11 Beloved Dogs From Literature (PHOTOS)

As the saying goes, dogs are man's best friend. Since the Stone Age, our canine companions have been illustrated, described, dramatized, and eulogized in one form or another. "Dogs in Books" celebrates the role of over thirty dogs in literature, from Tintin's white Wire Fox Terrier Snowy, to Lassie, Toto, and Snoopy, as well as dogs from Mark Twain, Jack London, Rudyard Kipling, Charles Dickens, and many more well-known authors.

Culled from the British Library's incomparable archives, "Dogs in Books" features illustrations from rare editions of classic literature and contemporary renderings from popular books. Odysseus had his faithful dog Argos and King Lear's pack of dogs barked away at him as if warning him. From narrating an entire story to rescuing our hero, these dogs are critical characters in these books, demonstrating the timelessness of our undying love and respect for dogs and proving that they have always been more than just a pet.

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[Imago1122]

04:00 PM on 01/13/2012

The novels of Jim Kjelgaard of which three "Big Red," "Irish Red," and "Outlaw Red," about Irish Setters, particularly stand out for me. I also enjoyed his "Lion Hound."

What about Dodie Smith's "The Starlight Barking" sequel to "The Hundred and One Dalmatians"?

[KT31]

04:37 PM on 01/05/2012

Old Yeller?

[Michael Ehling]

10:40 PM on 12/27/2011

"Sounder" from William Armstrong's YA novel of the same name.

Rowf and Snitter of Richard Adams's "The Plague Dogs."

The loveable "Sharik" (who, when he becomes a detestable human, goes by the name "Poligraf Poligrafovich Sharikov") in Mikhail Bulgakov's hilarious satire "Heart of a Dog" (much better than Orwell's "Animal Farm").

[James Schiavone]

11:55 AM on 12/27/2011

Beautiful collection of "Dogs From Literature." And new for 2011 is Gareth Crocker's, "Finding Jack," about a brave dog serving in the Vietnam war. (St. Martin's, February, 2011).

[fetchmasters]

06:12 PM on 12/24/2011

They forgot THE quintessential classic ... Where the Red Fern Grows. I have hounds to this day because of that book!

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http://www.fetchmasters.com

[GingerMoran]

08:23 PM on 12/23/2011

Ann Beattie does surprisingly great dogs.

[HayleyJo]

02:39 PM on 12/23/2011

Also Albert Payson Terhune's stories of Lad, Lady, Wolf, Treve..... But perhaps one collie (Lassie) was enough

[Read AloudDad]

10:51 AM on 12/23/2011

Oh ... that Toto! Puts a smile on my face, whenever I see him.

Let's not forget Tintin's Snowy too...

ReadAloudDad,com

[SaulZ]

06:12 PM on 12/22/2011

There are many dogs from non-fiction that should form another list.

One of my favorites is spaniel named Robin that accompanied famous hunter turned conservationist Jim Corbett in many of his Indian jungles adventures.

Another one is the miniature Schnauzer named Atticus in Tom Ryan's recent book 'Following Atticus'.

[GraceNotes]

05:46 PM on 12/22/2011

Buddy from Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory.

[3fingerbrown]

06:17 AM on 12/22/2011

Don't forget Argos, from The Odyssey -- the granddaddy of all literary dogs, and still one of the most poignant dog tales.

[billwetzel]

11:13 PM on 12/21/2011

"Old Dan" and "Little Ann" from "Where The Red Fern Grows>"

[Annemarie Dooling]

02:48 PM on 12/22/2011

Those two had me in tears throughout middle school.

[mlaiuppa]

07:39 PM on 12/21/2011

There are plenty of choices from contemporary literature.

The Art of Racing in the Rain.

Sheep!

A Dog's Life.

Everything for a Dog.

Almost any book by Gary Paulsen or Dean Koontz.

[mlaiuppa]

07:37 PM on 12/21/2011

Interesting choices.

[exBFF]

06:58 PM on 12/21/2011

um...Ribsy from Henry Huggins (Beverley Cleary)?

:-)

[frank day]

08:43 PM on 12/21/2011

That's just what I was going to post !!!

[naschkatze]

12:26 PM on 12/22/2011

Ribsy is just like one of the kids, and dogs are like that in real life. Excellent nomination.