100 Best Dog Books of All-time

by Wesley Banks | Follow Him on Instagram Here

I love books, but especially books about dogs or with dogs. So, I thought it would be awesome to go through every single dog book I could find and make a list of the best dog novels (and non-fiction stories) of all-time.

FEATURED PICK

Faith In Every Footstep

Kindle

Paperback

How the books were ranked

I probably spent over 50 hours just putting this together in excel. I even created a specific algorithm for ranking books (like I did in the past) based on a combination of reviews, ratings, sales, etc.

Before we get to the list, there was one basic rule that each book had to meet in order to qualify for this list: dogs have to be important characters. I love Nicholas Sparks, but it’s not enough to slap a dog on the cover of the book and label it a “dog book.” The book doesn’t have to be about dogs alone, but they must be front and center with the other characters, or at least critical to the story.

In addition, while I did include many non-fiction books, I tried to avoid:

Books specifically about dog training
Collections of true stories
Multiple books in one series (though I included a couple sequels)
Children’s books. Not because I don’t like them, just wanted this list to be more novel based.

I’ve received many emails and comments of books to add. I just want you to know the complete list of books is now around 225. As you can see I’ve pared down the list quite a bit, but if you still feel strongly I’ve left one off don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

One feature I’ve added is “Current Rank” and “Last Year’s Rank.” The list is updated January of each new year, so “Last Year’s Rank” always refers to the previous year we are currently in. This let’s you track popularity over time.

Lastly, I’ve probably read ~20% of the books on this list. At some point I’m sure I’ll read all or most of them, but for now I had to rely on the reviews and ratings of thousands of other readers. There were some books left off the list, that I thought for sure were top 100. I let my algorithm do its thing and included those books as honorable mentions below the table.

(Special Note: If you’re more of a movie person, be sure to check out my list of dog movies here.)

Top 100 Dog Books Every Dog Lover Should Read

Table Legend

NR = Not Ranked (this could be a book that wasn’t previously on the Top 100 or a book that has moved out of the Top 100)
True Story Vs. Non-fiction. A “true story” is technically non-fiction, but I’ve separated “true stories” to be more of memoir style novels, whereas “non-fiction” is reserved for more training or scientific/informative books.

Note: You can filter the table by simply clicking on the column headings (i.e. genre or title).

Current Rank (2024)	Last Year's Rank (2023)	Title	Author	Genre	Where to Find
1	1	Where the Red Fern Grows	Wilson Rawls	Fiction	Buy it here
2	4	Because of Winn-Dixie	Kate DiCamillo	Fiction	Buy it here
3	3	A Dog's Purpose	W. Bruce Cameron	Fiction	Buy it here
4	5	Watchers	Dean Koontz	Fiction	Buy it here
5	2	The Art of Racing in the Rain	Garth Stein	Fiction	Buy it here
6	6	Say Goodbye for Now	Catherine Ryan Hyde	Fiction	Buy it here
7	7	Hello Love	Karen McQuestion	Fiction	Buy it here
8	10	A Dog's Journey	W. Bruce Cameron	Fiction	Buy it here
9	14	Rescuing Finley	Dan Walsh	Fiction	Buy it here
10	17	The Forever Dog	Rodney Habib	Non-fiction	Buy it here
11	30	White Fang	Jack London	Fiction	Buy it here
12	26	Cujo	Stephen King	Fiction	Buy it here
13	28	Thunder Dog		True Story	Buy it here
14	31	Suspect	Robert Crais	Fiction	Buy it here
15	32	Travels with Charley	John Steinbeck	Memoir	Buy it here
16	34	Dog On It	Spencer Quinn	Fiction	Buy it here
17	NR	How to Raise the Perfect Dog	Cesar Millan	Non-fiction	Buy it here
18	9	No Ordinary Dog	Will Chesney	True Story	Buy it here
19	11	Old Yeller	Fred Gipson	Fiction	Buy it here
20	13	Rescuing Sprite	Mark R. Levin	True Story	Buy it here
21	15	The Bravest Dog Ever	Natalie Standiford	True Story	Buy it here
22	16	Ellie's Story	W. Bruce Cameron	Fiction	Buy it here
23	39	How Dogs Love Us	Gregory Berns	Fiction	Buy it here
24	40	Top Dog	Maria Goodavage	True Story	Buy it here
25	50	Bailey's Story	W. Bruce Cameron	Fiction	Buy it here
26	51	The Lost Dogs	Jim Gorant	True Story	Buy it here
27	NR	A Dog Called Hope	Jason Morgan	True Story	Buy it here
28	12	Shiloh	Phyllis Naylor	Fiction	Buy it here
29	18	The Speckled Beauty	Rick Bragg	True Story	Buy it here
30	20	Merle's Door	Ted Karasote	Memoir	Buy it here
31	23	The Other End of the Leash	Patricia McConnell	Non-fiction	Buy it here
32	24	A Big Little Life	Dean Koontz	Memoir	Buy it here
33	47	Sergeant Rex	Mike Dowling	True Story	Buy it here
34	48	Max	Jennifer Li Shotz	True Story	Buy it here
35	52	Oogy	Larry Levin	Fiction	Buy it here
36	53	The Story of Edgar Sawtelle	David Wroblewski	Fiction	Buy it here
37	54	Lily and Octopus	Steven Rowley	Fiction	Buy it here
38	56	I Will See You in Heaven	Jack Wintz	Non-fiction	Buy it here
39	62	Tornado	Betsy Byars	Fiction	Buy it here
40	64	The Cruelest Miles	Gay Salisbury		Buy it here
41	65	Judy	Damien Lewis		Buy it here
42	NR	Started Early, Took My Dog	Kate Atkinson	Fiction	Buy it here
43	19	Until Tuesday	Luis Montalvan	Fiction	Buy it here
44	21	Following Atticus	Tom Ryan	True Story	Buy it here
45	22	Marley and Me	John Grogan	Memoir	Buy it here
46	25	One Good Dog	Susan Wilson	Fiction	Buy it here
47	27	A Wolf Called Romeo	Nick Jans	True Story	Buy it here
48	29	When Harry Met Minnie		True Story	Buy it here
49	33	To Dance With White Dog	Terry Kay	Fiction	Buy it here
50	44	Amazing Gracie	Dan Dye	True Story	Buy it here
51	55	Sounder	William Armstrong	Fiction	Buy it here
52	58	The Incredible Journey	Shiela Burnford	Fiction	Buy it here
53	59	Dog Medicine	Julie Barton	Memoir	Buy it here
54	70	Flash	Donna Ball	Fiction	Buy it here
55	71	The Dog Who Saved Me	Susan Wilson	Fiction	Buy it here
56	72	Unsaid	Neil Abramson		Buy it here
57	75	Storm Rising (An F.B.I. K-9 Novel Book 3)	Sara Driscoll	Fiction	Buy it here
58	96	Outfoxed	David Rosenfelt	Fiction	Buy it here
59	NR	Marshal	Jodi Burnett	Fiction	Buy it here
60	NR	Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home	Mikael Lindnord	True Story	Buy it here
61	NR	The Amazing Afterlife of Animals	Karen A. Anderson	Non-fiction	Buy it here
62	NR	Pawprints On Our Hearts	Kerk Murray	True Story	Buy it here
63	35	Cesar's Way	Cesar Milan	Non-fiction	Buy it here
64	38	On Talking Terms With Dogs	Turid Rugaas		Buy it here
65	67	A View to Die For	Richard Houston	Fiction	Buy it here
66	74	Maverick (Tin Star K9 Series Book 2)	Jodi Burnett	Fiction	Buy it here
67	77	The Dog Master	W. Bruce Cameron	Fiction	Buy it here
68	78	The Genius of Dogs	Brian Hare	Non-fiction	Buy it here
69	79	Lone Wolf (An F.B.I. K-9 Novel Book 1)	Sara Driscoll	Fiction	Buy it here
70	80	Gabby	Barby Keel	True Story	Buy it here
71	86	Avenging Adam (FBI-K9 Series Book 1)	Jodi Burnett	Fiction	Buy it here
72	NR	Dog Helps Those	Neil S. Plakcy	Fiction	Buy it here
73	NR	Hope In Every Raindrop	Wesley Banks	Fiction	Buy it here
74	NR	Kat the Dog	Alyson Sheldrake	True Story	Buy it here
75	8	The Call of the Wild	Jack London	Fiction	Buy it here
76	36	Inside of a Dog	Alexandra Horowitz	Non-fiction	Buy it here
77	37	As The Stars Fall	Steven N. Lee		Buy it here
78	41	A Hairy Tail	Jamie Campbell	Fiction	Buy it here
79	42	In Dog We Trust		Non-fiction	Buy it here
80	73	Someone To Look Up To	Jean Gill		Buy it here
81	76	Unspoken Bond	Blake O'Connor	Fiction	Buy it here
82	82	Lost and Found	Jacqueline Sheehan	Fiction	Buy it here
83	84	Black Velvet	Steven Henry	Fiction	Buy it here
84	85	Renegade (Tin Star K9 Series Book 1)	Jodi Burnett	Fiction	Buy it here
85	91	Be Right Back!	Julie Naismith	Non-fiction	Buy it here
86	NR	Smoky Mountain Tracks	Donna Ball	Fiction	Buy it here
87	NR	The Dog Who Came to Stay	Hal Borland	Memoir	Buy it here
88	NR	The Dog Thief	Marta Acosta	Fiction	Buy it here
89	45	Winterdance	Gary Paulsen	True Story	Buy it here
90	88	Free Days with George	Colin Campbell	True Story	Buy it here
91	89	Hero	Jennifer Li Shotz		Buy it here
92	46	A Dog's Life	Ann Martin	Fiction	Buy it here
93	49	Woodsong	Gary Paulsen	True Story	Buy it here
94	57	Lone Wolf	Kathryn Lasky	Fiction	Buy it here
95	61	Navy SEAL Dogs	Mike Ritland	True Story	Buy it here
96	81	Rescue Me, Maybe	Jackie Bouchard	Fiction	Buy it here
97	87	The Stolen Dog	Tricia O'Malley	True Story	Buy it here
98	97	Lad	Albert Terhune	Fiction	Buy it here
99	NR	Chaser	John W. Pilley		Buy it here
100	NR	Meet Your Dog	Kim Brophey		Buy it here
NR	60	The Dog Who Could Fly	Damien Lewis	True Story	Buy it here
NR	68	Kelly's Koffee Shop	Dianne Harman	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	93	The Dog Who Danced	Susan Wilson	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	99	Dogsong	Gary Paulsen	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	69	Pukka's Promise	Ted Kerasote	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	92	An Unexpected Grace	Kristin von Kreisler	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	66	It's Just a Dog	Russ Ryan	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	83	Follow My Leader	James Garfield	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	90	Wallace	Jim Gorant	True Story	Buy it here
NR	98	Lassie Come Home	Eric Knight	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	94	The Sight	David Clement-Davies	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	95	Through a Dog's Eyes	Jennifer Arnold	Memoir	Buy it here
NR	100	Rose In A Storm	Jon Katz	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Stepdog: A Novel	Nicole Galland		Buy it here
NR	NR	From Baghdad, With Love	Jay Kopelman	True Story	Buy it here
NR	NR	The Second Chance Dog	Jon Katz	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	You Had Me at Woof	Julie Klam	Memoir	Buy it here
NR	NR	All Dogs Go to Kevin	Jessica Vogelsang	Memoir	Buy it here
NR	NR	Connected Souls: A Dog Story	Dana Landers	Short Story	Buy it here
NR	NR	The Luckiest Dog in the World	Susan Palmer	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	A Dog Named Christmas	Greg Kincaid	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	A Man of His Own	Susan Wilson	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Irish Red	Jim Kjelgaard	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	What the Dog Knows	Cat Warren	Non-fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Must Love Dogs	Clair Cook	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Miracle on Wolf Hollow Lane	Blake O'Connor	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Kavik The Wolf Dog	Walt Morey	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Dog Crazy	Meg Donahue	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Lessons from Tara	David Rosenfelt	Memoir	Buy it here
NR	NR	House Broken	Sonja Yoerg	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Promise of the Wolves: A Novel	Dorothy Hearst	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Pukka	Ted Kerasote	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Stay	Allie Larkin	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	101 Dalmations	Dodie Smith	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Stay	Dave Burchett	True Story	Buy it here
NR	NR	The Plague Dogs	Richard Adams	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Dog Sense	John Bradshaw	Non-fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	A Forever Home	Kaleigh Mills	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Fell	David Clement-Davies	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Katie	Glen Plaskin	True Story	Buy it here
NR	NR	Just Life	Neil Abramson	Fiction	Buy it here
NR	NR	Little Man in a Dog Suit	B.R. Wilson	True Story	Buy it here

