Dogs in Books

Anne here. We were talking about dogs and cats in books the other day, and though I've had several cats in my books, and I'm very fond of all animals, when it comes down to it, I'm generally for dogs, especially in books.

When I was a kid, I used to love Lassie and RinTinTin movies, and I snapped up any dog stories I could find. There was Finn the Wolfhound,  Old Yeller, Jack London's The Call of the Wild, Nip (a story about a collie.)

But in the main, they were angsty stories about dogs enduring hard times, and surviving, but . . . as a friend of mine's teenage son once told her, "I'm not reading any more dog stories; they always die at the end."  I remember howling at the end of Old Yeller. 

And I recall reading Nip in the back yard, and fretting about the terrible things he was enduring, and calling my collie, Bessie, over every few minutes so I could cuddle her — and comfort me. I couldn't find a web reference for that story and the book is in a box somewhere, so I can't even find the author's name, sorry.

But it doesn't need to be that way. Dogs can fulfil other functions in books and it doesn't have to break your heart. Georgette Heyer was a dog lover — I would know this even if I didn't know anything else about her because of the way she portrays dogs in her books. But here are two photos of her with her dogs (with thanks to Jennifer Kloester for them.)

In The Grand Sophy, for instance, Charles —who was pretty autocratic and unsympathetic at the start, clicks his fingers, and Sophy's dog, who doesn't usually take to strangers, immediately comes to him. And thus we know that Charles isn't as bad as he seems.

In Venetia there are several dogs. In the opening scene, Venetia's dog Flurry makes up to Damerel instead of protecting her from the advances of a stranger, and she says something like, "Idiotic animal, have you no discrimination?" And while Flurry is a character reference, the incident also makes Damerel look twice at her, realizing she's not the village girl he first thought her.

One of my favourite Heyer dogs is Ulysses, a scruffy little street mutt that Arabella (our eponymous heroine) rescued from bullies, then bestowed on the bemused Mr Beaumaris. Ulysses takes to him at once, and as the story progresses, Mr Beaumaris has a series of delightful one-way conversations with the dog, that are funny and endearing, as well as showing our hero's state of mind.

Jennifer Crusie is another dog lover, and they play a part in several of her books. In Anyone But You, Fred the lugubrious, depressed looking rescue dog, is adopted by the heroine one day before his "expiry date." She went to the animal rescue place planning to adopt a puppy to cheer her up, and instead chooses Fred. 

So he's a character reference, and of course, unlikely a cupid as he seems, he brings the hero and heroine together.

In my recent book, The Rake's Daughter, the hero's aunt, Lady Scattergood is somewhat of a recluse, but she takes in little street mutts. Leo is being cold and autocratic — and then he comes across her newest battered and scared little rescue mutt, Biddy. And he's gentle and sweet with her and so we can see he's redeemable.

(Lady Scattergood's dogs were inspired by this old photo from Juliet Marillier, who takes in elderly rescue dogs. The photo was taken by Kathy of Shaggy Dog Shack, and is used with Juliet's permission.) Juliet also has dogs in several of her books. Try Flame of Sevenwaters, a story that includes quite a bit of animal training.

I did one very bad thing with dogs, I confess. I killed a puppy in The Stolen Princess — actually the villain killed the puppy; he was trying to kill the princess's little son. The little boy didn't like the skin on his warm milk so he gave it to his puppy. And the milk was poisoned. But still, I wrote the words. I will never live it down, I fear. I suspect some readers would rather the little boy died, not the puppy! So now, confession over, onto happier dogs.

In my book, His Captive Lady, Nell's dog Freckles is her only source of comfort, as well as being someone to confide in. 

In Marry in Haste, the gruff, practical hero virtually kidnaps his newly discovered niece, slung over his shoulder, kicking and yelling. Refusing to allow her to bring her beloved dog, a wolfhound called Finn (of course), they set off in the carriage. Until . . .

