Best Dog Books for Toddlers & Preschoolers

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We love our two dogs, so it's no wonder that some of our favorite books are all about dogs! Since we've been doing a lot of dog themed activities this month, it seemed like a perfect time to share a list of our favorite dog books. These are perfect picture books for the dog loving toddler or preschooler in your family.

That's Not My Puppy. My boys love these touchy-feely books, and have since they were babies. That's Not My Puppy is still a favorite in our house, as they love to explore the different textures and look for the little mouse hiding on each page.

Where's Spot? The first Spot book is still our favorite, and has been since my boys were tiny. Our copy is held together with tape we have read it so many times. Where's Spot? is also the inspiration for one of our favorite indoor games.

Underwater Doggies 1, 2, 3. Featuring Seth Casteel's gorgeous underwater photos of dogs, this is a fun counting book for toddlers & preschoolers. Read this one and try our Water Play activity to bring it to life!

Go, Dog. Go! This is a sentimental favorite of mine because it is the first book I ever read by myself. I love reading it to my kids now and can't wait until they read it themselves too! It's a classic.

Dogs, Dogs! is a new favorite of ours. This easy to read picture book celebrates all kinds of dogs, shy and silly, fat and lazy. And there's a surprise mirror at the end that my kids love.

Dog and Mouse is a very sweet story about the bond between these two unlikely friends. These are my boys' favorite animals so they really love this one!

Please, Puppy, Please. I just adore this book. Written by Spike Lee and his wife Tonya, this book follows two toddlers as they beg their exuberant puppy to obey. Adults will appreciate this irony even if it is lost on little ones. The text is fun to read aloud and the illustrations are just gorgeous. This is definitely one to check out if you haven't already.

Move Over, Rover! Rover's in the doghouse, chewing on a bone... then he is joined by an assortment of animal friends seeking shelter from a storm! This book's cumulative rhyming text is fun to read aloud and fans of all animals will enjoy this one.

RRRalph is a clever story of a "talking" dog by Lois Ehlert, the illustrator of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I love the collage art of this book! The ways that Ralph is able to "talk" will have your little ones giggling along too.

Henry Hodges Needs a Friend. Lonely Henry finds his best friend at the animal shelter. Read my review for more on this heartwarming story.

Doggone Dogs! is currently on heavy rotation at bedtime in our house. It's a hilarious look at a group of misbehaving dogs, with fun illustrations and some counting practice too.

What's your favorite dog book? Is there one I need to check out? Let me know!