Honorable Mentions

The Philosopher and the Wolf. It kind of breaks my heart to not have this book on this, because it’s my absolute favorite. Not enough people have heard of it unfortunately.
Say Goodbye for Now. As of writing this, Catherine Ryan Hyde’s latest book is not yet out. It looks like it will be phenomenal, but time will tell.
Red Dog. I haven’t read this book, but I’ve had A LOT of people tell me it should be on the list. It barely missed the cut, but I think I’ll be checking it out soon, especially since there was a major motion picture made after it.

Notes On The 2024 Update

This list has officially been updated for 2024! Woohoo!

Just a few notes and thoughts…

For the 4th year in a row I have not removed books that fell out of the Top 100. They simply remain on the list with a rank of “NR” below the new Top 100.

This year 13 more books fell out of the Top 100, which means we’ve got 13 new books on the list. You’ll notice there area total of 43 books that have fallen out of the Top 100 over the past few years due to newer books making the list.

We also saw a change at the top of the list for the first time in 3 years. One of my personal favorites, Where The Red Fern Grows, overtook the top spot! Well deserved.

In addition, I’m planning to add a list of the other 100+ books that don’t appear in the above table. Many of you send me fairly passionate emails about books left off the list and I want to make sure to include them somewhere even if they don’t make the Top 100. It’s going to take me a little bit, but this list will be at the very bottom of this post soon.

My Personal Favorite Dog Books

I’ve talked about my favorite books before, but never my favorite dog books. This is going to be tough, but I’ll give it a shot.

The Philosopher and the Wolf. I know I said this above, but this is my favorite by far. I don’t think this book is for everyone though. It’s laden with philosophy and discusses the life and loss of the wolf owned by Mark Rowlands.
Where the Red Fern Grows. This is probably the first book that ever made me cry. It’s a quick read, but every dog owner will be able to instantly understand the bond between a boy and his dogs.
Call of the Wild. Of every single book on this list I think Call of the Wild is the best in terms of literary accomplishment. Reading Jack London is like being transposed into the story itself.
The Sight. I’m a huge fantasy reader, so finding a book that has a pack of wolves as the main characters, and a story told in their point of view, was just stellar. I think a lot of books on this list are “better” dog books, but this is still one of my favorites in the fantasy genre.

What are Your Favorites?

While I did my best not to miss any, I’m sure I did. It was quite the undertaking to compile such a list, but my plan is to update at least annually if not semi-annually.

With that said, I’ve got two questions for you:

Which one is your favorite?
Did I miss any?

Let me know in the comments below!

I promise I read all the comments, but that doesn’t guarantee the book you recommend makes the Top 100. I get emails every month with people offended about what books are or are not on the list. I get it. I really do. But please read the details above about the ranking. These are not my personal picks, but based on ratings and reviews from Amazon, Goodreads, and other sites.

P.S. If you love dog adventures with a hint of romance, don’t forget to pick up my latest book, Faith In Every Footstep.

About Wesley Banks

Wesley Banks is an author, professional engineer, world traveler, and dog lover. His latest novel Faith In Every Footstep is now available. Be sure to check him out on Instagram.

Comments

Teresa Thompson says

November 16, 2016 at 9:47 pm

I have read many of these and agree with your favorites! My top favs-Call of the Wild, for its literary genius, Marley & Me, for its humor & personal relevance, and The Art of Racing in the Rain, for my deep love of dogs, & of course, Hope in Every Raindrop for my personal dog loving connections!❤️???? Keep them coming, Wesley! Write on!????

