Dogs on the Page and Screen: The Best Books, Movies & Shows

Dogs have starred in some of the most beloved stories ever told — tear-jerking novels, blockbuster films, and heartwarming documentaries. Here's a tour of the classics every dog lover should know, organized by medium, plus a few surprising true stories behind the scenes.

Classic Dog Books

1. Old Yeller (Fred Gipson, 1956) — a Texas pioneer family and the stray dog who becomes their fiercely loyal protector. One of the most famous tear-jerker endings in children's literature.
2. The Call of the Wild (Jack London, 1903) — a domesticated dog named Buck is stolen and sold into the brutal world of Yukon sled-dog teams, gradually reawakening his wild instincts.
3. White Fang (Jack London, 1906) — a companion novel to The Call of the Wild, telling the reverse journey: a wild wolfdog slowly learns to trust and bond with humans.
4. Lassie Come-Home (Eric Knight, 1940) — the original novel behind the most famous fictional dog in American pop culture, about a Collie's extraordinary journey home across hundreds of miles.
5. Where the Red Fern Grows (Wilson Rawls, 1961) — a boy and his two Redbone Coonhounds in the Ozark Mountains, considered one of the greatest (and saddest) dog stories ever written.
6. Sounder (William H. Armstrong, 1969) — a Newbery Medal-winning novel about a sharecropping family and their devoted hunting dog during a time of hardship and injustice.

Modern Dog Books & Memoirs

7. Marley & Me (John Grogan, 2005) — a real-life memoir about "the world's worst dog," a chaotic but beloved Labrador Retriever. Spent over 40 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
8. The Art of Racing in the Rain (Garth Stein, 2008) — a novel narrated entirely from the perspective of Enzo, a philosophical dog who believes he'll be reincarnated as a human.
9. A Dog's Purpose (W. Bruce Cameron, 2010) — follows one dog's soul as it's reincarnated across multiple lives and owners, each time trying to figure out its purpose.
10. Merle's Door (Ted Kerasote, 2007) — a naturalist's memoir about life with a free-roaming dog he chose never to leash, exploring what genuine canine independence looks like.

Iconic Dog Movies

11. Lassie Come Home (1943) — the original film adaptation that launched a franchise, TV series, and decades of Lassie-mania.
12. Old Yeller (1957) — Disney's adaptation of the novel remains one of the studio's most emotionally devastating live-action films.
13. 101 Dalmatians (1961) — the animated classic that made spotted coats iconic and Cruella de Vil one of Disney's most memorable villains.
14. Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) — two dogs and a cat cross the wilderness to find their way home, remaking the 1963 original The Incredible Journey.
15. Beethoven (1992) — a lovable, oversized St. Bernard turns a suburban family's life upside down in this comedy that spawned multiple sequels.
16. Turner & Hooch (1989) — Tom Hanks stars as a detective forced to work with a slobbery, destructive French Mastiff who's the only witness to a murder.
17. Air Bud (1997) — a Golden Retriever with a knack for basketball becomes a beloved family sports comedy and launches an entire franchise of sports-playing dogs.
18. Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009) — a fictionalized American retelling of the real Hachikō story (see our famous dogs guide), starring Richard Gere.
19. Marley & Me (2008) — the film adaptation starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, based on the bestselling memoir.
20. A Dog's Purpose (2017) — the film adaptation of Cameron's novel, following a dog's soul through several reincarnated lives.
21. Isle of Dogs (2018) — Wes Anderson's stop-motion animated film about a pack of exiled dogs on a fictional Japanese trash island, praised for its distinct visual style.

TV Shows & Documentaries

22. Lassie (TV series, 1954–1973) — one of the longest-running family television series in American history, spanning multiple dogs playing the title role across two decades.
23. Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan (2004–2012) — a long-running reality series following behaviorist Cesar Millan as he works with dogs and their owners on training and behavior issues.
24. Dogs (Netflix, 2018) — a documentary anthology series exploring the deep bond between dogs and people across different cultures and circumstances worldwide.
25. The Dog House (UK/US) — a heartwarming reality series filmed at an animal rescue center, matching shelter dogs with the right adopters.
26. Pick of the Litter (2018) — a documentary following a litter of Guide Dogs for the Blind puppies through their intensive training to see which ones make the final cut.

Fun Trivia From Behind the Scenes

27. Every dog who played Lassie on screen was actually male — male Collies keep a fuller, more photogenic coat year-round, while females shed heavily after each heat cycle.
28. Toto in The Wizard of Oz (1939) was played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry, who reportedly earned $125 a week — more than some of the film's human supporting actors.
29. Rin Tin Tin, one of the earliest canine movie stars, was a real dog rescued from a bombed-out kennel in France during World War I. He went on to star in dozens of silent films and received sacks of fan mail.
30. Uggie, the Jack Russell Terrier from The Artist (2011), had his own personal trainer and a strict on-set diet — and reportedly "retired" from acting shortly after the film's award season.