After about ten minutes on the main road, the carriage slowed. Hawkins opened the communication hatch.

“What is it, Hawkins?”

“It’s Miss George’s dawg, m’lord. It’s following us.”

Georgiana’s face lit up. “See, Finn goes everywhere with me. He always has. Let him in, oh, please let him in.”

“Keep going, Hawkins. The dog will give up soon and return home.”

“I hate you!” Georgiana curled up in her corner, a hostile ball of misery.

The carriage picked up speed again. Fifteen minutes later, Hawkins slowed again. “It’s still following, m’lord.”

Georgiana leaned forward and put a hand on Cal’s knee. Tears glimmered on her long lashes. “Please. Finn won’t give up. He’ll follow us until he drops. His paws will be bleeding. . . “

Cal sighed. “Let the blasted animal in.” The carriage came to a halt and he opened the door. Georgiana whistled again, and a moment later the dog clambered awkwardly into the carriage, his ribs heaving with exhaustion, a panting red tongue lolling halfway down his chest.

Georgiana gave the great beast a rapturous welcome, cooing over him as if he were a lapdog. “Finn, oh, Finn darling. What a good, clever dog you are! Yes, you are!”

Cal watched gloomily. The dog was huge. He was wet, he was muddy, he had probably never been bathed in his life. Now that he was reunited with his mistress, his long scraggy tail lashed ecstatically back and forth, sending joyous splatters of mud and filth in all directions—mainly over Cal’s pristine coat and breeches.

And the smell—dear God!

Georgiana gave him an apologetic glance. “He must have found a dead bird to roll in. He’s very fond of rolling in dead things.”

Of course he was. Cal tried not to breathe.

And so we see that Cal is not quite the heartless autocrat he seems to be at the start. See, dogs as character references...

There are plenty more dogs in fiction that I could talk about, but perhaps I'll turn that over you you, wenchly readers. Do you have any fictional dogs to recommend? Are you an animal lover, and if so do you have a favorite?

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Christina Courtenay]

Wonderful post, Anne! I too love dogs and they add something very special to a story, especially when they show the hero in a good light. I adored Leo's interactions with little Biddy in The Rake's Daughter, he was so sweet with her! And all the Georgette Heyer dogs were always fabulous - I think my favourite was the Baluchistan (sp?) hound in Frederica

[Mary T]

I love dogs. I've not been able to have one in quite a few years - and I miss that.

Adding a dog (or cat) to a story only enhances it in my opinion. My all time favorite is Fitz the heroines dog in A
LOYAL COMPANION by Barbara Metzger. Fitz is the product of an illicit union between her fathers prized bloodhound and a neighbors prized sheepdog. As a ten year old she saves him from being disposed of and in return he proceeds to raise her. Fitz does some narration at the beginning of each chapter that is truly hilarious.

Loved this post Anne.

[Mary Jo Putney]

LOL, Anne! It's time to reread MARRY IN HASTE. I love Fred in Jennifer Cruisie's ANYONE BUT YOU, not least because he's a basset/beagle cross, aka, a "bagel," the only dog we had when I was growing up was a basset named Bootsy. I memorialized him in SHATTERED RAINBOWS as Louis the Lazy.

Yes, even though I am notorious lover of cats, I know that dogs can be pretty wonderful, too. *G*

[Lil]

I enjoy meeting dogs in stories, though I am a bit dubious about heroes who, on first encounter, make misbehaving dogs obey with ajust a word and a tone of voice. When I was a child I loved Albert Payson Terhune's dog stories, and I've had a weakness for collies ever since. Unfortunately they trigger allergies.

[Alice Mathewson]

In Mary Balogh's Only a Kiss, there are a pack of rescue dogs and the most misbegotten called Hector attaches himself to the hero - you know it will all end well once that happens! We just moved into my mother-in-law's house and inherited a one-eyed pekinese of some age. He barks all the time, is a major trip hazard and can nip you if you try and make him do something he doesn't want to! But for all that, we find him pretty endearing as he has a big heart and adores my husband

[Alice Mathewson]

Loved the Baluchistan! One of her great scenes when the whole park seems to arrive at Alverstoke's house

[Janice J.]

