Gift Guide: 10 Best Books for Dog Lovers (& Kids, too!)
Books Make The Best Gifts
I’ve compiled this Gift Guide so you can find the perfect book for the Dog Lovers, Pet Parents & Kids on your Gift List. Books always make for great gifts for anyone who wants to gain knowledge, find comfort or take a mini-vacation in their mind. And books are a long-lasting gift that you can turn to again & again.
Want to give your favorite Pet Parent a gift that can lead to a longer, healthier, happier life with their dog? There’s a book for that! Need a gift for the mystery-loving Dog Mom on your list? There’s a book for that! Have a special child in your life who is begging to get a dog? There’s a book for that!
At some point every day, you can find me curled up in the corner of the sofa with Penny snuggled next to me and a book - or my Kindle - in hand. This post may feature affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no additional extra cost to you. Please know that I never recommend something that I don’t believe in. These are some of my truly favorite books that any Dog Lover will enjoy!
2021 Book of the Year:
The Forever Dog
Easily the most anticipated book for Dog Health Nerds for 2021, The Forever Dog by Rodney Habib and renowned veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker, deserves space on every Pet Parents’ bookshelf or nightstand. Packed with cutting-edge research into keeping our dogs healthy for as long as possible, The Forever Dog is packed with actionable tips to improve & optimize the health of dogs from puppyhood through senior years. I believe we all want our dogs to live long, healthy lives with us and The Forever Dog was written with this mission in mind.
Best Gift for Active Pet Parents:
Chew This Journal
This is the best gift for the Super Dog Mom. The amateur — or even professional — Dog Trainer. The Dog Mom who loves to bring her dog everywhere she goes. Run, don’t heel, to get Chew This Journal: An Activity Book for You & Your Dog by Sassafras Lowrey. Sassafras is a Certified Trick Dog Instructor who has compiled SO MANY fun activities for Pet Parents to do with their dog. From making toys, to creating artwork to learning new training tips, tricks & activities, there are tons of options for bonding with your dog and recording the memories in Chew This Journal. (Also, loving the nod to the Abbie Hoffman “Steal This Book” vibes.)
Best Gift for Keeping Your Dog Happy:
Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy
One of the best things to come out of 2020 was the book Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy by Dr. Zazie Todd of Companion Animal Psychology. This book covers everything from selecting the right dog for your family to making the final decisions for your dog. From choosing the right veterinarian to bonding & enrichment activities. Wag gives you the easy-to-digest science behind making these decisions with actionable takeaway tips and a Checklist For A Happy Dog. (Plus, don’t miss my interview with Dr. Zazie Todd on the Believe in Dog Podcast!)
Best Gift for First-Time Dog Owners:
Doggie Language - A Dog Lovers’ Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend
This is a MUST HAVE for first-time Pet Parents. Also perfect for families with dog-loving children. Our dogs are always talking to us through their body language and artist Lili Chin has created the ultimate illustrated guide to interpreting everything our dogs are saying to us with the pocket-sized Doggie Language. We humans are usually good at knowing when our dogs are happy, but not as good at telling when our dogs are uncomfortable. Every dog owner should be familiar with the ways our dogs are telling us they are unsure, anxious, scared or threatened. The more we notice our dogs’ sometimes subtle cues, the safer and happier both dogs and humans will be. Even experienced Pet Parents can learn something new!
Best Gift for Pet Parents with a Shy & Fearful Dog:
Bones Would Rain From The Sky - Deepening Our Relationships With Dogs
This book was recommended to me after Tim & I adopted our shy & fearful guy, Nino. And I make a point to re-read it every year. This book is one of the most impactful lessons I’ve had in influencing how I want to communicate with my dogs and what I want our relationship to look like. This book is definitely meant for someone who likes to read but I guarantee that renowned dog trainer Suzanne Clothier’s words will leave a lasting mark on all who read them. Don’t miss the Believe in Dog Podcast episode Pet Parents Roundtable on Shy & Fearful Dogs.
Best Gift for Mystery Lovers:
Dog On It and The Chet & Bernie Mysteries
If you have a Dog Mom or Dog Dad on your gift list who loves reading mystery & detective novels, the Chet & Bernie Mysteries are a MUST! Narrated by the wise & lovable Chet, a police K-9 flunkie with a flair for the “noir,” you can’t help but be a fan from the first page. Chet accompanies Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private detective to find a missing young woman in Dog On It. This series now has 13 books, so binge read away!
Best Gift For Hallmark Channel Movie Lovers:
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas
Written by W. Bruce Cameron, author of the Dog’s Purpose and A Dog’s Way Home series, A Dog’s Perfect Christmas is everything you want in a dog-themed Christmas novel. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll have all the feels. And even if you have watched the movies of A Dog’s Purpose and A Dog’s Way Home, those books & their sequels are still worth the read, as well! Just have tissues handy.
Best Gift for Kids Begging Their Parents to Get A Dog:
What to Know Before You Get Your Dog
When author Margrit Strohmeier couldn’t find a children’s book that described the responsibilities of dog ownership in a way that kids could understand, she decided to write it herself. This beautifully illustrated, rhyming picture book gently teaches kids about the joys and commitment of dog ownership. You can also hear my interview with the author, Margrit Strohmeier, on the Believe in Dog Podcast!
Best Book for Teaching Young Children About Rescue & Adopting Dogs:
Can I Be Your Dog?
This book is SUPER SWEET! Arfy the Dog lives in an alley and writes letters to all the families on his street listing all his good qualities — he’s potty-trained and has his own squeaky toy! — to try find his fur-ever home. You’ll cheer Arfy on as he finds a family to love him! (It almost brings tears to my eyes!)
Best Chapter Books for Kids:
Everybody Loves Grace Series
This book series shares Grace, the Finnish Lappnhund’s dog’s-eye-view perspective of road trips throughout the U.S. with her Mom, the people she meets and the world around her. Grace has a special talent for finding those who seem to need her the most and looking into their eyes and straight into their hearts. Book 6 is now available! And if you purchase the complete 6-book set at www.EverybodyLovesGrace.com, you can get a plush stuffed animal Grace too! To learn more about Grace’s adventures, you can listen to my interview with author Katy McQuaid on the Believe in Dog Podcast.
