when you lose them,
it wasn't just losing a dog.
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:It's like losing a partner who kept you
safe, a constant presence, a lifeline.
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:How did that loss shape you?
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:AJ: Oh my gosh.
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:It was really probably the most
intense grief I've ever felt.
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:And I've lost my dad, and I didn't
have the same reaction, it was
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:just, first of all You know,
having him the routine is broken.
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:There's no routine anymore.
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:And, you look and where he's supposed
to be and he's not there, so that
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:just really, for a couple weeks,
I really couldn't do anything.
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:I was distraught.
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:But eventually, I got out of it,
and I can tell you that story too.
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:But the immediate thing was, first of
all, it was so unexpected because he
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:wasn't-- he didn't really seem sick
until the day we took him to the vet.
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:We took him to the vet on a Wednesday,
and on Thursday he was gone.
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:He had this horrible aggressive
cancer that doesn't really show
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:symptoms until it's too late.
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:And I felt, to be honest, so much
guilt about not seeing it before, and
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:I think a lot of people because our
pets can't talk to us and can't tell us
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:what's wrong, I think a lot of people
feel that kind of the guilt, 'cause
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:you're not, you-you're not as aware.
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:And dogs especially or a golden retriever
is always so happy and they're so stoic,
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:you can't really read that kind of pain
until, I think, until it's too late.
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:Like I said, usually when something was
wrong with him, I knew pretty quickly.
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:Like immediately I'd take him to
the vet and he'd be, they'd give him
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:medicine or whatever and he'd be fine.
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:But this time it's just like I-- There
were, those, those weeks I would kick
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:myself like, "What was I missing?
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:Why did I not see?
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:How could I not know?"
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:Dixie: Yeah, I totally understand that.
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:I went through something very similar.
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:First I'd like to say I'm
sorry for your loss, 'cause I
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:definitely know how hard it is.
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:Oh,
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:AJ: Thank
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:Dixie: you.
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:Yeah, but I went through
something very similar.
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:I know what you're talking about
with the guilt because I had the
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:same thing happen to actually, which
what I would consider my soul cat.
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:We're coming almost on a year now.
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:And, … for me, it's still
difficult to even look at his
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:photos and stuff, I wanted to make
a memorial thing and I still can't
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:even do it, and it's almost a year.
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:AJ: Yeah, no I totally understand that.
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:Dixie: Yeah, but it was basically
the same thing with him.
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:He was like picture of health.
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:And I noticed that he wasn't feeling
well, and it was the same thing.
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:He had an aggressive
heart tumor, actually.
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:So it was two weeks.
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:You know- Oh my gosh … it was so
unexpected because I understand what
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:you mean about like you take them to the
vet when you notice that they're sick.
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:And so this time you took him and it
was too late, but I know exactly what
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:you mean because I kept replaying
the whole scenario in my head, too.
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:Did I miss something?
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:Was there something that
I could have done sooner?
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:And in reality, I'm looking back
and I know now I couldn't have.
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:It's just how it presented.
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:AJ: Yeah.
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:Dixie: But it's still hard.
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:It doesn't make it any easier,
and you still carry that with you
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:AJ: Oh, definitely.
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:Yeah.
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:I-- Even, it's been now not
quite three years, I think,
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:and I still, have those days.
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:I still honestly I still
just kinda cry every day.
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:But, I have worse days where I,
kick myself and I'm like, "No."
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:'Cause that's the other thing with a vet,
you don't-- When you're presented with
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:this, you don't really know what to do.
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:'Cause first of all, you got the emotions.
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:Second of all, it's I've never
heard of what this is before.
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:What am I supposed to do about this?
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:It's like, if I'd had months to research
it, I might have been able to figure out
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:what to do, but you're stuck there in the
moment and you have to make a decision are
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:we gonna, are we gonna treat him for this?
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:Are we gonna send him into surgery?
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:He's an old dog.
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:It, like how is he gonna react?
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:Or should we just, try
and keep him comfortable?
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:Trying to make that kind of a
decision when you're under stress
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:and you don't have the knowledge
of what it is really difficult.