My family has dogs, but I don't; I live in an apartment and it doesn't seem fair to keep them cooped up with no place to run and sniff (although people in my complex have dogs of all sizes and they all seem happy), and they don't take to being left alone for long periods of time. I've always liked dogs, but when I had pets, they were cats. Cats tolerate these things better.

When I was a young girl, my library card was my freedom to other worlds and ways of living. I loved stories about animals and their human companions having adventures and living where it was wild and free. Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard was a particular favorite, along with the collie books by Albert Payson Terhune. But my real favorites were Smoky by Will James, Black Beauty, the Black Stallion books by Walter Farley and Born to Trot and King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry - in fact, anything with a horse who befriended a child in it. Black Beauty and King of the Wind were set in old England in the 17th-18th centuries, so perhaps that accounts for my love of Regency/Georgian fiction; when I came to read Jane Austen, the milieu seemed familiar somehow.

[Janet Murdoch]

Jennifer Crusie's Getting Rid of Bradley is a book I reread whenever life is getting me down and I need to laugh. The dogs in this book are wonderful and I'm sitting here laughing just saying her famous words " Oh, no! It's a dead dog"!!! LOVE her books. I enjoy more any book that includes a dog (or two, or three!) but only if nothing bad happens to it. I almost put your book down when you killed the pup but I said to myself - it's to make you truly hate the villain and mission accomplished! I remember I wouldn't read "The Plague Dogs" when I was younger (about 25!) until my mother, who had read it already, PROMISED me it ended well. I was almost at the end, reading in bed, sobbing my heart out and I phoned her - so angry she would mislead me - and she said "keep reading - trust me". So I did and the ending was wonderful - hard to read though when you are crying so hard! Thanks for the great post - enjoyed it immensely - and also, many thanks for not killing any more puppies!

[Kareni]

I tried to find your Nip book, Anne, but sadly no success! Thanks for an entertaining post.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks, Christina. Yes the Baluchistan hound is another favourite of mine. In fact when I take my "bitser" dog down to dog park and someone asks what breed she is, I sometimes say "A Baluchistan Hound" — but no-one ever gets it. One day I'll find a Heyer fan there . . .

I remember when I was twelve or so, reading the book and giggling away at that scene, I wondered whether the name was made up, and I asked Mum, who predictably said "Look it up" -- her answer to most things -- and in an old atlas I found Baluchistan! I was delighted.

[Anne Gracie]

Yes, isn't it wonderful? And I love how just with a few words we get a character sketch of each person involved.

[Anne Gracie]

Thank you, Mary — I haven't read A Loyal Companion, but clearly I need to do so. I'm sorry you haven't been able to keep a dog for several years. Is there one you could borrow for little visits? A friend of mine does that with his neighbor's dog -- brings it in for an hour or so every day and then sends it home once he's had his dog-fix for the day.

I used to take my Chloe-dog to the nursing home where Mum was — from the time she was a tiny pup — and honestly, it used to take me half an hour or more before we'd even get to mum's room, there were all these people who needed to pat her and feed her a biscuit. It was lovely.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks Mary Jo — I'd forgotten about Louis the Lazy. Might have to reread Shattered Rainbows.

[Anne Gracie]

Lil, you're right about the "commanding" abilities of heroes with dogs, but it's a signal to the reader, isn't it? Here is a hero. And some people do have that ability.
I don't know Albert Payson Terhune's stories. Thanks for mentioning them.

[Anne Gracie]

Alice, I'd forgotten those dogs in Only a Kiss, but you're right.
Your Pekinese sounds like a bit of a handful, but we do tend to forgive much in dogs when they adore you.

