The Best Dog Books Of All-Time
All that is needed to flip our emotions directly to a loving sadness is a quick glance and a cursory knowledge of the dog books listed below. We think it is safe to say that there is no other animal that brings out such strong emotions in more people than dogs and the books about them. Even if you aren’t a dog person (not sure why you would want to read this list if you aren’t…ya weirdo), you still have to admit that no other animal comes close to having the amount of great stories told bout them as dogs.
We looked at 17 different “Best Dog Book” listicles and came away with 192 unique books. Of those 192 books, 33 appeared on more than one list. The top 33 are listed with summaries, links and photos below with the rest of the books in a list at the bottom of the page. There are both fiction and non-fiction books giving any dog lover more than enough opportunity to find a book just for them.
The list also includes some of those classic books one always hears the title of and immediately thinks “Dog Book”! You know, titles like Harry Potter, The Wizard of Oz, and The Odyssey.
Happy Scrolling!
(Make sure to keep an eye out for the bookcover with the straight-on photo of a dog’s face as it looks lovingly into the camera)
The Number 1 Dog Book
(Appears on 8 Lists)
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Bustle
- Dog Channel
- Flavorwire
- The Christian Science Monitor
- The Guardian
- The Reading Bug
The Call of the Wild, considered by many London’s greatest novel, is a gripping tale of a heroic dog that, thrust into the brutal life of the Alaska Gold Rush, ultimately faces a choice between living in man’s world and returning to nature. Adventure and dog-story enthusiasts as well as students and devotees of American literature will find this classic work a thrilling, memorable reading experience.
#2-3
(Appear on 7 Lists)
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Bustle
- Dog Channel
- I Heart Dogs
- The Christian Science Monitor
- The Reading Bug
One summer’s day, ten-year-old India Opal Buloni goes down to the local supermarket for some groceries – and comes home with a dog. But Winn-Dixie is no ordinary dog. It’s because of Winn-Dixie that Opal begins to make friends. And it’s because of Winn-Dixie that she finally dares to ask her father about her mother, who left when Opal was three. In fact, as Opal admits, just about everything that happens that summer is because of Winn-Dixie.
Old Yeller by Fred Gibson
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Bustle
- Dog Channel
- Flavorwire
- The Christian Science Monitor
- The Reading Bug
“At first, Travis couldn’t stand the sight of Old Yeller
The stray dog was ugly, and a thieving rascal, too. But he sure was clever, and a smart dog could be a big help on the wild Texas frontier, especially with Papa away on a long cattle drive up to Abilene.Strong and courageous, Old Yeller proved that he could protect Travis’s family from any sort of danger. But can Travis do the same for Old Yeller?”
#4
(Appear on 6 Lists)
Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Bustle
- Flavorwire
- The Christian Science Monitor
- The Reading Bug
Lassie is Joe’s prize collie and constant companion. But when Joe’s father loses his job, Lassie must be sold. Three times she escapes from her new owner, and three times she returns home to Joe, until finally she is taken to the remotest part of Scotland―too far a journey for any dog to make alone . . . But Lassie is not just any dog.
#5
(Appear on 5 Lists)
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Lists It Appears On:
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Dog Channel
- Indian Prairie Public Library
- The Christian Science Monitor
- The Reading Bug
A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope–a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it.
#6-8
(Appear on 4 Lists)
Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know by Alexandra Horowitz
Lists It Appears On:
- Eardog
- Mother Nature Network
- Scientific American
- Top Dog Tips
The answers will surprise and delight you as Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist, explains how dogs perceive their daily worlds, each other, and that other quirky animal, the human. Horowitz introduces the reader to dogs’ perceptual and cognitive abilities and then draws a picture of what it might be like to be a dog. What’s it like to be able to smell not just every bit of open food in the house but also to smell sadness in humans, or even the passage of time? How does a tiny dog manage to play successfully with a Great Dane? What is it like to hear the bodily vibrations of insects or the hum of a fluorescent light? Why must a person on a bicycle be chased? What’s it like to use your mouth as a hand? In short, what is it like for a dog to experience life from two feet off the ground, amidst the smells of the sidewalk, gazing at our ankles or knees?