Reply
- Lillian says
  
  September 11, 2022 at 3:33 pm
  
  yes keep writing…the books are awesome.
  
  Reply
Susan says

November 21, 2016 at 4:43 pm

You missed: My Dog Skip by Willie Morris. This was made into a movie. Excellent book & movie.

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- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 21, 2016 at 6:12 pm
  
  Thanks Susan, will add it to the list for the 2017 update 🙂
  
  Reply
  - Linda says
    
    December 25, 2019 at 9:14 am
    
    I have been looking for a small book by a French writer, I think, and it’s about a self- dog-told escapade. Witty, wry, about a dog’s funny journey. More for adults. I read it sometime around 2006. ??
    
    Reply
  - Genine Barker says
    
    August 9, 2021 at 3:36 am
    
    When I was a little girl, some 55 years ago, my Dad used to read to me at bedtime from a book about a dog called Rainbow. I can’t find anything on this, but it was amazing – it would make me laugh and sometimes cry. I hope you come across it sometime.
    
    Reply
katrina kissinger says

November 23, 2016 at 7:33 am

i have a lot of favorite dog books white fang, call of the wild, marley and me, poor Georgie an animal shelter novel(they aren’t all centered on dogs but they are really good books) ice dogs i really loved this book, Survivors by Erin Hunter it is written by the same warriors she did another set of books for bears. runt is another good book, also magic by edmond humm, books by Jordan Taylor there is a lot of different short stories centered on one dog,The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick’s Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption, I’m Listening With a Broken Ear are just some of them

Reply
- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 23, 2016 at 5:06 pm
  
  Wow, that’s a lot of books I need to check out!
  
  Reply
- Barbara Duno says
  
  February 6, 2023 at 1:18 pm
  
  The Lost Dogs is a really powerful book. All but two of these dogs were rehabilitated. Some went to Best Friends. Some became family pets and at least one became a service dog.
  
  It demonstrates the resiliency of dogs and the true nature of the much maligned Pit Bull.
  
  Reply
Karen says

November 23, 2016 at 9:25 am

Choosing just one from your list would be about impossible. I loved the “Art of Racing in the Rain”, but am in the middle of “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle”, which is not only really good, but extra fun as it takes place near where I live.

One of my most favorite books from when I was growing up, didn’t make your list, and must not have been all that popular, as 20 or so years later when I went back to visit my grade school my name was still on the check-out card. It was called “Wilderness Champion” by Joseph Lippincott.

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- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 23, 2016 at 5:17 pm
  
  Karen, so far “The Art of Racing in the Rain” seems to be at the top of everyone’s list. It’s just such an amazing book.
  
  I’ll check out “Wilderness Champion” and see if it makes the list next year, thanks for the recommendation.
  
  Reply
  - Sharon Flenner says
    
    July 3, 2021 at 6:51 am
    
    Wesley, thank you for this list of dog books. I have just discovered it in July 2021!
    I must say ditto on “The Art of Racing in the Rain”! One of my other favorites is “Howling Across Bridges” by James Miller but I think it was limited in print and very difficult to come by but a great read!!
    
    Reply
    - Wesley Banks says
      
      August 15, 2021 at 1:17 pm
      
      Sharon, so glad you enjoyed the list! Adding “Howling Across Bridges” to look into for my next update.
      
      Reply
- stephen Wallace says
  
  July 5, 2020 at 9:09 pm
  
  I looked up Wilderness Champion” by Joseph Lippincott and saw one hardcopy one for $1500… must be a good book 🙂
  
  Reply
- Stephen Wallace says
  
  February 12, 2023 at 3:42 pm
  
  Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find a copy of Wilderness Champion under like $50, but will keep looking.
  A book that may be similar you might want to look into is Dumb-Bell of Brookfield, or Dumb-Bell and Others by John Taintor Foote published in 1917.
  
  Reply
Alittlediamond says

November 25, 2016 at 5:32 pm

Lily and the Octopus! I loved this novel. It was both heartbreaking and life affirming.

Reply
- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 27, 2016 at 3:49 pm
  
  I think that’s the perfect description of any great book, especially Lily and the Octopus 🙂
  
  Reply
Jason McCormick says

November 27, 2016 at 5:09 pm

My favorite is #4 on your list “The Watchers” by Dean Koontz. Sadly “Together” (the story about a mountain climber who, after a tragic misstep, looses his sight [and his will to live] finds new hope in the love of a dog originally deemed to aggressive for the seeing-eye program) by (blind author) Tom Sullivan, & (actress) Betty White is not on your list and definitely deserves an honorable mention at least. Also, and with all due respect to Mr. King, Cujo does not belong on this pertcular list. Good luck on your new book.

Reply
- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 27, 2016 at 5:13 pm
  
  Jason, thanks for the tip on “Together.” I’ve got it written down to check out.
  
  Reply
- Ella says
  
  June 24, 2023 at 8:56 am
  
  I agree that Cujo is not what readers coming to this list are likely looking for. And Steven King is not someone I would read anyway.
  
  Reply
Ingrid Place says

November 28, 2016 at 9:37 am

“The Art of Racing in the Rain” & A Dog’s Purpose.”
Absolutely love dog books! You made a wonderful list! Thanks!

Reply
Phyllis Alsip says

November 28, 2016 at 9:42 am

Loved reading A Dog’s Purpose and Marley & Me.

Reply
Debby says

November 28, 2016 at 11:43 am

I love “The Art of Racing in the Rain” as well as “A Dog’s Purpose”. Love the list! Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to start reading those I have not yet!

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- Wesley Banks says
  
  December 4, 2016 at 2:45 am
  
  Debby,
  
  Be sure to come back and let me know what other ones you end up loving.
  
  Reply
Barbara d maver says

November 28, 2016 at 11:54 am

A Dog’s Purpose is my favorite. I have not read any of your books yet, but I will now!

Reply
- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 28, 2016 at 5:19 pm
  
  Be sure to let me know what you think Barbara!
  
  Reply
  - Barbara d maver says
    
    November 28, 2016 at 5:52 pm
    
    I sure will!
    
    Reply
  - Barbara d maver says
    
    November 29, 2016 at 1:52 pm
    
    I just finished your two books. I am pre-ordering the new one. Hooked.
    
    Reply
    - Wesley Banks says
      
      December 4, 2016 at 2:46 am
      
      Holy cow that was fast Barbara! So glad you liked them.
      
      Reply
Ramona Peck says

November 28, 2016 at 12:03 pm

Any of David Cameron’s books. “A Dogs Journey” is my favorite and then “The Dog Master.” I will definitely be checking out some of the others.

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Rebecca says

November 28, 2016 at 1:09 pm

Wow, I have read over half of your top 100, and have several more on my bookshelf waiting or on my nook. My top favorite is A Dog’s Purpose. 2nd favorite is Marley and Me.

Reply
- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 28, 2016 at 5:25 pm
  
  That’s pretty impressive Rebecca. It’s hard to beat those two.
  
  Reply
- stephen Wallace says
  
  July 5, 2020 at 9:26 pm
  
  Rebecca and Wesley. Nice to hear of a dog book collector like my self. I have over 130 books so far, but prefer the true stories or memoirs. Love to compare notes.
  By a quick count, I have over at least 21 on his list and have read I think 15.
  I really appreciate suggestions. There are a lot of great books on dog sledding not on the list. He has ‘the dog who could fly’ but the other book by that author ‘Judy’ is even more amazing. Dog talk by Harrsion Forbes should be on the list. Chaser, about the dog that learned 1000 words should be on everyone’s list to really glimpse the potential.
  I am halfway through ‘the art of racing in the rain’ and it hasn’t really grabbed me. I thought ‘Amazing Gracie’ was interesting, but not as powerful as Merle’s Door or Following Atticus. I will keep coming back to this site and making comments. i always appreciate good suggestions.
  