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:And that, is one of those things
that replay in my mind all the time.
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:Oh, did I, did I do some…
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:Should I have made the right decision?
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:Now I know, based on his age, that
he-- there was no way he would've
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:ever made it through surgery.
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:So I opted not to and just to keep
him comfortable, just 'cause, I also,
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:you probably noticed, I couldn't
bear the thought of him dying
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:among strangers if it did happen.
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:And so he did end up, we
were with him when he left.
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:So that is a, the one
comforting thing to me.
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:But it's, that's a really hard
decision to make when, you don't know
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:anything about veterinary medicine.
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:Dixie: Yeah, it definitely is.
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:I totally understand
everything that you're saying.
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:And I think at one point or another,
all animal lovers, when you have a
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:pet, you're kinda in that position too.
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:So I think a lot of people are
gonna understand that grief
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:that you're talking about.
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:Now you did take that grief and you
transformed it into something good.
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:And then- Yes, ma'am
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:that's the book that you wrote in
memory of your dog, "Golden Boy."
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:I would like to talk about-
Yep … that a little bit.
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:AJ: Okay.
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:That is a much happier subject.
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:I'll start with that.
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:That was, It's really, "Golden," "Golden
Boy," it's a story about, friendship and
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:curiosity and seeing the world with fr-
with fresh eyes, and it's a, a comedy.
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:It's a the beloved golden retriever
of this family suddenly becomes human.
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:And a teenage girl who's a loner,
she's kinda a, a nerd and not,
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:doesn't have a lot of friends.
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:Her dog's her only friend.
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:He becomes human and it transforms
her relationships with her family
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:and he really kinda just transforms
the entire town where they live.
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:He h- her dad's the football coach,
and when he sees what an amazing
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:athlete this dog turned human is, he
recruits him for the football team.
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:And so he ends up just kinda changing
the lives of everybody he touches, which
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:is, kinda what golden retrievers do.
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:Dixie: Yeah.
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:I understand that you came up with the
idea for the book from a game of fetch.
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:Can you explain that?
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:AJ: Yeah, I was it was like it
took this, this game, I've had this
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:idea mo- in, in my head for years.
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:This was not Chip that it happened with.
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:But I was playing fetch with
my dog and I was playing fetch.
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:He was playing keep away.
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:I don't know if you know what that's
like, trying to get a ball away from
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:a dog who doesn't want you to get it.
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:And he was- … he was funny.
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:He was just basically teasing me,
playing cat and mouse with me.
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:He would bring the ball to me and
ki- drop it right in front of me,
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:and the second I would try to get
it, he'd snatch it up and run away.
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:You could probably hear him.
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:He was going like,
"Psych," while he ran off.
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:And after about an hour of that,
I was tired, and he was not.
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:But he just kept running around wanting
to play, and I looked at him, and I
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:thought my gosh, if that dog was human, he
would be the world's best running back."
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:And so I just pulled the pa- the
pad out of my pocket and wrote that
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:idea down and thought, "Oh, this is
gonna, this would make a funny story."
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:And so that tells you how long ago it
was 'cause it was before smartphones.
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:Dixie: Oh, wow.
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:You've called the novel a love
letter to all dogs who've we've
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:loved during our lifetime and we
wish could have lived forever.
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:That hits home for a lot of people.
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:So how- … did writing the book
help you transform grief into joy?
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:AJ: I told you how I was feeling,
and at some point in that funk that
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:I felt over Chip, I me- I just got up
and went to my computer and started
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:writing which, you know, 'cause I am a
writer, but mostly I'm a screenwriter.
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:I've never-- I've-- This
is my very first novel.
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:I've never written a book before.
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:But for some reason, I said this story,
and I sat down, and I just thought this
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:is gonna be a book for young readers."
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:This is, th- this seems like that
kind of a story to me, and it just
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:seems like it should be a book.
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:And everything I felt, all those feelings
I felt about Chip and all the grief
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:and the loneliness and that sort of
thing came out in the book and in the
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:voices of the characters in the book.