Nose Down, Eyes Up by Merrill Markoe
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Indian Prairie Public Library
- Oprah
At forty-seven, Gil has reached a relatively happy period in his life as the world’s oldest twenty-two-year-old man. In exchange for doing the odd carpentry and construction job, he gets paid to live rent-free in Los Angeles at the glorious summerhouse of rich retirees who are never there. It’s a world of solitary splendor spent mainly in the company of his four dogs, Cheney, Fruity, Dinky, and Jimmy, the alpha and the only one of the four that Gil has raised from a pup.
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Dog Channel
- The Christian Science Monitor
” Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two, dogs. So when he’s finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own—Old Dan and Little Ann—he’s ecstatic. It doesn’t matter that times are tough; together they’ll roam the hills of the Ozarks.
Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Stories of their great achievements spread throughout the region, and the combination of Old Dan’s brawn, Little Ann’s brains, and Billy’s sheer will seems unbeatable. But tragedy awaits these determined hunters—now friends—and Billy learns that hope can grow out of despair, and that the seeds of the future can come from the scars of the past.”
#9-13
(Appear on 3 Lists)
Marley and Me by John Grogan
Lists It Appears On:
- ACK Dog Lovers
- The Christian Science Monitor
- The Reading Bug
The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life.
Sounder by William H. Armstrong
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- ACK Dog Lovers
- The Reading Bug
This classic novel shows the courage, love, and faith that bind an African-American family together despite the racism and inhumanity they face. Readers who enjoy timeless dog stories such as Old Yellerand Where the Red Fern Grows will find much to love in Sounder.
The Odyssey by Homer
Lists It Appears On:
- Bustle
- Flavorwire
- The Guardian
The most eloquent translation of Homer’s epic chronicle of the Greek hero Odysseus and his arduous journey home after the Trojan War
The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia McConnell
Lists It Appears On:
- Mother Nature Network
- Scientific American
- Top Dog Tips
The Other End of the Leash shares a revolutionary, new perspective on our relationship with dogs, focusing on our behavior in comparison with that of dogs. An applied animal behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell looks at humans as just another interesting species, and muses about why we behave the way we do around our dogs, how dogs might interpret our behavior, and how to interact with our dogs in ways that bring out the best in our four-legged friends.
White Fang by Jack London
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- Dog Channel
- The Reading Bug
“White Fang” is part dog, part wolf and all brute, living in the frozennorth; he gradually comes under the spell of man’s companionship, andsurrenders all at the last in a fight with a bull dog. Thereafter he isman’s loving slave.
#14-33
(Appear on 2 Lists)
A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
Lists It Appears On:
- ACK Dog Lovers
- The Christian Science Monitor
Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, A Dog’s Purpose is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog’s many lives, but also a dog’s-eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man’s best friend. This moving and beautifully crafted story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.
Cujo by Stephen King
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- Dog Channel
Cujo used to be a big friendly dog, lovable and loyal to his trinity (THE MAN, THE WOMAN, and THE BOY) and everyone around him, and always did his best to not be a BAD DOG. But that all ends on the day this nearly two-hundred-pound Saint Bernard makes the mistake of chasing a rabbit into a hidden underground cave, setting off a tragic chain of events. Now Cujo is no longer himself as he is slowly overcome by a growing sickness, one that consumes his mind even as his once affable thoughts turn uncontrollably and inexorably to hatred and murder. Cujo is about to become the center of a horrifying vortex that will inescapably draw in everyone around him—a relentless reign of terror, fury, and madness from which no one in Castle Rock will truly be safe.
Death of a Dog Whisperer by Laurien Berenson
Lists It Appears On:
- I Heart Dogs
- Indian Prairie Public Library
Between her boisterous sons and a house full of Poodles, there’s never a dull moment for Melanie Travis. But no matter how hectic life gets, she can always pick up the scent of a howling good mystery–and she’ll stop at nothing to dig up the truth. .
Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant
Lists It Appears On:
- ACK Dog Lovers
- The Christian Science Monitor
In Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant’s classic bestseller, the author comforts readers young and old who have lost a dog. Recommended highly by pet lovers around the world, Dog Heaven not only comforts but also brings a tear to anyone who is devoted to a pet. From expansive fields where dogs can run and run to delicious biscuits no dog can resist, Rylant paints a warm and affectionate picture of the ideal place God would, of course, create for man’s best friend. The first picture book illustrated by the author, Dog Heaven is enhanced by Rylant’s bright, bold paintings that perfectly capture an afterlife sure to bring solace to anyone who is grieving.
Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You A Better Friend to Your Pet by John Bradshaw
Lists It Appears On:
- Mother Nature Network
- Scientific American
What dogs really need is a spokesperson, someone who will assert their specific needs. Renowned anthrozoologist Dr. John Bradshaw has made a career of studying human-animal interactions, and in Dog Sense he uses the latest scientific research to show how humans can live in harmony with–not just dominion over– their four-legged friends. From explaining why positive reinforcement is a more effective (and less damaging) way to control dogs’ behavior than punishment to demonstrating the importance of weighing a dog’s unique personality against stereotypes about its breed, Bradshaw offers extraordinary insight into the question of how we really ought to treat our dogs.
Dog Years by Mark Doty
Lists It Appears On:
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Oprah
When Mark Doty decides to adopt a dog as a companion for his dying partner, he brings home Beau, a large, malnourished golden retriever in need of loving care. Joining Arden, the black retriever, to complete their family, Beau bounds back into life. Before long, the two dogs become Doty’s intimate companions, and eventually the very life force that keeps him from abandoning all hope during the darkest days.
Following Atticus by Tom Ryan
Lists It Appears On:
- ACK Dog Lovers
- I Heart Dogs
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowiling
Lists It Appears On:
- Bustle
- Flavorwire
Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That’s because he’s being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he’s really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
Lists It Appears On:
- The Children’s Book Review
- The Reading Bug
With a fresh and deceptively simple style, acclaimed author Sharon Creech tells a story with enormous heart. Written as a series of free-verse poems from Jack’s point of view, Love That Dog shows how one boy finds his own voice with the help of a teacher, a writer, a pencil, some yellow paper, and of course, a dog. With classic poetry included in the back matter, this provides the perfect resource for teachers and students alike.
Our Story Begins by Tobias Wolff
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- Oprah
This collection of stories—twenty-one classics followed by ten potent new stories—displays Tobias Wolff’s exquisite gifts over a quarter century.
Pack of Two by Caroline Knapp
Lists It Appears On:
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Eardog
Caroline Knapp has been celebrated as much for her fresh insight into emotional and psychological issues as she has been for her gifts as a writer. In Pack of Two, she brings the same perception and talent to bear on the rich, complicated terrain of human-animal relationships. In addition to mining her own experience with Lucille, Knapp speaks to a wide variety of dog people–from animal behaviorists and psychologists to other owners whose dogs have deeply affected their lives–about this emotionally complex, sometimes daunting, often profoundly healing alliance. Throughout, she explores the shift in canine roles from working partners to intimate companions and looks, too, at how this new kinship, this wordless bond, becomes a template for what we most desire ourselves.
Rin Tin Tin by Susan Orlean
Lists It Appears On:
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Flavorwire
He believed the dog was immortal. So begins Susan Orlean’s sweeping, powerfully moving account of Rin Tin Tin’s journey from abandoned puppy to movie star and international icon. Spanning almost one hundred years of history, from the dog’s improbable discovery on a battlefield in 1918 to his tumultuous rise through Hollywood and beyond, Rin Tin Tin is a love story about “the mutual devotion between one man and one dog” (The Wall Street Journal) that is also a quintessentially American story of reinvention, a captivating exploration of our spiritual bond with animals, and a stirring meditation on mortality and immortality.
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- Bustle
When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it’s love at first sight—and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun—and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty’s secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd’s anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his?