  Reply
  - Ella says
    
    June 24, 2023 at 8:27 am
    
    Chaser should 100% be on this list! Smartest dog of all time and what his owner was able to do through his research with him was simply amazing!
    
    Reply
- Steve says
  
  July 28, 2020 at 3:59 pm
  
  Wow, that is impressive. I only own 26 of the books on his list of 100. After my latest order comes in I think I will have 149 books on dogs on my shelf. He doesn’t cover training, which I also have. And my interest is more on True Story/Memoirs where his is on fiction. But I enjoy fiction like old yeller, where the red fern grows and others. Love to share notes with you if there is a way we can contact each other, purely on a dog book discussion level.
  
  Reply
Sheila Bergin Goss says

November 28, 2016 at 1:13 pm

I absolutely love The Art of Racing in the Rain….I have never recommended a dog book as much as that one! ( Though just thinking about The Incredible Journey brings tears to my eyes…Bodger!

I did not see Follow My Leader by James Garfield …my favorite dog book as a kid, and made sure my kids had a chance to read it as well!

Reply
- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 28, 2016 at 5:25 pm
  
  Got it added Sheila. And “The Art of Racing in the Rain” is looking like the fan favorite for sure.
  
  Reply
Donna says

November 28, 2016 at 3:07 pm

Rose In A Storm by Jon Katz is very good. But my all time favorite is The Art Of Racing In The Rain. I send my friends who lose their dogs a copy of A Dog Purpose.

Reply
- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 28, 2016 at 5:20 pm
  
  Haven’t heard of “Rose In A Storm,” but adding it to the list. Thanks Donna!
  
  Reply
  - Barbara Duno says
    
    February 12, 2023 at 4:13 pm
    
    Rose In A Storm is a wonderful novel by Jon Katz about a border collie who lives to work and saves the main character’s life. She was the author’s actual dog and she saved his bacon many times in real life.
    
    Reply
- Antoine W says
  
  June 7, 2024 at 1:35 pm
  
  I know this list is dated but I just can’t get on board with a dog books list that doesn’t have old yeller and sounder in the top ten and includes cujo and has the watchers albeit a great book ranked higher than the before mentioned. I am not a dog guy I’m a king guy through and through but cujo is something different don’t get it’s place here. And my number 1 is of course where the red fern grows of course. And for me the darkest evening of the year better koonts book with a prominent dog in the story
  
  Reply
  - Stephen Wallace says
    
    June 11, 2024 at 11:33 am
    
    Antoine, first I think Wesley Banks has this site on auto pilot as he has not updated it for a couple of years. I think he just cashes the checks from anyone who uses the link to buy anything from Amazon.
    
    I like talking about dog books so I thought I would reply my thoughts. First, it seems like any list of ‘best’ dog books is a book of ‘most well known’ dog books. If you like lists of dog books, you can go to Goodreads and look at lists related to dogs. Goodreads is a great place to see people’s ratings and reviews for books.
    
    Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows I agree are among the best dog books and also very well known. While good, I don’t think Sounder was in the same league as ‘best’ dog books and the story wasn’t quite so focused on the dog. Cujo and Watchers were different and good, but different people may like or not like it enough that I am not sure they should go on an overall list of dog books.
    
    I do like to keep saying that I appreciate this site getting me started on reading all the dog books. I hope Wesley banks updates the list with renewed evaluation of the ‘best’ dog books. It is fun to have conversations on books even when we don’t agree.
    
    Reply
Brandi McCauley says

November 28, 2016 at 3:50 pm

Favorite: Dog On It- Quinn
Missed: Thunderdog- the story of a seeing eye dog that got his master out of the twin towers during 9/11.

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- Wesley Banks says
  
  November 28, 2016 at 5:23 pm
  
  Thanks Brandi, I think “Thunder Dog” will end up pretty high on the list when I update it. Looks like an amazing book.
  
  Reply
Teresa Benoist says

November 28, 2016 at 8:24 pm

This book was inspiring. I live in St. Louis… and have a soft spot in my heart for Stray Rescue of St. Louis. The book is The Man Who Talks to Dogs: The Story of Randy Grim and His Fight to Save America’s Abandoned Dogs Paperback – July 1, 2004

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katie waterman says

November 29, 2016 at 10:39 am

I have read so many of these books but I suggest you read a few of Angelo and Leland Dirk’s books. I loved Angelo’s Journey so much. And Seven Dogs in Heaven is also a favorite of mine.

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- Shelly Baker says
  
  November 29, 2016 at 3:22 pm
  
  I completely agree!! Both books are wonderful and shouldn’t be missed by any dog lover!
  
  Reply
Diane Thompson says

November 29, 2016 at 11:25 am

Angelo’s Journey by Leland Dirks

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Nancy Kisselstein says

November 29, 2016 at 1:15 pm

Your list is great, but can I suggest adding Mindful Dogs and Angelo ‘ s Journey by Leland Dirks

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- Wesley Banks says
  
  December 4, 2016 at 2:48 am
  
  That’s the second Angelo’s Journey recommendation in a row. Definitely going to get it added next time.
  
  Reply
Valerie LaCount says

November 29, 2016 at 1:21 pm

Great list! I, too have read about 20% and this gives me lots to add to my reading list. I loved “Art of Racing in the Rain” as well as “Dog’s Purpose” & “Dog’s Journey”. I was surprised not to see either “Angelo’s Journey” or “Seven Dogs in Heaven”, both by Leland Dirks. I’ll be checking out your work too! Thank you.

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RMG says

November 29, 2016 at 5:27 pm

I have too many favorites! I honestly don’t know which to pick. I just finished and loved A Dog’s Purpose and I loved The Amazing Gracie story. I’m looking forward to reading your books and have put them on my Christmas wish list.

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Patricia Lavallee says

November 29, 2016 at 7:42 pm

I have read several of them, but my favorite is A Dogs Purpose. Read when it first came out & 2 more times. It’s a very special book that transcends that it’s just about dogs!! I did enjoy Art of Racing in the Rain, and others too!!
You did miss a nice story: I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson. I enjoyed that book too!
Looking forward to your books!!

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Traci Jones says

December 2, 2016 at 2:32 pm

My favorite is A Dogs Purpose which is going to be a movie continuing to A Dogs Journey. I’ve read about 25 percent of these. Thank you for the list which I plan on reading. Look forward to your email. Thanks Traci

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Alice Coleman says

December 2, 2016 at 8:44 pm

Thank you for the list! I love Bruce Cameron’s A Dog’s Purpose and A Dog’s Journey. I actually saw this post on their A Dog’s Purpose’s FaceBook page! I have some new books to read! I am looking forward to checking out your books. Thanks!

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Mary says

December 3, 2016 at 7:01 pm

I was very surprised to see how many of the books I have read. Many more are on my to read list. You may have dismissed this book because it is classes for youth but I enjoyed it very much The Returnns M.K.Clinton

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Rob Snyder says

December 3, 2016 at 7:41 pm

My personal favorite, and one that’s a bit different from all the others is Poker Night: The Real Story of Dogs Playing Poker by Rob Snyder.

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- Wesley Banks says
  
  December 4, 2016 at 2:52 am
  
  Just took a look at it Rob. It talks about that famous painting. Cool stuff!
  
  Reply
Marcy Graybill says

December 5, 2016 at 8:51 pm

My favorite would be Other end of the leash by McConnell. The one I would suggest would be Bones would rain from the sky by Clothier. Though there are others . . .

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Deb Link says

December 5, 2016 at 9:03 pm

I loved all of the “Lad” (Albert Payson Terhune) books as a kid, as well as the “Big Red” books (Kjelgaard). White Fang is wonderful. The Art of Racing in the Rain is poignant and stays with you when you look into your own dog’s eyes. I also enjoyed several of Jon Katz’s books as well as a few by Dr. Nicholas Trout.

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- Barbara Duno says
  
  February 6, 2023 at 1:11 pm
  
  Trout and Katz are really good writers. I second your choices.
  
