z-library z-lib project

Barking with Joy: Happy Books About Dogs That Will Lift Your Spirits

9 mins read
1.3K views
Photo by Chevanon Photography
This article showcases our top picks for Happy Books About Dogs. We reached out to industry leaders and experts who have contributed the suggestions within this article (they have been credited for their contributions below). We are keen to hear your feedback on all of our content and our comment section is a moderated space to express your thoughts and feelings related (or not) to this article This list is in no particular order.

Max’s Story by W. Bruce Cameron

This product was recommended by Daniel Caughill from The Dog Tale

Max’s Story is about a brave little New York native, Max the Yorkie, who encounters a girl named CJ and makes it his mission to show her how to navigate the big city. It’s a favorite best selling story for middle-grade dog lovers.

Happy Puppy, Happy Dog by Ashleigh Butler

This product was recommended by Kasey Turner from Nature Nibble

This book is packed with the best advice on dog care, grooming, and entertaining, simple tricks for younger dog owners. It provides professional guidance on how to develop a puppy, and how to maintain a positive owner-dog connection as the puppy ages.

Wag by Zazie Todd

This product was recommended by Kasey Turner from Nature Nibble

Wag is a helpful book written to help both new and experienced dog parents in maintaining their dog’s happiness and health. The instructions in the book are supported by research.

Charlie The Chomp’ion by Julia E. Giancaspro

This product was recommended by David Leonhardt from THGM Writers

This book for ages 8-12 teaches a valuable lesson about consequences. Readers are led by Charlie, a lovable Chihuahua, with a great appetite – especially for cookies! “I realized that if I want to reach more children and help them learn to be better people, I could do it best through my pets,” according to the author. And the cover is just as happy as the story, which is based on the author’s own dog.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

This product was recommended by Andrew Griffith from Garden Furniture

As the proud owner of a rottweiler, I understand the emotional value of our pets. No other animal in the world is as devoted as a dog. A happy book about dogs that will undoubtedly warm your heart is The Art of Racing. It is a 2008 book by American writer Garth Stein that is told from the perspective of a dog by the name of Enzo. The book was a New York Times best-seller for 156 weeks. The reader will feel touched by the characters. It is a book that will truly pave its way to your heart with paw prints.

Off the Leash by Matthew Gilbert

This product was recommended by Eleanor Fletcher from The Best Brisbane

Nothing is much more strange than hanging out in an open area with complete strangers and their varied dogs. Owning a dog, especially for the first time, can result in odd behavior changes. The Boston Globe’s Gilbert, a TV critic, documents his first year as a dog owner and frequent visitor to dog parks. Wit and charm are used to describe humor, compassion, eccentricities, and companionship (both human and canine).

Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck

This product was recommended by Eleanor Fletcher from The Best Brisbane

Steinbeck, a well-known author of American literature, recounts his journeys across the nation with his French Poodle, Charley, in this autobiography in the form of a traditional road story. From coast to coast, Steinbeck explores the turbulent 1960s in America, comes to many realizations about who he is, and discovers that a dog is the ideal traveling companion.

E.B. White on Dogs by Martha White

This product was recommended by Jack Williams from Handyman Reviewed

The best-selling children’s author E.B. White loved dogs. His granddaughter Martha White compiled some of his funniest and best letters, poems, sketches, and essays about his numerous canine friends in this book.

Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

This product was recommended by Jack Williams from Handyman Reviewed

In search of their owner, three curious animals—a Labrador retriever, a bull terrier, and a risk-taking Siamese cat—travel through the Canadian wilderness in this book. To get home, they must overcome all of the obstacles in the wilderness, including hunger, the elements, and even forest predators. They follow their instinct to the west.

Timbuktu by Paul Auster

This product was recommended by Jack Williams from Handyman Reviewed

A common plot device in both fiction and non-fiction is a man traveling with his dog. The journey taken by Mr. Bones and his humans is both humorous and tragic in the hands of Paul Auster, a writer renowned for his highly educated and unconventional fiction. Readers find Mr. Bones to be a compelling narrator in this charming novel by an unpredictable author.

White Fang by Jack London

This product was recommended by Min Tom from Happy Hong Konger

Despite being frequently regarded as a children’s book, White Fang has a depth and scope that readers of all ages can appreciate. It follows the mixed-breed creature from the wild through human cruelty and, at last, to the beneficial effects of human kindness.

Jonathan Unleashed by Meg Rosoff

This product was recommended by Min Tom from Happy Hong Konger

When Jonathan’s life seems to be falling apart due to an awful job, a questionable apartment, and a girlfriend who breaks up with him, dog-sitting for his brother’s Border Collie and Cocker Spaniel changes everything. It is praised by critics and readers for being lovable, funny, and screwball.

Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz

This product was recommended by Min Tom from Happy Hong Konger

This is a very well-written book that explains the scientific principles underlying dogs’ mental processes in simple terms so that the average dog owner can comprehend how their dogs perceive the outside world. Your empathy, awareness, and curiosity about what your dog is doing and why will increase as a result.

Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight

This product was recommended by Derrick hathaway from VEM-Medical

You’ve seen the films and TV adaptations, but have you considered reading the book again? This story of a Collie who does everything she can to return to her human companion has captivated readers since its 1940 publication. When people find this book when they are young, they return to it and eventually read it to their children and grandchildren.

My Dog by The Oatmeal

This product was recommended by Derrick hathaway from VEM-Medical

If you haven’t seen the comics of The Oatmeal (real name Matthew Inman) on social media, you should still check out his collection of canine-themed strips, which explores questions like why does your dog chase creatures three times his size? and what’s so great about rolling in horse poop? The Oatmeal’s new book is guaranteed fun for dog owners, what with the comic’s four million Facebook friends and glowing reviews.