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:But within that, because it is a fun,
funny premise, all of the lessons
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:that I learned from Chip, like all
of the unconditional love and the joy
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:and all that s- also came through.
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:Yeah, like the grief was coming out, but
it was also helping me remember all the
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:fun and the love that I got from this dog
that I missed and also, all the other dogs
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:I've ever had, really, and I, it just,
like I said, it flew out of me in probably
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:about two months I had a first draft.
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:And when I was reading it I thought, this
is really cheering me up, and I think
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:this could cheer a lot of people up."
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:'Cause it, it's fun and
it's funny, it's relatable.
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:Anybody, who's had a special
connection with a pet would definitely
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:love this and get the story.
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:'Cause, we all kinda feel like our
pets are practically human anyway, so
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:what if it just went one step further?
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:'Cause dogs, and it's not that far off,
dogs and humans share like 90% of our DNA.
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:It, just a couple of tweaks you
can go from dog to human, at least
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:that's the theory in the book
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:Dixie: With this being your debut
novel at 60, what was it like
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:stepping into writing a novel now?
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:AJ: There's a lot more responsibility
to writing a novel than there is
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:to writing a screenplay, first
of all, because a screenwriter,
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:you're lower on the food chain.
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:As a au-author of the book, you're
making all the decisions, so all
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:the creative decisions are yours.
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:So there is that responsibility
to create something.
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:But it is fun 'cause, usually I'm not the
one filling in the details on a movie.
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:The set designer's doing the sets, and
the costumer's doing the costume, and
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:the directors and the actors are doing
all their parts and figuring out how
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:lines are read and that sort of thing.
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:But that is-- When you're a writer,
you put all that in your book.
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:You have to build all those images
and those sounds and everything.
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:You have to recreate all that's
in your head and recreate it
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:in the head of the reader.
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:So it's a fun experience.
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:It's also I think less stressful than
working on a movie 'cause it's not
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:as, Working on a movie or a TV show
or whatever, it's a lot of it is "We
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:needed this yesterday," and, but the
pace of publishing is much slower.
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:They're like if you need a couple
more weeks, you can do it."
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:But I'm s- I'm like, "No
I'm not used to that."
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:I'm used to, you wanted it on the 5th,
I'm gonna give it to you on the 1st.
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:I'm always early.
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:And then, that gave me a lot of
time actually to work on the script,
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:which I'm hoping will either the,
someone will pick up the film
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:rights, so the script will be done.
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:Dixie: Yeah, it sounds like a great story.
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:It really does.
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:When will people be able to get it to
read it, and where can they find it?
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:AJ: Right now you can get it anywhere
you buy books, like amazon.com.
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:You can go on my website, ajsymon.com.
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:It's Symon with a Y.
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:And you can pre-order it, and it'll be
delivered to your door on August 25th
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:when it, which is the publish date.
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:And off, a-after 25th, it'll be
in physical stores everywhere.
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:Dixie: I would also like to bring your
new service dog into the conversation,
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:if we can talk about Bubba for a minute.
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:So I understand- Of
course … I understand that
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:Bubba is connected to Chip.
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:Tell us about Bubba.
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:AJ: Oh, yeah.
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:Bubba is Chip's son actually.
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:And Bubba was supposed to be, take
over for Chip, and he was actually
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:here as a little puppy kind of
shadowing Chip so that, when Chip
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:got to the point where he needed to
retire, Bubba could take over for him.
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:But Chip, passed away quick-
quicker than we expected.
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:So Bubba really had to step up and fill
Chip's, he doesn't really have shoes.
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:Fill his role.
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:So Bubba h- has been
just a real savior to me.
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:He's awesome.
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:He's he's here right now
just keeping an eye on me.
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:Dixie: Yeah, that's amazing,
too, that not only is he Chip's
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:son, but also he was trained…
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:trained by Chip.
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:That's really cute.
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:That's really amazing.
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:AJ: I think, I think they do that just
because, you're They know, what sort of
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:personality characteristics, for service
dogs, they have to have certain things.
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:Like a lot of times German shepherds are
police dogs, and golden retrievers are
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:more service dogs and therapy dogs 'cause,
'cause it's a different temperament.