  Reply
- Stephen Wallace says
  
  February 12, 2023 at 3:58 pm
  
  Definitely too bad not one of Albert Payson Terhune’s books are not the list. His books were so big in his day. I am trying to read them all and own all 3 out of 27 of his books. Most people only seem to know of the big classics; Where the Red Fern Grows, Call of the Wild, White Fang, and maybe Big Red. There are a lot of good old books out there. But then most people only know of a few dog books anyway. Good that this page gets people started on at least 100 books.
  If Wesley was viewing thee posts, I would ask him of any consideration he has put into the books of Terhune starting with Lad: A Dog.
  
  Reply
Sandra Anderson says

December 7, 2016 at 4:37 am

Thank’s for this wonderful list! Being a big dog lover I have read many of your picks and my all time favorite is The Art of Racing in the Rain followed by A Dog’s Purpose. My recommendation would be Leland Dirks book Angelo’s Journey.

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Jackie Bouchard says

December 8, 2016 at 9:32 am

Fun list! Very excited to see my book-baby RESCUE ME, MAYBE at #26! I see a lot of books on here that I’ve loved. One of my top faves that I don’t see on the list is Peter Mayle’s (of A YEAR IN PROVENCE fame) A DOG’S LIFE. Really funny, cute book. (I prefer books where the dog doesn’t die at the end!) 🙂

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Kasee Johnson says

December 9, 2016 at 10:18 am

I was not surprised to see Call of the Wild and White Fang on the list. But I am so happy that you included Watchers by Dean Koontz! It’s one of my all-time most-favorite books.

I can’t think of any books that you missed, but I hope to see The Journey Of Natty Gann make your movie list. For me, that movie is all about the wolf.

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Donna Ball says

December 9, 2016 at 2:18 pm

So happy to see two of my own books on this list! I think Rose in a Storm by Jon Katz is the best dog novel since Lassie Come Home, and greatly under-appreciated. The Art of Racing in the Rain is a classic of course. I was surprised Dogtripping (David Rosenfelt) didn’t make it. Fun list!

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- Barbara Duno says
  
  February 6, 2023 at 1:10 pm
  
  I agree about Rose in a Storm. More of Katz’s books belong on this list.
  
  Reply
Kay Lynn Odle-Moore says

December 9, 2016 at 4:35 pm

Like many others, I have so many favorites on your list (thanks for compiling). Old Yeller was my favorite as a child and I remember crying and sobbing at the end. As an adult, Nick Jans’s A Wolf Called Romeo evoked the same emotions in me – a wonderful story with an incredibly sad ending.

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  April 27, 2022 at 11:45 am
  
  A Wolf Called Romeo is a great book, but it is a wolf book and don’t really consider it a dog book…
  
  Reply
Lynn Charlotte Guy says

December 10, 2016 at 5:01 pm

How about James Herriot’s “Dog Stories”

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- Ella says
  
  June 24, 2023 at 8:34 am
  
  James Herriot is my favorite animal related author!I would highly suggest people read his main books in order, as the Animal Stories, Dog Stories, Cat Stories are pulled from his main books. He’s hilarious, and such a genuinely great, humble man. I can read his books over and over again. Favorite books of all time I reckon.
  
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Mary Anne Carlson says

December 18, 2016 at 7:09 am

Wow, I’ve actually read a few of these! So happy to see The Autobiography of a Stray here, it’s a little gem of a book. But thought for sure I would see Jim Gorant’s books on this list: 1) Wallace 2) The Lost Dogs. And I have to say that I hated Marley and Me with a passion. (I feel the same way about the book as the one star reviews on Amazon. My favorite: John, Jen and me: life with the world’s worst dog owners.) The subtitle: ‘Life with the world’s worst dog’ wasn’t the joke I thought it was, the author truly believed his dog was the worst. Horrible.
Right now, totally enjoying Following Atticus and I’m savoring it, not rushing through it.

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  April 27, 2022 at 11:43 am
  
  I have to agree with you that Wallace and Lost Dogs need to be in the list of all time best books on dogs. I didn’t hate Marley and found more good in it than I expected. I thought Following Atticus should be on the list of best, but didn’t like the sequel Will’s Red Coat nearly as much.
  Appreciate the recommendation of The Autobiography of a Stray, I have added it to my list. I own a couple of her (Ann M. Martin) books already and may read them first.
  I could not find John, Jen and me: life with the world’s worst dog owners, so will need some help with the author.
  I always like to hear what other people think are the best dog books ever and appreciate Wesley having this site, even if I don’t agree with all his choices.
  
  Reply
Mary Jane Coniglio says

December 18, 2016 at 7:18 am

Thank you for this list — I’m going to add some to list of books to read. I loved Marley & Me and also Merle’s Door but also so many others that slip my mind. One book not on your list that is an easy, fun read is “Buster’s Diaries” as told to Roy Hattersley. It’s the story of a dog and his man from the dog’s viewpoint — charming and amusing British humor.

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Mike Gagliardo says

December 18, 2016 at 8:02 am

“To Dance with the White Dog” by Terry Kay is excellent. Also, a recent book, “Dog Gone,” by Pauls Toutonghi. But “The Art of Racing in the Rain” is my favorite!

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Mary skelton says

December 18, 2016 at 8:39 am

Thank you for this wonderful list many of them I have read and I agree dog books are just a special, uplifting read. You missed a really great dog story. Shadow by Michael Murpurgo is a book I use in my middle school ELA classroom and the students absolutely love this story of heroism and devotion . Many of my 11 year old readers claim Shadow is the best book they have ever read. Please check it out and let me know what you think. Set in Afghanistan and England it is often my students first real understanding of war and how it effects ordinary people.

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Bonnie says

December 18, 2016 at 8:45 am

I didn’t see Pack of Two by Knapp or A Dog Year by by Katz. Those are two of my favorites. ????

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- Howard Jaeckel says
  
  December 13, 2021 at 5:22 pm
  
  I agree on “Pack of Two.” It’s wonderful.
  
  Reply
- Barbara Duno says
  
  February 6, 2023 at 1:07 pm
  
  Pack of Two is a very well written book. The author tells he story of recovering from Alcohol abuse with the help of the bond she forms with her dog.
  
  Reply
Susan Kohlhof says

December 18, 2016 at 1:29 pm

Read “Greyfriar’s Bobby” this year as it was a free classic on my kindle…an excellent story!

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Janet Christensen says

December 19, 2016 at 7:13 am

Mr. Wolf and Me by Mary Francis Shura is my all time favorite.

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Candy Morgan says

April 13, 2017 at 11:14 pm

Tales from the Rainbow Bridge is quite a unique dog book. I read it in one sitting.

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Candy Morgan says

April 13, 2017 at 11:25 pm

Unsaid is also a winner. I had to pass on my copy to my vet!

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Jennie says

October 30, 2019 at 6:27 pm

A shot in the dark, but anyway….. I’m looking for a dog book published prior to 1969. A boy overcame objections from his dad and a few other difficulties to acquire a puppy to raise for the seeing-eye dog program. I just can’t remember anything else about it!!

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Steve Duno says

January 10, 2020 at 2:25 pm

You left out Last Dog On the Hill (St Martin’s Press, 2009). Read three pages and you will understand.

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- Wesley Banks says
  
  February 17, 2020 at 12:41 pm
  
  Will definitely check it out!
  
  Reply
Kirk Schermerhorn says

February 9, 2020 at 9:43 am

For anyone who likes dog stories and science fiction the “Taken” trilogy by Alan Dean Foster (“Lost and Found”, “The Light-Years Beneth My Feet” and “The Candle of Distant Earth”) is a great Trilogy about a man abducted from earth and an enhanced intelligence dog who becomes his traveling companion as they try to make their way back to earth.

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Tony Figurelli says

March 17, 2020 at 8:22 am

There was a short book that I picked up back in the 70s that was written in the perspective of the dog, Very touching story that takes the dog thru his entire life and his feelings on his owner. I remember it as named “Peter” but can’t seem to find it anywhere. Hoping you or anyone knows about this book

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  February 12, 2023 at 4:17 pm
  
  Your ‘Peter’ book was it a children’s book or more for an adult?
  Whistle for Willie Peter by Ezra Jack Keats (1964)
  
  Maybe I could help but need more clues if possible…
  
  Reply
Bridget AEW says

June 7, 2020 at 1:45 pm

Thank you for this list! As an avid dog lover and reader this was most helpful in finding more books to fill my time and heart with. Seeing some personal favorites at the top boosts my confidence In your and your algorithms choices!