Juliet Marillier wrote a piece about one of her rescue dogs, who was very difficult, and it's lovely:
https://writerunboxed.com/2015/06/04/a-dogs-tale/

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks, Janice. Yes, it does sound tough to keep a dog indoors most of the time. And oh, Black Beauty — how I sobbed through that story. Interesting how it helped pave the way for your love of regencies.

I was a mad reader of horse stories, too, starting with The Silver Brumby, and Australian story — brumby is Australian for wild horse. I also read a lot of the English stories by the Pullein-Thompson sisters. And then there was My Friend Flicka... Oh dear, here we go down memory lane again.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks, Janet — yes, you can tell Jennifer Crusie has dogs too, can't you? And yes, I recall that "dead dog" instruction.
I haven't read The Plague Dogs either — and will approach it with caution...

As for my killing that puppy, it's ironic — a writer friend read the first part of the story when it was still in draft form, and said the heroine's reasons for running away with her little son were unjustified and a bit silly and hysterical. So I thought about it, and then I had the puppy drink the poisoned milk, and that's when the princess knew she needed to flee, that someone really was trying to kill her son -- the heir to the throne.
And THEN for years afterward, that friend would phone me up and start the conversation with "Killed any puppies lately?" LOL You can't win!

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks for trying, Kareni — I know exactly where it used to be on my old bookshelves, but alas, all the books are still in boxes here, while I wait to get new bookshelves built.

[Mary T]

I do have a nephew who brings his dog by sometime. He is a sweet doggie and he gets along well with my cat. By that I mean they just stare at each other (smile).

[Linda S]

Both dogs that came to mind immediately have already been mentioned - the Baluchistan (sp?) hound and Hector from Only a Kiss. In both cases, the dogs are forced (or force themselves) on the heroes and the results are very funny. I enjoyed reading about Lady Scattergood’s little dogs, but I’m wouldn’t want them underfoot!
PS I’ve just finished Lisa Kleypas’s Married by Morning, the only book I know that features a ferret as part of the plot.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks, Linda.
"I’ve just finished Lisa Kleypas’s Married by Morning, the only book I know that features a ferret as part of the plot."

I do believe that Joanna Bourne had a ferret in one of her Spymaster series books -- My Lord and Spymaster. She blogged about it (and other animals) here: https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2018/05/creatures-great-and-small.html

[Binnie Syril Braunstein]

Anne - I'm in raptures over this post! I also abhor books where the fog dies, As a mater of fact, my first editor at Woman's World wrote an article for Writer's Digest entitled, "Never lead with a dead dog." I've never read Old Yeller, BTW. Of the "dog " books I've loved, I'd put your Finn at the top of my list. I loved Fred the Basset Hound in Anyone But You. In fact, after reading it, I bought 14 more copies to give away to friends. Dogs are the focus of Nora Roberts' The Search, in which the heroine is a dog trainer. And of course, there's Tricks the adorable Golden Retriever in Linda Howard's Troublemaker. I must also include one of Sarah Morgan's "Manhattan" books: New York, Actually, which features a Dalmatian named Valentine and the hero that borrows a German Shepherd to try to win the affection of the dog's owner. And one of my all-time favorite "dog" books is Beth Kendricks' The Lucky Dog Matchmaking Service. All of the above have been read and re-read many times and are highly recommended. I could go on...but I'll be good and say happy reading, everyone!

[Christina Courtenay]

Oh wow, I never thought to look it up - always thought she invented it! And I hope you do come across someone who gets the reference one day. I forgot to say I loved Timmy in the Famous Five books so much I named my first dog that and he was a rough collie because I’d fallen in love with Lassie!