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:I guess it's easier to control for that.
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:Dixie: I would imagine
Bubba's with you 24/7.
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:He's going everywhere with you.
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:What is it like having him as your
partner on your new creative journey?
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:AJ: Oh, it's fun.
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:I love having him.
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:He's gonna, when I do my book
tour, he'll be with me everywhere,
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:so everyone will get to meet him.
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:He's, I'm sure, gonna be much more
popular than I am with the people.
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:He's he's so sweet.
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:Dixie: May-
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:AJ: He,
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:Dixie: Maybe you can have
him sign, like, paw-tographs.
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:You can sign the books and he
can put his paw print on there.
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:AJ: Get a little ink pad for him.
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:That's a good idea.
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:Dixie: How does he support
you in your daily life?
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:AJ: Same, he does the
same thing that Chip did.
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:He's with me all the time.
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:He is aware of, super aware of my
moods and, how I'm feeling, and
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:he can tell if something is off.
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:He's really good at-- He's a- actually
very sensitive to mood changes and
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:things like that, which is amazing
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:Dixie: Do you find he's on kind of the
same wavelength that Chip was on with you?
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:AJ: Yeah, he is.
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:It's a little different obviously
'cause everyone, everyone is different.
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:All animals are different just
the way all people are different.
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:So he has a slightly different
personality than Chip.
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:I think the, it's gonna sound odd,
but it seems like Bubba is, seeks my
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:approval a lot more, which was, I'm
not sure how to describe it, but Chip
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:was always just, was mellow and stuff.
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:But Bubba, you can tell he's like
looking at me like, "Did I do that right?
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:Am I doing okay?"
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:So I don't know, maybe he
feels the pressure of having
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:to live up to his dad's memory.
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:I hope not, but may- that's the only
thing I can think of that to explain it.
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:Dixie: Yeah, it's amazing how they
all have their unique personalities.
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:I know as animal lovers, we always
see that, and it just amazes me
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:when you hear from people that say
animals don't have personalities.
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:Because it's like- Oh,
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:AJ: they tot-
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:Dixie: Yeah, how can you not
see a personality in an animal?
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:AJ: No they have personalities just
as much as people have personalities.
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:They're all different.
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:Every dog I've ever had
is completely different
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:Dixie: Our listeners are people who have
been shaped by animals, healed by them,
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:guided by them, sometimes saved by them.
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:So what do you hope that they
take away from your story?
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:AJ: Oh, I just, the, I hope that it lifts
people up really because the reason that
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:I wrote it to honor Chip and Hudson and
all those dogs, was they gave me so much
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:and I kinda hope that the love that they
gave me comes through in that book and
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:that, even though they're gone, from
this world, that their spirit continues
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:to kinda lift people up everywhere the
way they lifted me up when they were
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:here with me, it's kinda sharing that
love and paying it forward and I think
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:it comes through in the book for sure.
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:You can definitely feel it in there.
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:Dixie: Do you think Bubba will have a
future role on your writing life now?
384
:AJ: He actually got…
385
:He a- I actually named one of the
very, very minor characters on
386
:the football team after Bubba.
387
:One of the big linebackers is named Bubba.
388
:So maybe in a sequel he'll
become a bigger role.
389
:Dixie: Thank you so much for sharing your
story, your heart, and your dogs with us.
390
:"Golden Boy" arrives this August.
391
:You said August 25th?
392
:And I- Yes, ma'am … I know our listeners
are going to connect with it deeply.
393
:I am going to include your links in the
show notes so people know how to find you.
394
:And, Okay … yeah thank you so much.
395
:It was it was great hearing your story.
396
:AJ: Thank you so much.
397
:I so appreciate being part of
the program and you inviting me.
398
:Thank you.
399
:Dixie: Yeah, you're welcome, and I
think this is gonna inspire so many
400
:people, and I do think it's gonna
really help people if they read this
401
:to, to lift up their spirits and,
just have something fun to read.
402
:AJ: Oh, thank you.
403
:Thank you.
404
:I hope so.