As for one of my favorite dog books I would have to say a short book about a bird dog names Tad takes the cake! The book, “Pick of the Litter” by Bill Wallace is a sweet tale of growing up, learning love, and coming to hands with life’s decisions. Even though it’s more for the younger crowd it still holds a near and dear place in my heart for spurring and nurturing my love for bird dogs. (Of which I have now been the proud owner of many)
The Last Dogs by Christopher Holt is a small series that I can also recommend simply because it will drag you in from the first page leaving you with lasting memory of Max and his comrades struggles.

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- Steve Wallace says
  
  July 28, 2020 at 8:51 pm
  
  I will have to check out Pick of the Litter as you recommended. I have 149 books on dogs, (haven’t finished reading all yet, but read most) and one I think you would like is ‘Upland Passage: A Field Dogs Education, by Robert F. Jones. Very nice book.
  I picked up one book in ‘The Hunting & Fishing Library’ for Upland Game Birds that has a chapter on all the dogs used for hunting birds. the rest of the book is on the respective game birds, pheasant, grouse, quail, etc and where to find them and strategies for hunting. Almost makes me want to take up hunting birds so I have a reason to go out with them.
  Wesley’s list has ‘The Dog Who Could Fly’ , but Judy : The Unforgettable Story of the Dog Who Went to War and Became a True Hero’ by the same author is incredibly good and it is about an English Setter.
  Love how there are so many great books on dogs!
  
  Reply
  - Stephen Wallace says
    
    February 21, 2022 at 2:36 pm
    
    I own 405 books on dogs now, and read over 250 of them so far. On the 2022 list, I know have read 40. Don’t agree with all the ratings but fun to try to read them all and compare an opinion on the books versus what the rating algorithm comes up with.
    
    Reply
    - Eric Lodin says
      
      April 2, 2022 at 10:13 am
      
      Gosh, Stephen, you are really a specialist on dog books! I’ve written a trilogy of short novels (each about 40K words) about a Pacific island dog leading his pack against a tyrannical team of rivals. There is some island magic involved. Would you consider giving the series a shot as a beta reader before I publish them? If so, please get in touch with me through my author website: ericlodin.com. This request/offer is open to the other dog book fans on this website as well. I’d really appreciate it!
      
      Reply
      - Stephen Wallace says
        
        April 27, 2022 at 11:03 am
        
        I sent you a note through your website Eric.
        At this moment I now have 470 books on dogs and have read about 300. I am trying to get to as much of the ones Wesley has listed as well as find my own ‘best dog books of all time.’
        When not reading or working, I also like to research books and have a list of 429 at the moment, books on dogs that I don’t have (and not included is where there are books in a series, or all the books by Terhune and by Jim Kjelgaard). There is soooo many books with dogs.
Vini says

January 1, 2021 at 8:00 am

Does anyone remember the name of a children’s book about a long haired (ivory coloured coat) dog? It was approximately 45 years ago. It would have been an elementary school level book.

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- Ella says
  
  June 24, 2023 at 8:40 am
  
  I can recall the cover, but not the name. If it’s the one I’m thinking of, it was written in the 50s or 60s I think.
  
  Reply
  - Stephen Wallace says
    
    July 11, 2023 at 4:35 pm
    
    I seem to remember seeing a book with a dog on the cover that seemed to fit that description. I will look for it. If you have any other clues as to the story that would help solve the mystery of ‘name that book.’
    
    Reply
Stephen Saltonstall says

January 1, 2021 at 5:05 pm

Stickeen by John Muir. A must read for dog lovers and different from anything else written about dogs.

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- Steve Wallace says
  
  November 21, 2021 at 6:18 pm
  
  Thanks for the recommendation! I just ordered it.
  
  Reply
Maria Perez says

January 10, 2021 at 3:57 pm

Desert Dog: Jim Kjelgaard
Tawny: Thomas C Hinkle

Fantastic list. Are you familiar with tehse titles?

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  February 12, 2023 at 4:32 pm
  
  I don’t think Wesley has looked too deeply into the older dog books. I enjoyed Desert Dog and other books by Jim Kjelgaard, but haven’t made it through all his books. Hinkle did write a lot of books. I own 4 I have not read yet including not read Tawny – A Dog of the Old West, but will try to get to it. I would be interesting in knowing which ones of Hinkle you recommend and if you think they are worthy of being in the list of ‘best’ dog books of all time…
  
  Reply
Chris Dant says

October 24, 2021 at 2:12 pm

You should consider two great novels by Christopher Dant, “Rescue” and “Promised Heart”’ both terrific stories about a wonderful service and later therapy Golden Retriever named Chauncey—on Amazon

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  February 21, 2022 at 2:33 pm
  
  I added them to my list to get.
  
  Reply
Ralph Spagnola says

November 29, 2021 at 1:46 pm

Can’t find ,don’t remember name of book ,story based on the training of German Shepard type dogs , trained in barn , book made reference many times of seeing eye Morristown and the famous Akita !the dogs were brilliant , the ending was super sad ! I tossed it and wish I had kept it , would you know this book and title Thank you Ralph Spagnola

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  February 12, 2023 at 4:34 pm
  
  Ralph, Did you ever remember the name? Sounds interesting. Maybe if you give me a few more clues we can locate it.
  
  Reply
Howard Jaeckel says

December 13, 2021 at 5:16 pm

You did miss one, but so does everybody else, maybe because it was originally written in Hungarian. The book is “Niki: The Story of a Dog” by Tibor Déry. Let me quote, if I may, the review of the book I posted on the Amazon and Goodreads web sites:

****

This book is a gem. Without a touch of sentimentality or anthropomorphism, Déry touchingly imagines the interior life of a dog, a creature of little understanding but great feeling. Anyone experienced in observing canine behavior will be completely convinced of the dead-on accuracy of the author’s portrayal.

The book is set in Hungary during the late forties and early fifties, a period of Stalinist oppression. The human characters understand as little of the arbitrary arrests and disappearances that have cast a pall of terror over their lives as our animal protagonist, Niki, does of the comings and goings of her mistress and the sudden absence of her beloved master, who for reasons unknown simply vanishes from her life. For both man and beast, such utter vulnerability to the incomprehensible can be made bearable only by “a strong reciprocal affection.” That mutual affection allows Niki and her mistress, whose husband has disappeared, to go on, at least for a time.

As noted, human emotions and thoughts are not attributed to Niki. She is not a heroine, just a dog. But this reader came away with a renewed sense of the infinite value of these living and sentient creatures, and more convinced than ever that the word “dog” should never be accompanied by the modifier “just.”

****

I hope somebody reads t because of this post. It’s a classic.

Reply
- Barbara Duno says
  
  February 12, 2023 at 4:17 pm
  
  Hi,
  
  I read Niki recently and loved it. I found it on one of the Goodreads lists about dogs. This is a real work of serious literature and social commentary. You wrote a very good review too.
  
  Reply
Bear Books says

January 30, 2022 at 8:57 pm

You don’t have “DOGS CAN TALK TOO!” in your listing.

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  February 21, 2022 at 2:28 pm
  
  There seems to be several books with a title similar to that, can you let me know what the author is?
  
  Reply
Nic says

March 10, 2022 at 6:16 pm

I am looking for the stories that our mum read to us 70 years ago about the adventures of two dogs. A I recall, it was about two floppy eared dogs, named Flip and Flap.
Not the story of the two penguins, Flip and Fop.
At the time we lived in North western Europe, before moving to Australia, just after the second world war.
Thank you for any assistance that you are able to give.

Reply
Tim E Watson says

March 31, 2022 at 1:32 am

In 1939 I read “PATCH”, the story of a mongrel terrier just like ours. Perfect for an eight-year-old. it seems to be forgotten.

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  February 12, 2023 at 4:43 pm
  
  I think you are talking about The Adventures Of Patch Told By Mrs. Patch: A True Story Of A Wonderful Dog. It was not on my radar so thanks for bringing that up.
  
