A Dog's Life

I have never been a dog person. In fact, I have specifically been a dog-hating cat person. My husband, however, has always been a cat-hating dog lover. It does not help that he is allergic to cats, as well. Opposites attract!

God works in mysterious ways. He brought a cat to our doorstep after my son prayed for a pet. How could my dear husband argue against the will of God? He consented to let the cat live outside.

Then something happened to me. I began wishing for another set of eyes to watch the kids when they played outside. I began wishing for a companion on hikes when my hubby couldn’t come along. I began noticing dogs everywhere and reading about different breeds. Horror of horrors—I became a dog person!

You can read the story of how we adopted our “fourth child.” There are many other, greater dog stories that your family might enjoy.

For the children
A Boy, a Dog and a Frog Warning: This story has no words. You will have to snuggle with your child and talk about the illustrations.
Go Dog, Go Wonderful fun with language.
Harry the Dirty Dog Funny. Your kids will get a kick out of it.
The Incredible Journey Domestic animals on an adventure!
Ginger Pye The mystery of the missing dog. Warning: Contains bad guys.
Henry Huggins A classic boy-and-his-dog story. First in a series.
Five True Dog Stories Even if you are a cat person like me, you will be impressed with these dogs.

For the grown-ups
The Lurcher A warm british novel that weaves in the history of this type of dog.
Marley and Me How a couple adopts a crazy dog and starts a family at the same time. Warning: The author writes about marital relations more explicitly than some might appreciate. Also, there is some swearing.
The Call of the Wild The struggles of a dog-napped dog.

Films
“Where the Red Fern Grows” A boy and his dogs. Warning: If you are pregnant or nursing, do not watch this film. You may sob for hours.
“Shiloh” Warning: See above.
"My Dog Skip" Based on a true story. Warning: See above.
“Homeward Bound” The film version of The Incredible Journey.
“Because of Winn-Dixie” Some of the acting is so-so, but there are sweet and hilarious scenes.

I know I have missed some. Smart moms to the rescue! What dog stories does your family love?

P.S. I still love my cat.