The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- Dog Channel
The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think by Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods
Lists It Appears On:
- Mother Nature Network
- Top Dog Tips
In the past decade, we have learned more about how dogs think than in the last century. Breakthroughs in cognitive science, pioneered by Brian Hare, have proven dogs have a kind of genius for getting along with people that is unique in the animal kingdom. This dog genius revolution is transforming how we live and work with our canine friends, including how we train them. Does your dog feel guilt? Is she pretending she can’t hear you? Does she want affection—or just your sandwich? In The Genius of Dogs, Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods lay out what discoveries at the Duke Canine Cognition Lab and other research facilities around the world are revealing about how your dog thinks and how we humans can have even deeper relationships with our best four-legged friends.
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
Lists It Appears On:
- Dog Channel
- The Christian Science Monitor
Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children’s stories of all time–and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961.
The Phantom Toll Booth by Norton Juster
Lists It Appears On:
- Bustle
- Flavorwire
For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason! Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams. . . .
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Lists It Appears On:
- Abe Books
- ACK Dog Lovers
Filled with breathtaking scenes—the elemental north woods, the sweep of seasons, an iconic American barn, a fateful vision rendered in the falling rain—The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is a meditation on the limits of language and what lies beyond, a brilliantly inventive retelling of an ancient story, and an epic tale of devotion, betrayal, and courage in the American heartland.
The Wizard of OZ by L. Frank Baum
Lists It Appears On:
- Bustle
- Flavorwire
You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness by Julie Klam
Lists It Appears On:
- ACK Dog Lovers
- Oprah
You Had Me at Woof is the often hilarious and always sincere story of how one woman discovered life’s most important lessons from her relationships with her canine companions. From Otto, Julie realized what it might feel like to find “the one.” She learned to share her home, her heart, and her limited resources with another, and she found an authentic friend in the process. But that was just the beginning. Over the years her brood has grown to one husband, one daughter, and several Boston terriers. And although she had much to learn about how to care for them-walks at 2 a.m., vet visits, behavior problems-she was surprised and delighted to find that her dogs had more wisdom to convey to her than she had ever dreamed. And caring for them has made her a better person-and completely and utterly opened her heart. Riotously funny and unexpectedly poignant, You Had Me at Woofrecounts the hidden surprises, pleasures, and revelations of letting any mutt, beagle, terrier, or bulldog go charging through your world.
#34-192
(Appear on 1 List)
| 101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| 12 Terrible Dog Training Mistakes Owners Make That Ruin Their Dog’s Behavior…And How To Avoid Them | Suzanne Hetts | (Scientific American) |
| A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog (Hardcover) | Dean Koontz | (The Reading Bug) |
| A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me | Jon Katz | (Eardog) |
| A dog’s journey | W. Bruce Cameron | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| A Dog’s Life | Peter Mayle | (Abe Books) |
| A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray (Paperback) | Ann M. Martin | (The Reading Bug) |
| A Song of Ice and Fire | (Flavorwire) | |
| Along Came a Dog (Paperback) | Meindert Dejong, Maurice Sendak | (The Reading Bug) |
| ALPHA DOG* | Jennifer Ziegler | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| Animal Behaviour for Shelter Veterinarians and Staff, ASPCA | Emily Weiss | (Scientific American) |