  Reply
Joe Heron says

March 31, 2022 at 9:26 am

For many years I’ve enthusiastically told others that some of my favorite books were about dogs. Finding your web page and column I see that I am not alone. It appears you have some experience and knowledge about the Great Race, the Iditarod serum run. One of my favorite true stories is about, Togo, the sled dog who stoically stayed on the trail for an extraordinarily long time when there where no lead dogs available to replace him. Have you considered his story

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Betty Sultan says

April 17, 2022 at 3:50 am

I am looking for an old book called Pepe the Great.
I saw a letter about it in MM Magazine May/June 2001.
I have searched diligently without finding it. Can you help me?

Reply
Zanna says

May 15, 2022 at 10:56 am

I liked “Kavik the World Dog” by Walt Morey.

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  July 25, 2022 at 11:28 am
  
  Kavik the Wolf Dog does sound good. Thanks for the suggestion. (I corrected your typo on the name, I find it so easy for them to creep in.
  
  Reply
  - Stephen Wallace says
    
    February 12, 2023 at 4:46 pm
    
    I found the book but haven’t read it yet. It is one in the ‘Famous Dog Stories’ series of books.
    Doesn’t look like Wesley has not looked to far into the older books.
    
    Reply
Linda Johnson says

May 18, 2022 at 2:04 pm

I love so many of these books and have laughed and cried through most. But, in terms of “Literature” I have to say that The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is one of the best books period that I have ever read.

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- Wesley Banks says
  
  May 24, 2022 at 11:18 am
  
  Agreed, loved that book!
  
  Reply
Lillian says

September 11, 2022 at 3:31 pm

You have a lot of books that i am going to read because they look very intersting.

Reply
Stephen Wallace says

October 24, 2022 at 2:19 pm

I would love to have a discussion of what you might add/subtract from your 2023 version.

I don’t know how you come up with your list, or the details of your algorithm to create it. In one sense I don’t care that much, you can make your own list of ‘favorites’ of anything you want. I find it a fun starting place for conversations, so I am reasonably ok with whatever you want on your list. There sure seems to be a lot of dog books, I have read about 60 on your list, own 600 books on dogs, and have a list of other dog books that has another 600 on it that I don’t have (yet). I added all the books people have mentioned on your site to my list of owned or want to read. I do have some comments/suggestions on your list and what you plan on putting together for next year.

I am not sure if you should include books primarily about wolves. If so, maybe change the title from best dog books, to best books on dogs and wolves. A Wolf Called Romeo was a great book, and although there was a dog or two mentioned, it is primarily a wolf book.

It feels odd to have a book in a mystery series that is somewhere past volume 1. I am trying to get to version one of the more than 30 mystery book series that seem to be a ‘mystery with a dog’. I can appreciate it that a book 4 may be one of the best of all dog books, but how does the first 3 stack up?

Possibly relating to the last reason why a volume 4 for a series may pop up with a high rating, I am wondering if when a book comes up, if friends of the author or people warmed by a free book in exchange for an honest review, give higher ratings on a book, where an older one with the full breadth of a larger audience may not be as generous. Is there any consideration for how long a book has been out?

A flip side to age of a book is on ones that have been out for a while. While Where the Read Fern Grows and Call of the Wild are so well known to rightfully stay on top, I feel this affects some older books that are not so well known, including the original 1001 Dalmatians, which I feel should still be considered as one of the best dog books. I see Irish Red was kicked off the top 100, and fear for Lad: A Dog, and Lassie. So be interested in hearing your thoughts on how much an old book would get fair play.

Lastly, I see you seem to prefer Fiction over non-fiction. Have you considered splitting your list into two or more groups?

Would love to talk more on the topic of ‘best dog books.’

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  January 2, 2023 at 2:08 pm
  
  Hey Wesley!
  Since your category for ‘last year’s books is near the year before last year, are you going to come up with a new list for the year? While you have a lot of what I would consider the best dog books, there are some that don’t seem to be rated so high. Will you look at things with your algorithm?
  I see in addition to book one, you also have a couple of books that are book 2 or 3. Are all of these books so good that you include more in the series?
  Maverick (Tin Star K9 Series Book 2)
  Storm Rising (An F.B.I. K-9 Novel) book 3
  Hope you hear back from you on the question ‘are you going to revise your list for this year?’
  Steve
  
  Reply
Francine says

October 25, 2022 at 11:44 am

I am a dog lover who has had over 9 dogs in my life so far- and I love your list, so I am hoping you will add, “Doggy Dementia & Alzheimer’s: Shamrock’s Story…” This book not only tells the tale of a dog rescued from Hurricane Katrina and her journey through stages of doggy dementia, but has interwoven advice from over 50 experts, including veterinarians, Alzheimer’s specialists, researchers and best-selling authors. This book is a must read whether for a puppy parent or a senior dog… This book gives pet parents the tools and the power of 3, “Early Prevention, is Key, Recognition of Signs, is essential and Understanding Treatments is vital. Please help me help other dogs…please review this book.

Reply
- Stephen Wallace says
  
  November 30, 2022 at 9:01 am
  
  Francine, Sounds like a worthy book and I have added it to my list, but not sure if should be in a list of the 100 best dog books of all time. His list is not a list of all dog books. Still good to let people know about it though.
  
  Reply
Thomas Finch says

November 28, 2022 at 1:34 pm

You missed a few titles involving hound dogs like 1)The Voice of Bugle Ann, 2) Bristleface, 3) The Daughter of Bugle Ann, and 4) The Gideon Horn.

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  November 30, 2022 at 8:58 am
  
  I couldn’t find ‘The Gideon Horn’, can you check the title and maybe provide the author? The only thing I found that may match are the series of books by Alan Russell starting with Burning Man which is book one in his Gideon and Sirius series.
  
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Francine says

November 29, 2022 at 10:15 pm

I am still hoping you will add “Doggy Dementia & Alzheimer’s: Shamrock’s Story…” With the recent study by The Dog Agign Project stating that 52% of dogs will get dementia, this is a really important book for pet parents to read. With the story of Shamrock, rescued from Hurricane Katrina and her journey to dementia comes the advice of over 50 experts in this field to help pet parents not only recognize signs and understand treatment, but also be able to take precautions long before signs ever appear. Starting with puppies pet parents can better understand what this disease is and how to help their babies.

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Barbara Duno says

February 6, 2023 at 1:01 pm

We Give Our Hearts to Dogs to Tear by Alston Chase is a remarkable dog book. The author is a Jack Russell fan. The reader learns the fascinating history of the Jack Russell Terrier breed. Alston and his wife Diana move to Montana where they own many Jack Russells and a few other dogs, cats, horses and one coyote. While picturing the beauty and hardships of living in rural Montana, Alston gives us detailed and loving portraits of each individual dog and their place in his heart.

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  March 13, 2023 at 11:01 am
  
  Does sound like a good book. I have added it to my list.
  
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Paul says

February 9, 2023 at 3:49 am

Great website and list! I was wondering if you had come across ‘I Am Nelson’ by Martina Mars. I was surprised it wasn’t already on your list as it’s a really special dog book. It’s very touching and funny at the same time, and everything a dog memoir should be like. In my opinion, it should definitely be on your list. Thanks.

Paul L.

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- Carrie says
  
  March 16, 2023 at 2:19 am
  
  Oh I’ve read “I am Nelson”! It’s such a unique book, such a different approach to telling a beautiful and moving story and one I haven’t seen before. I loved the way the author channels Nelson’s voice and portrays what it is like to live with and then lose a furry friend. It touches on so many things I didn’t expect. Don’t even want to say too much about the content, it’s really worth reading. I found myself laughing and crying at the same time!
  
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Barbara Duno says

February 12, 2023 at 4:59 pm

I would like to second the nomination of Niki by Timor Dery. I have read many dog books both fiction and nonfiction and Niki is one of the best – a great work of fiction, social commentary and a nuanced portrait of a dog.

Two more literary dog novels are Timbuktu by Paul Auster and Lucky in the Corner by Carol Anshaw.

