I happened upon a listopia category called Dog Book Lists, and it contained seven pages of lists devoted to our four-legged best friends. At first, I was surprised at the sheer amount of books mentioned, then thought, why not? The American Veterinary Medical Association reported that in 2024, 59.8 million U.S. households owned a dog. I have read and loved many romance novels with dogs as prominent characters, and when I crafted the canine characters in The Forever Wedding Date, the third book in the Spirit of the Shenandoah series, not only did I make sure that my dog characters were an integral part of the plot, their happy ever afters with their forever families were secure.
Then again, I am the proud fur-mama of two dogs, Marshmallow and Graham, who are by my side every day. They are as much my companions as they are my writing support. Their kisses are sometimes the key to getting me through to a writing deadline.
What is it about dogs in books that makes them a beloved part of the story? I asked fellow writers about their process in crafting their canine characters and their special connection to the dogs in their lives.
Victoria Schade, romance author and a dog trainer for two decades, wrote nonfiction about dogs and then incorporated dogs into her romance novels. During the Puppy Bowl (yes THEEE Puppy Bowl), you can often see Victoria wrangling puppies in the background. In her novels, such as Who Rescued Who, one can read Victoria’s competency and her advocacy, and she notes that, “A well-placed pup can have a major impact on the happily ever after… they mirror the human characters, or they show the growth of a character over the course of the story.”
Farrah Rochon, who has a contemporary romance out this July called Pugs and Kisses, echoes this sentiment, saying, “The situations the dogs get themselves into in my books gives me the chance to lighten things up. Dogs provide so much joy, without seeking anything in return.” And indeed, her writing reflects this joy, not only in her forthcoming book, but in her 2024 romcom, Pardon My Frenchie, where a poodle and a French bulldog “forces” the hero and heroine together.
But it’s not only in romance novels that dogs take a loving center stage. In novelist and author coach Camille Pagán’s highly anticipated forthcoming novel, Dog Person, the narrator is an elderly dog. In giving him a prominent voice, the dog is the main character and the first to capture the reader’s attention and heart. “I just heard the character speaking to me,” Pagán reveals, “and in this particular case, the character happened to be an aging dog named Harold. Which is how Dog Person came to be.”
Middle grade author Laura Bird casts a dachshund alongside a human protagonist in her debut novel, Crossing the Pressure Line. Though the novel no doubt endears to adults too, she notes that, “I find that many kids that age connect quickly and seamlessly with animals — specifically dogs — because pups are so accepting of humans and grateful for every gesture of love they receive from us.”
Much like my relationship with my own dogs, writers who love theirs naturally cast dogs in their works. Teri Wilson has authored an extensive backlist with dogs as prominent characters. Her Instagram reveals how important her dogs are to her. She says, “My own dog Charm is a therapy dog, so writing about therapy and service animals is an ongoing part of my books. I’m eager to explore the many different ways working dogs help people, whether as guide dogs, search dogs or in other capacities.”
Lyn Liao Butler, who writes contemporary fiction, thrillers and romance, fosters dogs and is an advocate for fostering and adoption. She’s candid about her loving relationship with her pups. “I dedicated my debut to my two dogs at the time because they stuck by my side through 3.5 years of querying and three different manuscripts as I tried to break into publishing,” she says.
With whole novels derived from these special animals, it’s clear that dogs are main characters in families, real and imagined. “I often refer to Dixie as my writing assistant,” says Pagán. Even more, they are our “best friends” (Wilson), our “heart and soul” (Butler), “pure love” (Bird) and “critical for a happy life (Schade). Simply put, dogs are “everything” (Rochon), and I have no doubt that listopia will only grow over time.