[Meg]

Lovely post, Anne, for a lovely topic. A book with a dog is always superior since living with a dog is far better than living without! And while I've read and enjoyed many of the books referenced above, including your wonderful Marry in Haste, I have to say I fell completely in love with the dog in this year's LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus. He narrates several sections of a book that is, in the end, rewarding, but which makes us relive a lot of the harsh realities of those supposedly perfect years in America that so many people now think we need to return to. The dog's wise perspective was the perfect balance.

[Constance]

My heart is always with the big dogs, especially deerhounds and wolfhounds (and, yes, your Finn, Anne, is way up on that list), but I also have a soft spot for Horace, Elfrida's rescue dog in Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. A smaller dog, a mixed breed, a plume-like tail, who comes into her life at just the right time. So many wonderful dogs mentioned in this post (and I now must move Lessons in Chemistry to the top of my TBR pile after Meg's comment). I will just add the Christmas story by Edith Layton called The Dogstar, which includes a very special sort of pup named Pompey. Now that I think of it, many of my favorite Christmas re-reads feature dogs!

[Karin]

Albert Payson Terhune lived close by to where I grew up, and is buried in a nearby churchyard, so of course I read all his books. Several things in the area were named after him, including our telephone exchange(TERHUNE-9), back in the days when they were letters instead of numbers!

[Karin]

"Most Eligible Billionaire" by Annika Martin has a very funny rom-com featuring a little dog named Smuckers that inherits a fortune. I don't read a lot of contemporaries, but I love her books.
I read lots of animal weeper books as a kid, but the thing that sticks in my mind the most is the movie, "A Dog of Flanders". I don't remember the plot, I just remember crying buckets.

[Alice Mathewson]

That is a lovely blog Anne. I will look up her books now. Thank you

[Annette N]

This is a wonderful post. I am a fan of dogs. I have lived a long time and have shared those years with lots of dogs.
I now have a Pekinese named Sonny. He was everything I did not want. But, he had been so abused that I could not permit that to continue. And it turns out he is everything I need whether I knew it or not.
Sonny is very sweet. But after living with active breeds most of my life, I am amazed that he does not do anything. He does not play with toys. He has no interest in playing. He does not have much interest in me either. But, I am a sucker and I love him.
I have read several books like the Balogh book which have an "unworthy" dog who worms his way into the life of a hero. And you are right, if a hero ends up caring for a dog it must mean he is worthy of the heroine.
I hope everyone is well and cool and safe.

[Jane]

While I am more of a cat person than a dog person, I frequently do enjoy dogs in books. My favorite of Georgette Heyer's dogs is Lufra in Frederica. The scene in the park is priceless!

[Teresa Broderick]

I find it hard to read books about animals in case they end up sad. I read Black Beauty when I was about twelve and I think I cried for a week afterwards. The first book dog in my heart was Timmy, from the Famous Five (already mentioned). I loved those books. I've had dogs all my life. The first ever was a wire haired terrier called Trixie, who turned out to be a boy and we had him for years. He was a bit of an oddball so fitted right in with our family:)
I liked your book about Finn the Wolfhound Anne. We had one until four years ago called Fionn. They are wonderful dogs and when fully grown, magnificent.
My loyal little companion died last Christmas. I don't think I'll ever have a dog again. The pain of his loss was almost unbearable and I still feel if I can't have him I don't want any dog.
Wonderful post and some great dog stories.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks for this list, Binnie Syril. I'd happily put dogs in all of my books, but they have to have a reason to be there. I can't just have them sitting in the background doing nothing.

I was going to give the heroine of Tallie's Knight a dog — she caught the hero's eye by saving her little cousin's dog — but since they were doing the Grand Tour on their honeymoon, it didn't seem very feasible. And then I read an account of an English lady who did take her beloved little lapdog with her on their travels, and when they let him out to do his business, he was snatched up by a wolf!!! And once I'd read it, I couldn't get it out of my mind, so I wasn't going to have that in my book. So no dog for Tallie.

[Anne Gracie]

"living with a dog is far better than living without!"
I couldn't agree more.

