38 Songs About Dogs and Their True Stories
Pop Culture
Some days call for a song that sounds the way a dog feels: the tail thumping against the sofa, the walk that turns into a run, the quiet weight of a sleeping head on your foot. Other days call for a song that understands what it means to miss one. Musicians have been writing songs about dogs for every one of those moments, and many of the best were written about a real dog the singer loved.
Below are 38 of them, sorted by mood so the right one is easy to find, each with the true story behind it. If a film suits the mood better than a playlist, these dog movies are sorted the same way.
Famous Dog Songs Everyone Knows
The classics that turn up at parties, on road trips and in every family singalong.
Hound Dog, Big Mama Thornton (1952)
Elvis made it famous in 1956, but Big Mama Thornton recorded it first, and her version is fiercer. The hound dog in question is a worthless man rather than a real dog, which every hound lover will agree is a little unfair to hounds.
(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?, Patti Page (1953)
A novelty hit about falling for a puppy through a shop window. The record even credits the barking to two performers, Joe and Mac, which tells you how seriously everyone took the fun.
Who Let the Dogs Out, Baha Men (2000)
The stadium anthem started life as "Doggie," a song by Trinidadian artist Anslem Douglas about men catcalling women. No dog has ever cared once the barking starts.
Me and You and a Dog Named Boo, Lobo (1971)
A gentle road song about two people and their dog living simply and wandering wherever the highway goes. It is still a perfect pick for a car trip, and these tips for traveling with a dog keep the real-life version just as easy.
Martha My Dear, The Beatles (1968)
Paul McCartney wrote this White Album track with his Old English Sheepdog, Martha, in mind, though many listeners assumed it was a love song for a woman. Martha is still a lovely choice if you are browsing these dog names for a fluffy new arrival.
I Love My Dog, Cat Stevens (1966)
His very first single, and a sweet one. The song sets a dog's steady, uncomplicated love against the ups and downs of human romance, and the dog comes out looking rather good.
Walking the Dog, Rufus Thomas (1963)
A soul dance craze rather than a song about an actual walk, though it is hard to hear it without reaching for the leash. Aerosmith and The Rolling Stones both recorded it.
Country Dog Songs With a Lot of Heart
Country music loves a loyal dog almost as much as it loves a pickup truck, and the genre has given dog lovers some of their favorite story songs.
Ol' Red, Blake Shelton (2002)
A prisoner is put in charge of the warden's prized bloodhound and plans his escape around the dog's one weakness. George Jones recorded it first in 1990, but Shelton's version is the one most people know.
Cracker Jack, Dolly Parton (1974)
Dolly sings about a scruffy stray she found by a river as a child and nursed back to health, a dog who was not the handsomest but became her best friend. Anyone who has given a homeless dog a chance will recognize every word, and this honest look at adopting a rescue dog covers what that chance really involves.
Gypsy, Joe and Me, Dolly Parton (1969)
An earlier Dolly song about a young couple and their dog, Gypsy, getting by on very little but each other. The dog is part of the family from the first line.
The More Boys I Meet, Carrie Underwood (2007)
After a string of disappointing dates, the singer concludes her dog is the better company. Plenty of dog moms will nod along.
Love Someone, Brett Eldredge (2018)
On paper it is a romantic love song. Then Eldredge released a second video, "The Edgar Cut," starring his Weimaraner and Vizsla mix, Edgar, sharing candlelit steak dinners and motorcycle rides with him. Fans have been calling it a dog song ever since.
Tennessee Hound Dog, The Osborne Brothers (1969)
A bluegrass romp about a homely old hound who is irresistible to every lady dog in town.
Sad Songs About Losing a Dog
These are for anyone grieving a dog, or getting ready to say goodbye. Every one was written by someone who had been through it. If words help more than music right now, these dog loss poems offer the same comfort in a quieter form.
Old Shep, Red Foley (1935)
Written by Red Foley about a boy and the dog he grew up with, and sung by a ten-year-old Elvis Presley at a county fair talent contest long before he was famous. The ending is devastating.
Shannon, Henry Gross (1976)
While touring with the Beach Boys, Henry Gross learned that Carl Wilson's Irish Setter, Shannon, had been hit by a car. Gross had an Irish Setter of the same name at home, and wrote this song imagining the dog swimming out to sea. It became a top ten hit.
Old King, Neil Young (1992)
Neil Young's hound, Elvis, rode the tour bus with him for years. For the song he renamed the dog King to avoid confusion with the other Elvis, and the banjo tune remembers a dog who chased deer and heard all his secrets.
Maggie's Song, Chris Stapleton (2020)
Stapleton wrote this the day after the family dog, Maggie, died. She had been found abandoned in a parking lot as a puppy, and the song follows her whole life with them. He has said every word of it is true.
It's Just a Dog, Mo Pitney (2016)
A man picks up a soaked stray from the side of the road, telling himself it is only a dog. Over ten years she becomes his steadiest companion, and by the last verse the title means something very different.
The Floyd Song (Sunrise), Miley Cyrus (2015)
Miley Cyrus wrote this tender song for Floyd, her Alaskan Klee Kai, who was killed by a coyote while she was away on tour. Her grief over Floyd shaped the album it appears on.
