The Dog Lover’s Top 10 Must-Read Books

December 3, 2017

Everyone has a favourite story about a dog, but don’t you find most of the popular ones, like Ol’ Yeller and Marley and Me, end so sadly you regret picking them up in the first place? 

So we’ve tried to find books about dogs with a happier ending than most. We hope you find one you like so much you want to share it with your friends.

Top 10 Books About Dogs

1. Call of the Wild by Jack London

You kind of have to start off a list like this with an old classic, like Jack London’s Call of the Wild. It’s a book that seems to make everybody’s list of best dog stories and one that lived on our bookshelf at home growing up. Written by one of America’s best-loved novelists, Jack London’s hero, Buck, is a dog living on the edge in Alaska during the gold rush. Will he remain living with these gold-crazed humans or return to his natural, wild ways and join the pack? A thrilling adventure. If you enjoy this book, follow it up with White Fang by the same author.

2. Amazing Gracie – A Dog’s Tale by Dan Dye and Mark Beckloff

Gracie is a rescue dog who delights her owners at every turn. From her first day home to meeting the other dogs in the household, Gracie brings joy wherever she goes. A delightful read to cheer you up on a cold, winter’s day.

3. Following Atticus: Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship by Tom Ryan

Another inspiring story about one man’s adventure with his adorable dog, a miniature schnauzer named Atticus M. Finch. Man and canine set out to raise money for charity in memory of Tom Ryan’s good friend who died of cancer, and pledge to climb all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot peaks twice. The adventures and dangers these two share as they embark upon their journey, weaves an extraordinary tale of love and friendship between human and hound.

4. Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin

Another rescue story that begs the question, who rescued who? Oogy, a derivative of the word, ‘Ugly’, is a battered and abused fighting dog, who at just a few months old, was thrown in a cage and left to die. After being rescued, he homes in on one family, the Levins, and captures their hearts. A heartwarming story of love and redemption.

5. Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him by Luis Carlos Montalván, Bret Witter

Tuesday is a golden retriever trained to work with the disabled, who has some trust issues after living in a home for troubled boys. It’s not until he meets Luis, a highly decorated captain returning from Iraq, who is crippled by post-traumatic stress disorder, that he learns to trust again. This is a remarkable story of two lost souls and the healing power of man’s (and woman’s) best friend.

6. One Good Dog by Susan Wilson

One Good Dog tells the story of one man’s salvation through the help of a mixed breed Pit Bull called Chance, who escapes the dirty underground world of fighting to find Adam at the lowest point of his life. A heartwarming and redemptive story that explores the importance of love and friendship over material worth. If you like this book, then check out Susan Wilson’s other novels. 

7. Last Dog on the Hill: The Extraordinary Life of Lou by Steve Duno

This is a remarkable story of a Rottweiler mix called Lou who touches people’s lives wherever he goes. Once wild and running free, Lou meets Steve Duno and engages upon an incredible life solving crimes and changing lives. You won’t believe what this dog is capable of until you read this story. 

8. Bad to the Bone: Memoir of a Rebel Doggie Blogger by Bo Hoefinger

On the lighter side, this book will make you laugh with its doggie perspective of what it’s like living with wacky parents and a finicky feline. A rescue dog who takes to blogging about his life, this book is a witty story that will delight any dog lover with its insight and wisdom.

9. Dog On It by Spencer Quinn

This is the first novel in a dog mystery series featuring the sleuthing duo of Chet, a wise and lovable canine, and Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private investigator. Stephen King describes Dog On It as “an enchanting, one-of-a-kind novel.” Told through Chet’s eyes, a police-dog-school dropout, highly trained to sniff out trouble, this story is a real page-turner and will have you “panting for more!”

10. The Dogs of Christmas by W. Bruce Cameron

By the same author who brought us A Dog’s Purpose, W. Bruce Cameron wraps up Christmas with a box full of shelter puppies and one family’s dilemma of what to do with them all. We had to end on a seasonal note as it’s so close to the holidays. This book would make a great stocking stuffer or gift for a friend. Just make sure you read it youself first!

Let us know in the comments below what your favourite doggie books are of all time. We’d love to add them to our reading list.

by Natalie Secretan
PuppyDogCapers.com

Photo credit by: green kozi - Week 31: Smarty Bull