And I'm definitely going to have to investigate Lessons in Chemistry. Thank you, Meg.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks, Constance. It's been years since I read Winter Solstice and it might be time for a reread. And I agree, Christmas is extra special with a dog.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks, Karin — I'll give Dog of Flanders a miss, I think. I've read enough sad dog and animal stories. I might, however, check out Most Eligible Billionaire. Sounds like fun.

[Anne Gracie]

Poor little Sonny probably didn't have a puppyhood where he got to play. When you get a rescue dog, there are always a few issues to be dealt with — but it's so worth it.

Juliet Marillier wrote a piece about one of her rescue dogs, who was very difficult, and it's lovely:
https://writerunboxed.com/2015/06/04/a-dogs-tale/

[Anne Gracie]

Heyer wrote some utterly brilliant scenes that have me sighing in envy. That one with Lufra in the park is wonderful, I agree. And doesn't it show the hero in a perfect light — so masterful and quick witted when he calls Frederica shatterbrained and says the dog is a Baluchistan Hound, not a Barcelona Collie'

[Anne Gracie]

Teresa, I sobbed for Black Beauty too. And I also loved Timmy the dog in the famous five books. I also loved the various animals in Enid Blyton's "Adventure" books — Valley of Adventure, Mountain of Adventure, etc. One of the boys — was it Phillip?— had a way with animals. But my favourite was Kiki the cockatoo. Some years after reading my way though all of those books, I coaxed a tame cockatoo down from a tree and brought him home. He'd been deliberately released into the wild by stupid people who lived down the road and had moved house. He would never have survived in the wild. He lived with us for years and was such a wonderful character.

I understand something of how you feel, losing your little dog. I felt like that after losing my Chloe-dog — it took me three years before I could even think of getting another dog. But a house feels empty without a dog, and so I finally got Milly. She is a sweetheart, but Chloe was special. Hugs on missing your little one.

[Anne Gracie]

Oh yes, I loved Timmy the dog, and was envious of George that she could take him everywhere with her. We had a collie called Prince, who was nominally my brother's dog, bought when I was born as compensation for my not being a boy — he now has three sisters and no brothers! So he got a puppy, which I think was a pretty good bargain. Prince was with us for 20 years and was the companion of my childhood and youth.

[Annette N]

Thanks - I read the article and I could identify with her. Sonny goes up to any dog - even when the dog is obviously wanting to be hateful. I believe he simply believes they will all like him. He is terrified of cars, tall men and small children. He was thrown out of a moving vehicle more than once, so that is pretty easy to figure. The tall men, I can only imagine. And small children. Again, I don't even want to consider that. We are happy together, because I do not put pressure on him about much. He is vocal with his complaints to me. But, we are doing OK. He is sweet natured, well behaved and basically a very good dog. So, I am not going to make him do things that scare him. He has lived with me for over 3 years and the only place he feels very safe is in our house. Life is interesting.

[Teresa Broderick]

Anne that was a lovely thing you did for the cockatoo. I just don't and never will understand how people can be so cruel to animals!!

[Anne Gracie]

Annette, how wonderful you've given poor little Sonny a safe home, and that the two of you can be happy together. I do NOT understand how people can treat animals so cruelly — especially dogs, who are born naturally affectionate.

[Anne Gracie]

I don't understand cruelty to animals either, Teresa, but in this case I think the people were just stupid and ignorant. Cockatoos are wild birds here — you see them circling in large flocks or spread out over ovals even in the city, nibbling on the grass — and so I think they imagined Cocky would just join up with the wild ones. But even I, at 11 knew it didn't work like that.

I knew that cocky because he'd call out various things from the veranda as I passed their house on the way to school. That's how I found him in the wild — he was calling the same things. It took half a packet of crackers to coax him down from the trees onto my wrist, and he was with us for years afterward. He was a delight, and a rascal.

[Linda S]

Thanks, Anne. I found Joanna’s book at my library and will start it soon.