Old Blue, The Byrds (1969)
An old folk song about a faithful hunting hound, recorded by The Byrds as a gentle bluegrass tune. When Old Blue dies, his owner buries him with real care. If your own companion is going gray around the muzzle, these tips on caring for a senior dog help make the later years comfortable ones.
Love Songs Written for a Dog
The best friend songs. Each of these sounds like a love song at first, and in a way it is. For the photo that goes with the feeling, these dog love quotes and captions were written in the same spirit.
Man of the Hour, Norah Jones (2009)
Norah Jones weighs up a series of disappointing suitors and chooses Ralph, her scruffy poodle, instead.
Like My Dog, Billy Currington (2011)
A lighthearted wish that a partner could love him the way his dog does: no complaints, no judgment, just pure delight every time he walks through the door.
Everything Reminds Me of My Dog, Jane Siberry (1989)
The Canadian songwriter lists everything that brings her dog to mind, from strangers in shops to the sky at sunset.
The Dog Song, Nellie McKay (2004)
A jazzy, joyful thank you to the dog who pulled her out of a lonely stretch of life. Witty and warm at once.
My Dog and Me, John Hiatt (2003)
A laid-back song about a man and his dog taking the long way through the woods together, with nowhere to be and no hurry to get there.
Funny Dog Songs for Zoomies and Road Trips
For the dog who steals socks, howls at sirens and thinks every visitor came to see them.
The Puppy Song, Harry Nilsson (1969)
A dreamy wish for a puppy and a friend to share it with. Nilsson wrote it for Mary Hopkin before recording his own version, and it plays like the inner thoughts of every child who has begged for a dog.
Gonna Buy Me a Dog, The Monkees (1966)
A heartbroken man decides a dog will be better company than the girl who left him, while his bandmates crack jokes all the way through the take.
I Want a Dog, Pet Shop Boys (1988)
A city dweller in a small flat longs for a dog to come home to. Underneath the bouncy synths is a song about loneliness, and the dog is the answer.
Quiche Lorraine, The B-52's (1980)
Quiche Lorraine is a poodle with a very fancy look who runs off with a Great Dane.
Seamus, Pink Floyd (1971)
While David Gilmour was dog-sitting for his friend Steve Marriott, the dog, Seamus, started howling along to the music. The band built a lazy blues number around him on the spot, and his howls stayed on the finished record.
Rock Songs Inspired by Real Dogs
Rock has more real dogs hiding in it than most fans realize.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Led Zeppelin (1970)
Robert Plant wrote this foot-stomping acoustic number about walks in the Welsh countryside with his blue-eyed merle dog, Strider. Live, he often shouted the dog's name at the end.
Black Dog, Led Zeppelin (1971)
Not about a dog at all, lyrically. The title came from a nameless black Labrador who wandered around Headley Grange, the country house where the band was recording, and who the band liked to feed.
Rover, Jethro Tull (1978)
From an album full of songs about animals and country life, this one takes its spirit from a dog who will always wander off and always find the way home.
The Reason a Dog, Aerosmith (1985)
A hard rock song built on a piece of old dog wisdom: dogs keep their friends by wagging their tails, not their tongues.
I Wanna Be Your Dog, The Stooges (1969)
Iggy Pop's snarling classic is about devotion of a very human kind, not a real pet.
Rap and Funk Tracks With a Dog Theme
Hip-hop uses "dog" to mean a loyal friend more often than a pet, but these tracks still bring plenty of bark.
Atomic Dog, George Clinton (1982)
The funk classic is packed with barks, pants and growls performed by the vocalists. It became one of the most sampled songs in hip-hop history, and it still empties every seat at a party.
Who Am I (What's My Name)?, Snoop Doggy Dogg (1993)
Snoop's debut solo single borrows heavily from "Atomic Dog," passing the barking groove to a new generation along with his own famously dog-themed name.
Get At Me Dog, DMX (1998)
Here "dog" means a trusted friend, and DMX barks his way through the track.
Do Dogs Like Music? What Shelter Research Found
Many dogs do respond to music, and calmer genres seem to suit them best. In a study of 38 shelter dogs, researchers at the University of Glasgow and the Scottish SPCA found that dogs spent more time lying down when any music played, and their heart rhythms showed the lowest stress during soft rock and reggae. Each dog also showed individual preferences, so the best playlist is one your own dog relaxes to.
Signs your dog is enjoying a song include settling down, soft eyes and slow breathing. Lip licking, pacing or leaving the room mean the volume is too high or the song is not for them. Dogs hear far more acutely than people do, so keep it low. Quiet music can be a lovely addition to calm time at home alongside these boredom busters for dogs.
Building a Dog Song Playlist for Your Pup
A celebration playlist might open with "Atomic Dog," "Who Let the Dogs Out" and "The Puppy Song," and it is the perfect soundtrack for a dog birthday party. A remembrance playlist might hold "Maggie's Song," "Old King" and "It's Just a Dog" for a memorial or a quiet evening with photos.
For a ready-made mix, this playlist gathers the songs in one place.
Keep it soft when your dog is in the room and save louder tracks for the car. For the full research behind the soft rock and reggae finding, the original University of Glasgow study on music and kennelled dogs is worth a read. Then press play and see which song gets the tail going.
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