My Dog Tulip by J. R. Ackerley

This product was recommended by Derrick hathaway from VEM-Medical

Like the British author J.R. Ackerley, who discovered love in his latter years when he took in a stray German Shepherd named Queenie, some people discover it later in life. This ode to Ackerley’s perfect buddy, with all of her quirks and mischief, is an emotional expression of his admiration for her. A reader writes, Reading between the lines a bit, for he isn’t in the least neutral, nor attempts to be, she was a holy terror, and The New Yorker calls it one of the bona fide dog-lit masterpieces. Hence, his love for her is even more endearing.

Chicken Soup for the Soul by Amy Newmark

This product was recommended by Irene Graham from Spylix

The book takes dog owners to realize how special their dogs are worldwide. It is a collection of stories from real dog owners who have majorly adopted their soulmates and found solace. The book is fun-filled and, in some cases, hits hard as it makes people emotional. In a nutshell, it focuses on the unique skills of every dog involved in the story.

Toby’s Story (A Puppy Tale) by W. Bruce Cameron

This product was recommended by Irene Graham from Spylix

This book revolves around a Beagle puppy named Toby, the protagonist. Due to his lack of energy, Toby remains unadopted for a long time while all his other littermates have found a home. Finally, a girl named Mona adopts him. He makes all their lives better, and that’s how he realized the purpose of his presence. It has mind-warming illustrations that fascinate people and make them fall in love with this piece of work. This book delivers another uplifting story that cherishes the bonding between humans and dogs.

A dog’s Life by Peter Mayle

This product was recommended by Gennady Litvin from Moshes Law

The storyteller of the book is a mongrel dog Boy by name. He was born on the farm and then adopted by the woman who took him in his car and drove home. There he got acquainted with the woman’s husband and some dogs. Boy is a well-read and clever dog who tells stories and draws his conclusions in a humorous way. The book consists of several witty stories depicting life in Provence. You will enjoy reading the book.

You Had Me at Woof by Julie Klam

This product was recommended by Alex Crow from HappiestDog

This book is such a great read for anyone who owns a dog. They can teach you so much about life without even speaking a word. Julie Klam talks about her experiences in life and how her dog Otto helped her through some tough times. Through their eyes she could see things differently and it helped her to cope with a lot of things going on in her life. This book will have you crying, laughing and even relating to Julie as she has some pretty good stories that people might find close to home. Dogs are such amazing companions and this book highlights this nicely. It is a must read for any dog lovers.

PT Runs Free by Jason Kraus

This product was recommended by Jennifer Thomas from FSR Ventures

This picture book, based on a true story, shares the uplifting tale of PT the rescue dog. PT faces many challenges in life, but never gives up! With the powers of positivity and determination, he overcomes a neglectful family, life as a shelter dog and even the loss of his leg! Find out how the incredible three-legged rescue regains his ability to run free, all while educating and inspiring children in schools and community centers along the way. The real PT who was found injured on the side of a road in Miami, FL is now living the good life with his forever family in Fort Myers, FL. As a therapy dog, PT goes to work every day with his parents, Joe and Angie, the owners of Apex Physical Therapy. PT serves as the clinic’s mascot, spreading kindness, and inspiring those in pain or recovering from challenges of their own. On his days off, PT teaches children about empathy and the importance of adopting rescue dogs still waiting to find their forever homes. Adversity = Opportunity “In the wake of Hurricane Ian, there are many displaced pets that are in need of medical care, food, shelter and to help find a new forever home,” says PT’s owner Angie McGilvrey. “We want to support the amazing efforts of our local rescue groups and humane societies to change the lives of these pets by donating ALL proceeds from book sales will be donated to local rescue groups and humane societies here in Southwest Florida. We want to help provide medical care, food, shelter and re-homing for the animals affected here in Southwest Florida.”

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

This product was recommended by Jen Jones from Your Dog Advisor

The Phantom Tollbooth is the best happy book about dogs that I can recommend. The book is about a bored boy named Milo who finds a tollbooth and drives through it. The book transforms from a dull story to an exciting adventure, albeit with some sadness along the way. Milo learns that he can travel anywhere through a tollbooth, so he takes advantage of his power. He meets strange creatures and has a lot of fun along the way. The downside to this book is that it is a little hard to follow because there are so many different things happening all at once. However, the reader will be rewarded with an exciting adventure that they can’t put down even if they try! Anyway, I hope I was able to help your piece with my insight. I can’t wait to see what others would share and how this article turns out!

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

This product was recommended by Gretchen Boyd from NYC House Cleaners

Wilson Rawls’ Where the Red Fern Grows is the best classic children’s book. After reading this book, I was reminded of my childhood and the touching story that describes the bond between the boy Billy and his two new dogs, Little Ann and Old Dan. The story is written realistically, and it begins with a boy named Billy who wants a dog so much that he saves money for two years to buy one. Finally, the day came when he purchased and trained his two Redbone Coonhounds. How this three-man hunting team got into trouble and overcame it is a fantastic story for children and adults. It has an emotional climax and beautifully describes a little boy and his two lovable dogs’ love, responsibility, determination, and bravery.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Photo by Valentina Ivanova on Unsplash
Previous Story

The Best Inspirational Books Everyone Should Read

Can Acetaminophen Cause Birth Defects?
Next Story

Can Acetaminophen Cause Birth Defects?

Latest from Book Lists

Don't Miss