Promise Amber, now known as Tulip, captured the eye of Nancy and Walter Rigling when she was just a small puppy whose mixed-breed mother was abandoned. When Katie died (the Riglings’ previous golden), GRRMF did not have any young goldens up for adoption. 
Although hesitant about adopting another golden because of the relatively short lifespan of the breed, Nancy and Walter could not resist Tulip, the last puppy left. The Riglings think Tulip is a blend of Rottweiler, Golden Retriever, and Rat Terrier, which makes Tulip “a fun and quirky mix.”
Nancy and Walter admit that Tulip was “a real handful” when she was a puppy, but she has grown up and “has a very good nature. She’s unusually bright and cuddly. Her vocalizations are complex, more so like a rudimentary language.” Their older dog Jack has adopted Tulip “like his kid sister.” Walter and Nancy also report that Tulip “really likes our back yard and enjoys her role as an ‘intruder detector,’ which is often a bird, dropped kitchen utensil, or a shadow. It’s charming and funny, mostly. She makes darned sure we tend to the perceived interloper immediately. She’s extremely happy and we’re all very fond of her.”
