Stories about dogs
This collection of dog stories offers a range of themes, from loyalty and courage to friendship and cleverness. Each story presents unique adventures and life lessons centered around dogs, capturing a variety of interactions, challenges, and bonds with humans and other animals.
Rescues and Acts of Loyalty
In Officer Friendly Returns A Puppy, Officer Friendly tirelessly searches the streets to return a lost puppy, highlighting dedication and community care. The Lame Dog features a king’s daughter who discovers that her lame dog is a prince in disguise. This theme of loyalty continues in Raggedy Ann Rescues Fido, where Raggedy Ann and her fellow dolls bravely seek to free Fido from the dog catcher. Similarly, The Gentle Giant’s Rescue tells of Sammy, a Newfoundland dog, whose adventure takes a dangerous turn, leading to a heartwarming rescue by hikers and firefighters. The Old Man Who Made Trees Blossom tells of a kind dog who leads his master to treasure, transforming the lives of those around them.
Friendship and Companionship
The value of friendship is celebrated in Max’s Quest for Attention, where a dog’s antics remind his family of the importance of spending quality time together. In A Dark Brown Dog, a child and his dog develop a deep bond despite harsh challenges, showing the resilience of companionship. The Little Boy And His Puppy depicts the joyful friendship between Ben and a playful puppy, marking the start of a lifelong bond. Lafayette follows a French poodle as he escapes home, experiencing freedom with a stray dog, Tige. Meanwhile, The Little Lazy Boy tells of a boy who learns valuable lessons from various animals, including a dog who teaches him the importance of hard work.
Cleverness and Problem-Solving
Dogs often display quick thinking and resourcefulness in these stories. The Dog and the Shadow explores the theme of greed when a dog loses his food due to his own desire for more. In The Thief and the Housedog, a house dog stays vigilant, seeing through the thief’s ploy. The Mischievous Dog highlights a dog’s misguided pride when he interprets a warning bell as an honor rather than a caution. In The Wolf and the Housedog, a mastiff describes his life of comfort and constraints to a wolf, shedding light on the balance between freedom and security.
Fantasy and Folklore
Fantasy elements add magic to the lives of the dogs in these stories. In The Tinderbox, a soldier encounters magical dogs who guard riches, using a tinderbox to summon them for help. The Wonderful Dog and the Miraculous Cat follows two educated animals on a quest to break a curse on a king. In Schippeitaro, a brave dog named Schippeitaro assists a warrior in saving a village girl from a malevolent spirit. The White Cat tells the story of a talking cat who aids a prince, showing the fantastical possibilities of animal companionship.
Life Lessons and Morals
Many stories offer moral lessons through the experiences of dogs. The Dog In The Manger tells of a dog who selfishly prevents other animals from eating hay he cannot consume himself. The Ass and the Lapdog illustrates the pitfalls of envy when an ass, jealous of a lapdog’s pampered life, disrupts his master’s home. The Dog and the Cook warns against excessive indulgence when a dog invites a friend to a feast only for his guest to be thrown out. The Glass Dog is a cautionary tale about greed and the consequences of meddling with others’ possessions.