Our 11 Favorite Literary Dogs

By Kristi Spuhler for LitLovers
We recently came across this article on Bustle that celebrates the literary world of CATS, and that got us thinking—what literary DOGS do people love the most?

A few short months ago, we wrote about dogs making great reading companions, (especially for younger readers who may be struggling,) but now that we’re thinking about it, dogs make some pretty memorable characters in our favorite books as well. Here are just a few that come to mind:

Our 11 Favorite Literary Dogs

Travels With Charley, John Steinbeck
Who better to accompany a lone traveler on a 10,000 mile road trip than their faithful dog?

The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Nighttime, Mark Haddon —Though not around for long, Wellington the poodle makes his presence known and sets in motion a monumental chain of events.

The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum
Is Dorothy’s companion, Toto, a lovable confidant or a sneaky canine hiding his powers of speech? Turns out, he may be a little of both.

Marley and Me, John Grogan
"The World's Worst Dog" ends up teaching his owners about loyalty and unconditional love. Was anyone dry-eyed at the end?

The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein
Confirms what we've know all along: dogs know far more about the human condition than they let on. This one sure does!

A Song of Ice and Fire, George R.R. Martin
Direwolves Nymeria, Ghost, Lady, Summer, Shaggydog, Greywind steal the show when found as pups. Though they part ways, they're as much a part of the story as any other character.

Call of the Wild and White Fang, Jack London
We follow Buck after he's stolen from his comfortable life and sold into sled dog slavery. In White Fang, we thrill to the growing bond between man and his wolf-dog.

; Cujo, Stephen King
Far from lovable, this guy terrorizes the Trenton and Cambers families, to say nothing of readers. A victim of a rabid bat—he was a good dog at heart.

Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie
A dog as British nanny? This charming twist is the perfect fit for J.M. Barrie’s fantasy about never growing up.

The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
Tock proves to be a great companion for adventure and one who imparts a little wisdom along the way.

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling
Fang makes recurring appearances thoroughout the series. A Bit of a slobberer, even a coward, he’s still there when Hagrid needs him most.

Now that the contenders have weighed in, what do you think? Are dogs or cats more suited to a literary setting?

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	Travels With Charley, John Steinbeck Who better to accompany a lone traveler on a 10,000 mile road trip than their faithful dog?
	The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Nighttime, Mark Haddon —Though not around for long, Wellington the poodle makes his presence known and sets in motion a monumental chain of events.
	The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum Is Dorothy’s companion, Toto, a lovable confidant or a sneaky canine hiding his powers of speech? Turns out, he may be a little of both.
	Marley and Me, John Grogan "The World's Worst Dog" ends up teaching his owners about loyalty and unconditional love. Was anyone dry-eyed at the end?
	The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein Confirms what we've know all along: dogs know far more about the human condition than they let on. This one sure does!
	A Song of Ice and Fire, George R.R. Martin Direwolves Nymeria, Ghost, Lady, Summer, Shaggydog, Greywind steal the show when found as pups. Though they part ways, they're as much a part of the story as any other character.
	Call of the Wild and White Fang, Jack London We follow Buck after he's stolen from his comfortable life and sold into sled dog slavery. In White Fang, we thrill to the growing bond between man and his wolf-dog.
;	Cujo, Stephen King Far from lovable, this guy terrorizes the Trenton and Cambers families, to say nothing of readers. A victim of a rabid bat—he was a good dog at heart.
	Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie A dog as British nanny? This charming twist is the perfect fit for J.M. Barrie’s fantasy about never growing up.
	The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster Tock proves to be a great companion for adventure and one who imparts a little wisdom along the way.
	Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling Fang makes recurring appearances thoroughout the series. A Bit of a slobberer, even a coward, he’s still there when Hagrid needs him most.