| Anyone But You | Jennifer Crusie | (North American Word Cat) |
| Bare It All | Lori Foster | (North American Word Cat) |
| Beautiful Joe | Marshall Saunders | (Abe Books) |
| Bedtime for Bonsai | Elaine Fox | (ACK Dog Lovers) |
| Beloved Dog | Maira Kalman | (Scientific American) |
| Bespotted | Linda Gray Sexton | (I Heart Dogs) |
| Beware of Do(u)g | Elaine Fox | (ACK Dog Lovers) |
| Beware the Straw Man: The Science Dog Explores Dog Training Fact & Fiction | Linda Case | (Scientific American) |
| Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs” | Suzanne Clothier | (Mother Nature Network) |
| Born to Bark: My Adventures with an Irrepressible and Unforgettable Dog | Stanley Coren | (Oprah) |
| Brain Games for Dogs: Fun Ways to Build a Strong Bond with Your Dog and Provide It with Vital Mental Stimulation | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| Brute strength : a dog lover’s mystery | Susan Conant | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| BULU: African Wonder Dog* | Dick Houston | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet | John Bradshaw | (Scientific American) |
| Cesar’s Rules: Your Way to Train a Well-Behaved Dog | Cesar Millan | (Top Dog Tips) |
| Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words | John Pilley and Hilary Hinzmann | (Scientific American) |
| Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dog Did What? | Amy Newmark | (I Heart Dogs) |
| Clifford the Big Red Dog | Norman Bridwell | (Abe Books) |
| Companion Animal Ethics | Peter Sandøe, Sandra Corr, Clare Palmer | (Scientific American) |
| Dancing dogs : stories | Jon Katz | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| David Copperfield | (Flavorwire) | |
| Decoding Your Dog: Explaining Common Dog Behaviors and How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones | Debra Horwitz, Ed., and contributors John Ciribassi, Steve Dale, and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists | (Scientific American) |
| Dog Behaviour, Evolution, and Cognition | Ádám Miklósi | (Scientific American) |
| Dog Breath!: The Horrible Trouble with Hally Tosis (Paperback) | Dav Pilkey, Dav Pilkey | (The Reading Bug) |
| Dog Diaries: Secret Writings of the Woof Society (Hardcover) | Betsy Cromer Byars, Laurie Myers, Betsy Duffey | (The Reading Bug) |
| Dog Food Logic: Making Smart Decisions for Your Dog in an Age of Too Many Choices | Linda Case | (Scientific American) |
| Dog Gone (Paperback) | Cynthia Chapman Willis | (The Reading Bug) |
| DOG LOVES BOOKS | Louise Yates | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| Dog Loves Fairy Tales | Louis Yates | (I Heart Dogs) |
| Dog on It | Spencer Quinn | (Eardog) |
| Dog Songs | Mary Oliver | (ACK Dog Lovers) |
| Doggerel | (ACK Dog Lovers) | |
| Dogs | Tim Flasch | (Top Dog Tips) |
| Dogs | Catherine Johnson and William Wegman | (Oprah) |
| DOGS | Seymour Simon | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| Dogs and the Women Who Love Them: Extraordinary True Stories of Loyalty, Healing, and Inspiration | Allen and Linda Anderson | (Oprah) |
| Dogs don’t lie | Clea Simon | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| DOGS DON’T BRUSH THEIR TEETH | Diane deGroat and Shelley Rotner | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| Dogs on Rocks | William Wegman | (Oprah) |
| Dogsbody | Dianna Wynne Jones | (The Christian Science Monitor) |
| Domestic Dog Cognition and Behavior: The Scientific Study ofCanis familiaris | Alexandra Horowitz | (Scientific American) |
| Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| Dumb Witness | Agatha Christie | (Abe Books) |
| Eminent Dogs Dangerous Men | Donald McCaig | (Eardog) |
| Everything for a Dog (Hardcover) | Ann M. Martin | (The Reading Bug) |
| Feed Your Best Friend Better: Easy, Nutritious Meals and Treats for Dogs | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| Fight for Life (Paperback) | Laurie Halse Anderson | (The Reading Bug) |
| Five Get Into a Fix | Enid Blyton | (Abe Books) |
| Flush: A Biography | Virginia Woolf | (Eardog) |
| Forever and a Day (Lucky Harbor) | Jill Shalvis | (North American Word Cat) |