I noticed that #39 and #43 are the same book, How Dogs Love Us – a really interesting nonfiction science/dog book.

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- Wesley Banks says
  
  March 13, 2023 at 9:44 am
  
  Thanks for the heads up, will get it fixed in the next update!
  
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  - Ella says
    
    June 24, 2023 at 8:48 am
    
    Also, Oogly is a true story, not fiction. It looks sad, which is why I’m avoiding it for now.
    
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Elijah says

February 28, 2023 at 7:54 pm

Like many people it seems, I came here hoping to find a story I barely remember I read as a kid. I don’t think I’ve found it yet though.
A tan cover with a a line drawing of the dog on front, I think it was an Airedale terrier or similar. The dog is a purebred that was being flown by private jet(?) to a dog show but the plane crashed. The dog survived and was adopted by a girl nearby. In the climax there was a situation near where wild boars were becoming really dangerous in the area and the dog has to fight off the boars to save the girl.
Really do wish I could remember what it was called.

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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  March 13, 2023 at 10:59 am
  
  I have recently picked up some books with Airedales and will keep an eye out for it. Do you have a guess on the publishing date?
  From this link I poked around and saw a lot of vintage books on Airedales and the person whose site is is definately knows his Airedale books.
  https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/66111442…
  If you find the title please replay here so we can all see it.
  
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- Stephen Wallace says
  
  July 7, 2023 at 9:12 am
  
  I think it might be The Lost Champion by Lawrence Wertan: Summary is: A story of a high-powered show dog who is the lone survivor of a small plane crash in the Rocky Mountain wilderness of Idaho and a 12 year old girl who was born to be his best friend. In the background looms the menace of Heavy Metal – a giant killer hog – the result of a genetics experiment gone bad.
  I ordered the book in what I see is your recommendation.
  
  Reply
  - Elijah says
    
    July 7, 2023 at 10:26 am
    
    THAT’s IT!! Oh wow, you found it! Yeah, I remember it being a really good book.
    
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    - Stephen Wallace says
      
      July 23, 2023 at 8:10 pm
      
      Just finished the Lost champion and it was a great book! I appreciate the recommendation your message became to me. I will have to open a new category on Goodreads for ‘Great book with a horrible cover.’ Not sure if it would be everyone’s favorite book (melodramatic, but I like that quality), The Great Airedale and some mystical aspects may not be some’s cup of tea, a bit brutal in one part, and Kleenex is needed at the end, but a GREAT book to me.
      
      Another book I would highly recommend, but also with a horrible cover, horrible pictures (blurry back and white), and ugly type font, is Dog-Ma, the Zen of Slobber by Barbara Boswell Brunner. Non-fiction, but amazing great stories. Dogs in it are mostly Doberman pinchers,
      
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Kim Haswell says

May 4, 2023 at 12:33 pm

I love this summary! Thank you so much. Another excellent dog book is by Esther Birdsall Darling, “Baldy of Nome.” It is a fantastic read. She tells the story of a champion mushing dog in Nome, Alaska, set in the early 1900s.

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Stephen Wallace says

June 8, 2023 at 9:06 am

For the books on the list that are not the first book in the series, were these books so much better than all the others in the series? I know for example in the Andy Carpenter mystery series by David Rosenfelt, is this book #14 so much better of the 27 books in the series? Did you run your algorithm on all the books in the series?

I have identified 53 mystery series with a significant ‘dog’ aspect that would qualify to be included for consideration, did you consider all series and all books in the series?

Books in your list that are not book 1:
Outfoxed (Andy Carpenter #14) David Rosenfelt
Maverick (Tin Star K9 Series Book 2) Jodi Burnett
Storm Rising (An F.B.I. K-9 Novel book 3) Sara Driscoll

PS: Even if your review of dog books didn’t include ALL the thousands that are out there since the year 1900, I still really appreciate your list and getting me started to find my own favorite dog books.

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giorgi shakarashvili says

November 14, 2023 at 2:07 am

hi, why dont you mentioned books where dog is the main charecter and outhor gives us a new dog perspective, like “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” or “Never Cry Wolf”, this stories are not ditectly about dogs, but thay exprees dogs perspective better, then books directly about dogs.

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Fabian says

February 3, 2024 at 5:41 am

If you get a chance I’d love you to look at The Man with The Butterfly Mind for your list.
Bimba is one of the main characters and tells her part in her own voice.
Ash is missing, and Bimba is the only living soul who knows. But Bimba is a dog and what can one small dog with no bark do to find him on her own?
I’m checking out your books too…
Great post.

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Alexis Beasley says

November 10, 2024 at 4:06 pm

I really like the Survivors series by Erin Hunter and The Last Dog series by Christopher Holt. Both beautifully written and a true favorite!

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Stephen Wallace says

November 15, 2024 at 11:13 am

Thanks for updating the list Wesley!
I was hoping with the change your list would pick up more books I have read, but I only picked up 1 (I have read 71 of your 2023 top 100, and now 72 of your 2024 list.)

Before I make any more comments, I want to say how much I appreciate your taking a stab at a list and tell you how much it spurred me to try to read ‘all’ the good dog books that are out there.

As far as how much I agree with your list, it is kind of a mixed bag for me. Some great books were kicked down lower on your list or into the NR category. The list contains some of my favorite books, or best dog books of all time, but I believe Lassie Come Home, 1001 Dalmatians (not Disney version), and Lad: A Dog should be within the top 100.

Good to see you still have Where the Red Fern Grows as #1, I was afraid all the people who rate books lower if the dog dies in the end had too much influence.

I would think Call of the Wild would be much higher than White Fang, but I guess that is how it goes. Probably more general dog book people read Call of the Wild and have mixed reviews, but only the real dog sledding fans read White Fang?

Good to see you added the info when a book is part of a series, but there are still more, including some new ones, where you don’t. I understand how you put in the short version of the book titles. I still don’t quite understand when you put in like a book 3, for example Dog Helps Those (Golden Retriever Mystery #3), or rather I am not sure book whatever was so much better than the rest in the series. As for me I am just trying to read book 1 of all the mystery+dog books, and have identified 82 series, so just reading book 1 of all of them will be a long term goal.

Good that you moved one Wolf Book into NR category, and moved ‘Lone Wolf,’ another wolf book from 57 to 94. But I still wonder why put wolf books in a list of dog books. A Wolf Called Romeo is another wolf book with a dog only playing a small part, so I could question that one too. But your list.

Some of my favorites got moved down or into NR.

Winterdance is one of my top favorites out of the 637 books on dogs I have read so far, and it went from 45 to 89.

Chaser, another of my all time favorite books was added to the list, but only at 99.

Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls– One Flying Disc at a Time, another of my favorites I know people can have different views on, but still sad to see it moved to NR, although on the list at all is probably still good.

Rose in a storm is also one of my favorites, but another I can see people having a little mixed opinions if it should be on a ‘best’ list.

Again, thank you for putting up the list. And also allowing us to comment. I know it is a tough thing to put together, especially as you are going with all dog book types. A good list to start research and discussions on dog books.

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Sandy says

December 5, 2024 at 5:26 am

I am reading Sigrid Nunez’s 2018 book, The Friend right now which won The National Book award. It’s wonderful on so many levels and features a giant Harlequin Great Dane named Apollo. I don’t know how I missed this one and certainly glad to discover Numez. This book has just been made as a film starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray along with a Great Dane. Can’t wait to see it. Thanks for your very comprehensive list!

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100 Best Dog Books of All-time

Faith In Every Footstep

How the books were ranked

Top 100 Dog Books Every Dog Lover Should Read

Honorable Mentions

Notes On The 2024 Update

My Personal Favorite Dog Books

What are Your Favorites?

Come Behind The Scenes With Me

More About Me

Don’t Miss a Thing!

Faith In Every Footstep

How the books were ranked

Top 100 Dog Books Every Dog Lover Should Read

Honorable Mentions

Notes On The 2024 Update

My Personal Favorite Dog Books

What are Your Favorites?

About Wesley Banks

Come Behind The Scenes With Me

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