Inside : 39+ Thoughtful Dog Poems
It’s no surprise that dogs are known as man’s best friend because of their loyalty and unconditional love. If you are looking for some dog poems that remind you of your dogs, or probably you just want to read to your dogs (because why not?!), or perhaps you are thinking of a unique gift for a dog lover, look no further!
In this list, we compiled poems and poem excerpts including those poems that describe a dog, the unconditional love of a dog, the strong bond between an owner and a puppy, and even poems that grieve over the loss of a dear fur baby.
Just A Dog Poems
If you want short and simple poems that remind you of what your dog is like, these are the best “Just A Dog” poems for you!
1. “I am his Highness’ dog at Kew,
Pray tell me sir, whose dog are you?”
―Alexander Pope
2. “I’m a lean dog, a keen dog, a wild dog, and lone;
I’m a rough dog, a tough dog, hunting on my own.”
―Irene MacLeod
3. “Pray steal me not, I’m Mrs. Dingley’s,
Whose heart in this four-footed thing lies.”
―Jonathan Swift (a lapdog’s collar inscription)
4. “‘Tis sweet to hear the watch dog’s honest bark
Bay deep-mouthed welcome as we draw near home;”
―Lord Byron
5. “Young blood must have its course, lad,
And every dog its day.”
―Charles Kingsley, Water Babies
6. “Lots of people have a rug.
Very few have a Pug.”
―E.B. White
7. “But yet a Dog is, on the whole,
What you would call a simple soul.”
―T. S. Eliot, A Dog is a Dog
8. “A little Dog that wags his tail
And knows no other joy”
―Emily Dickinson, A little Dog that wags his tail
9. “The little white dog on the Victor label
Listens long and hard as he is able.”
―James Merrill, The Victor Dog
Poems About A Dog’s Unconditional Love
Dogs are full of devotion and unconditional love. What better way to keep their love in our hearts through these poems about a dog’s unconditional love!
10. “The truth I do not stretch or shove
When I state that the dog is full of love.”
―Ogden Nash, The Dog
11. “My sunshine doesn’t come from the skies,
It comes from the love in my dog’s eyes.”
―Unknown Poet
12. “Every time you look at me
Brown eyes say, “I love you.”
―Daniel Turner, My Dog
13. “Oh furry fan, you leave an
indelible paw print upon my heart…
You look at me with adoration
yet it is I who learn what
faithful love is.”
―Laura Leiser, Loyal Love
14. “The rich man’s guardian and the poor man’s friend,
The only creature faithful to the end.”
―George Crabbe
15. “You’re only a dog, old fellow;
a dog, and you’ve had your day;
But never a friend of all my friends
has been truer than you alway.”
―Julian Stearns Cutler
16. “Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog;
but you’re never friendless ever, if you have a dog.”
― Douglas Mallock
17. “She walked into my life
straight into my heart
bonded with puppy love
right from the start.”
―Baz Busbe, Love of a puppy
18. “They’re not demanding, understanding,
Loving through and through.”
―Randal A. Burd, Jr., A Look At Man’s Best Friend
19. “We love our walks
We love our home
We love our lives today.”
―Eileen Clemens Granfors, Fluff Ball Love
20. “Shining wet, with passionate speed
For nothing,
For absolutely nothing but joy.”
―Alicia Ostriker, The Dogs At Live Oak Beach, Santa Cruz
21. “Buddies build on trust
Sharing food, blankets, comfort,
Our human pack : loved.”
―Eileen Clemens Granfors, Dog’s Love
Puppy and I Poems
Do you still remember the first time you met your dog? Nostalgic and heartwarming, right? Owners and puppies share a very special bond that these poems were able to perfectly capture through words.
22. “The dog barks backward without getting up.
I can remember when he was a pup.”
―Robert Frost
23. “I have a dog of Blenheim birth,
With fine long ears and full of mirth;”
―John Rusking, My Dog Dash
24. “The Dachshund’s affectionate
He wants to wed with you:
Lie down to sleep,
And he’s in bed with you.”
―E.B. White
25. “Blessings on thee, dog of mine,
Pretty collars make thee fine,
Sugared milk make fat thee!”
―Elizabeth Barrett Browning, To Flush, My Dog
26. “But there was a puppy so stunning
Trying hard to get up on my leg.”
―Brenda Meier-Hans, The Dog of my Life
27. “Lord help me to be
the person my dog
thinks I am.”
―Dennis Davis, My Dog and Me
28. “Through the door, running
Hair flowing magically
Welcomes me, my dog.”
―Baalak Baburo, Warmest Welcome
29. “For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes,
But never a friend like that.”
―W. Dayton Wedgefarth
30. “Two small puppies on a windowsill sit,
big bright eyes, over-active whit.”
―Karen Palumbo, Puppy Adventure…….
31. “Precious little rascals
Prancing all around
Poppies dancing gaily
Plopped upon the ground…”
―Marilyn F Friesen, Puppies
Losing A Dog Poems
We know how devastating it is to lose a dog. These poems tell stories of heartbreak and the pain of a dog who has crossed the rainbow bridge.
32. “Brothers and sisters I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.”
―Rudyard Kipling, The Power of the Dog
33. “No louder shrieks to pitying heaven are cast,
When husbands or lap-dogs breathe their last.”
―Alexander Pope
34. “Your little, faithful barking ghost
May leap to lick my phantom hand.”
―St. John Welles Lucas, To a Dog
35. “I’ll be here, chewing on a celestial bone,
No matter how long you may be.”
―Unknown Poet
36. “If my dog is barred by the heavenly guard
We’ll both of us brave the heat!”
―W. Dayton Wedgefarth
37. “At thieves, I bark’d, at lovers wagg’d my tail,
And thus I pleased both Lord and Lady Frail.”
―John Wilkes (epitaph about Lady Frail’s lapdog)
38. “The little dog lay curled and did not rise
But slept the deeper as the ashes rose,
And found the people incomplete.”
― Richard Wilbur
39. “And I reach out my hand to stroke his hair, But he’s not there.”
―Jimmy Stewart, I’ll Never Forget a Dog Named Beau
40. “My dog has died.
I buried him in the garden
next to a rusted old machine.”
―Pablo Neruda, A Dog Has Died
More Poems You’ll Love
- Wolf poems – With wolves, we reflect upon our experiences, as well as our connection to nature and our place in the universe. Check our list of over 27 impactful and meaningful wolf poems that may help you reconnect with nature.
- Love poems – Bring out your inner romantic side with these poems! You can use them to show love to your beloved ones, or to court that person you’ve been wanting to pursue. You can even get a stanza to say during your marriage vow!
- Funny poems – Laugh out loud with these poems that exude wit and sense of humor! Who knows? You may pick up a line or two for a joke to break the ice in a reunion or gathering.
- Just Because Poems For Couples – These poems for couples are a great way to communicate how you are feeling. They help you express your feelings in an enjoyable way!