| Gentle Warrior | Julie Garwood | (North American Word Cat) |
| Ginger Pye (Paperback) | Eleanor Estes | (The Reading Bug) |
| Goldie (Paperback) | Ellen Miles | (The Reading Bug) |
| Guardians of Being (Hardcover) | Eckhart Tolle, Patrick McDonnell | (The Reading Bug) |
| Guys and Dogs | Elaine Fox | (ACK Dog Lovers) |
| Harry the Dirty Dog | Gene Zion | (Abe Books) |
| Heart Fate | Robin D. Owens | (North American Word Cat) |
| Heart of a Dog | Mikhail Bulgakov | (The Guardian) |
| Her Dog | Tobias Wolff | (The Guardian) |
| Hondo & Fabian (Hardcover) | Peter McCarty, Peter McCarty | (The Reading Bug) |
| How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| How Dogs Think: What the World Looks Like to Them and Why They Act the Way They Do | Stanley Coren | (Eardog) |
| HOW ROCKET LEARNED TO READ* | Tad Hills | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days (Revised) | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond | Cesar Millan | (Top Dog Tips) |
| Huck: The Remarkable True Story of How One Lost Puppy Taught a Family—and a Whole Town—About Hope and Happy Endings | Janet Elder | (Oprah) |
| I Don’t Want a Posh Dog! (Hardcover) | Emma Dodd | (The Reading Bug) |
| I’m a Good Dog: Pit Bulls, America’s Most Beautiful (and Misunderstood) Pet | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| Investigations of a Dog | Franz Kafka | (The Guardian) |
| It Had to Be You | Susan Elizabeth Phillips | (North American Word Cat) |
| Kashtanka | Anton Chekhov | (The Guardian) |
| Katie Up and Down the Hall: The True Story of How One Dog Turned Neighbors into a Family | Glenn Plaskin | (Oprah) |
| King | John Berger | (The Guardian) |
| Lad: A Dog | Albert Payson Terhune | (ACK Dog Lovers) |
| Lives of the Monster Dogs | Kirsten Bakis | (Abe Books) |
| Lost and Found: Three Dog Stories (Hardcover) | Jim LaMarche | (The Reading Bug) |
| MAGGIE’S BALL | Lindsay Barrett George | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog | Ted Kerasote | (Eardog) |
| Murder unleashed : a novel | Rita Mae Brown | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| Mutts | Sharon Montrose | (Oprah) |
| My Dog Skip | Willie Morris | (Abe Books) |
| My Dog’s Brain | Stephen Huneck | (Eardog) |
| My Leash on Life | Lenore Hirsch | (I Heart Dogs) |
| Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle (Hardcover) | Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, Mary Nethery | (The Reading Bug) |
| Old Dogs: Are the Best Dogs | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love | Larry Levin | (Oprah) |
| PANTALOON | Kathryn Jackson | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| Paw and Order | Spencer Quinn | (I Heart Dogs) |
| Peter Pan | J.M. Barrie | (Bustle) |
| Poor Puppy (Hardcover) | Nick Bruel | (The Reading Bug) |
| Pretzel (Paperback) | Margret Rey, H. A. Rey, Margaret Rey | (The Reading Bug) |
| Pukka’s Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs | Ted Kerasote | (ACK Dog Lovers) |
| PUPPY LOVE | Christophe Loupy & Eve Tharlet | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us About All Animals” | Karen Pryor | (Mother Nature Network) |
| Red Dog | Louis de Bernieres | (Abe Books) |
| Ribsy | Beverly Cleary | (Bustle) |
| Ricochet | Judy Ridono | (I Heart Dogs) |
| SABU AND ME | Maura Lane | (The Children’s Book Review) |
| Scent of the Missing: Love and Partnership With a Search-and-Rescue Dog | Susannah Charleson | (ACK Dog Lovers) |
| Scents and sensibility : A Chet and Bernie Mystery | Spencer Quinn | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| Shake | Carli Davidson | (Top Dog Tips) |
| So Long, See You Tomorrow | William Maxwell | (The Guardian) |
| Sophie: The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog | Emma Pearse | (Oprah) |
| Stanley’s Party | Linda Bailey | (Abe Books) |
| Suspect | Robert Crais | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| The Adventures of Oliver Twist | Charles Dickens | (Abe Books) |
| The Big New Yorker Book of Dogs | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Mark Haddon | (Abe Books) |
| The Diary of a Madman | Nikolai Gogol | (The Guardian) |
| The Divinity of Dogs: True Stories of Miracles Inspired by Man’s Best Friend | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| The Dog Encyclopedia | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| The dog master | W. Bruce Cameron | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| The Dog Who Couldn’t Stop Loving: How Dogs Have Captured Our Hearts for Thousands of Years | Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson | (Oprah) |
| The dog who saved me | Susan Wilson | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| The Dogs of Babel | Carolyn Parkhurst | (Abe Books) |
| The Dogs of Littlefield | Suzanne Berne | (Scientific American) |
| The Encyclopedia of Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare | Daniel Mills | (Scientific American) |
| The Forever Dog (Hardcover) | Bill Cochran, Dan Andreasen | (The Reading Bug) |
| The Hound of the Baskervilles | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle | (Abe Books) |
| The Mane Event (The Pride Series) | Shelly Laurenston | (North American Word Cat) |
| The Moutaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances | Ellen Cooney | (I Heart Dogs) |
| The Nerd and the Marine | D.R. Grady | (North American Word Cat) |
| The New Work of Dogs: Tending to Life, Love, and Family | Jon Katz | (Eardog) |
| The Other Dog (Paperback) | Madeleine L’Engle, Christine Davenier | (The Reading Bug) |
| The Plague Dogs | Richard Adams | (Abe Books) |
| The Rin Tin Tin Story | James W. English | (Abe Books) |
| The Social Dog: Behavior and Cognition | Juliane Kaminski and Sarah Marshall-Pescini | (Scientific American) |
| The Underneath (Paperback) | Kathi Appelt, David Small | (The Reading Bug) |
| Through a Dog’s Eyes | Jennifer Arnold | (Oprah) |
| Timbuktu | Paul Auster | (Abe Books) |
| To Beguile A Beast | Elizabeth Hoyt | (North American Word Cat) |
| Training the Best Dog Ever: A 5-Week Program Using the Power of Positive Reinforcement | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| Underwater Dogs | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| Underwater Puppies | Seth Casteel | (Top Dog Tips) |
| Unleashed: Poems | Amy Hempel and Jim Shepard | (The Guardian) |
| Unlikely Loves: 43 Heartwarming True Stories from the Animal Kingdom | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| Walking In Circles Before Lying Down | Merrill Markoe | (ACK Dog Lovers) |
| War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| What a Difference a Dog Makes: Big Lessons on Life, Love, and Healing from a Small Pooch | Dana Jennings | (Oprah) |
| What A Dragon Should Know | G.A. Aiken | (North American Word Cat) |
| What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World | Cat Warren | (Scientific American) |
| What the Dogs Have Taught Me | Merrill Markoe | (ACK Dog Lovers) |
| Who let the dog out? | David Rosenfelt | (Indian Prairie Public Library) |
| Woof! | Lee Montgomery | (Oprah) |
| Wrapped in Love (Hardcover) | Jan Johnston, Maria Eugenia | (The Reading Bug) |
| You Bake ’em Dog Biscuits Cookbook | (Top Dog Tips) | |
| You’re a Good Dog, Carl (Hardcover) | Alexandra Day | (The Reading Bug) |
The Best Dog Book Lists Consulted
| Source | Article |
| Abe Books | The Dog and the Novel: Loyal Companions |
| ACK Dog Lovers | Looking For A Good Dog Book? |
| Bustle | The 11 Best literary Dogs of All Time |
| Dog Channel | Must Read novels Featuring Dogs |
| Eardog | Summer Reading: Top Ten Favorite Dog Books from our Guest Blogger |
| Flavorwire | 10 of the Most Beloved Dogs in Literature |
| I Heart Dogs | 10 Must Read Books for Dog Lovers |
| Indian Prairie Public Library | All Time Faves: Fiction Books for Dog Lovers |
| Mother Nature Network | 6 books every dog owner should read |
| North American Word Cat | Best Dogs in Romance Novels: Canine not Man |
| Oprah | 17 Books for Dog Lovers |
| Scientific American | The Best Books for Dog Lovers |
| The Children’s Book Review | Best Kids Books For Dog Lovers |
| The Christian Science Monitor | 11 essential books for dog lovers |
| The Guardian | Top 10 dogs’ stories |
| The Reading Bug | Best Dog Books |
| Top Dog Tips | 25 Best Dog Books Every Owner Must Read |
