A Dog's Purpose: A Novel for Humans

Written by W. Bruce Cameron

Narrated by George K Wilson

After a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey is surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden-haired puppy. Bailey's search for his new life's meaning leads him into the loving arms of eight-year-old Ethan. During their countless adventures, Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog.



But this life as a beloved family pet is not the end of Bailey's journey. Reborn as a puppy yet again, Bailey wonders, will he ever find his purpose?



Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, A Dog's Purpose is not only the story of a dog's many lives but also a dog's-eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This beautifully crafted novel teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are
always with us, and that every creature on Earth is born with a purpose.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Audio
• Release date: Jul 20, 2010
• ISBN: 9781400186457

W. Bruce Cameron

W. Bruce Cameron is the New York Times bestselling author of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, which has turned into the hit television series. He is the bestselling author of A Dog’s Purpose (now a major motion picture), A Dog’s Journey, The Dog Master, The Dogs of Christmas, and The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man. He has twice been voted the number one best humour columnist by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, and his nationally syndicated column in the US is read by more than three million readers every week. He lives in California.

Reviews for A Dog's Purpose

[nancynova · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What if a dog keeps getting reincarnated until his purpose is done? That's the premise behind this good story, as the dog keeps picking up new skills in each of his/her lives with the end result that he's Ethan's (the boy's) dog and finally a search & rescue dog.

[copperskye · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Aw, shucks. You’d have to be a real non-dog, curmudgeonly type person to not at least like this book.As anyone who reads books about dogs knows, it seems like 95% of the time the dog dies in the end and the reader is left teary eyed and sad. Cameron adds a new angle. Here we have a dog who dies multiple times but each time is reborn as a different dog with a different purpose. He remembers his former lives and each life experience teaches him things that will ultimately help him to perform his true-life purpose.Admittedly, I was a bit conflicted by the first 100 or so pages. I wanted to like the book but I was anticipating the loss of the dog too much to enjoy it completely. Nevertheless, I continued on and enjoyed the second half much, much more. It ended up as a wholly satisfying, albeit somewhat predictable, read. Cameron is a humor columnist so there was a light touch throughout and the research he did on dog behavior was well served. The first-doggy voice worked very well.Recommended for dog lovers, especially anyone involved in dog rescue. Not recommended for sensitive souls, though since, after all, dogs do die and it is still heartbreaking. This would be a good book for pre-teens and teens or for a family read as it would generate a lot of great discussions, again with the above-mentioned caveat.

[librarycin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This tells the story of a dog that lives multiple lives. (S)He remembers his/her previous lives and builds on them. His first life is quite short, but his next life is as the best friend to a boy. After that, he becomes a search and rescue dog… then circles back around as a friend to an older man. I loved this! This is told from the dog’s point of view and it really feels like the dog is telling the story. The author seemed to get things so right. This dog had a few bad things happen to him, so the reader gets a glimpse into some of the bad things that can happen, but mostly this dog leads good lives. I had to laugh a bit at his thoughts about various pet cats! It was a quick read, and I think any animal lover would enjoy this!

[abycats_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very sweetly sentimental. Strikes me as a wonderful book for young adults, perhaps in the 8-12 year old range.

[dunsh01 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I delayed reading this book for a while and have not seen the movie. Mostly because I'm hurtling towards menopause and I can be weepy at the best of times.. snotty noses tend to be most unappreciated on a train ride into the city..not to mention black mascara streaking down my face tends to be off-putting to my clients during a meeting!

Not that this book is what I would specifically call a sad book. In fact it is an up-lifting, generally feel-good story. But if you cry watching the puppies and ducklings during a Kleenex ad.. well, consider this a warning.

This is an easy read, told from the viewpoint of a dog - during his/her various incarnations - who is trying to understand it's purpose in life. The writing style is overly simple, yet in this case it only enhances the dog's "voice" - excitable, sometimes confused, always exuding unconditional love - exactly the way I would imagine the thoughts of my own dog to sound.

Owning both a cat and a dog I found myself reflecting on their relationship with each other and my relationships with them - and wondering what really might be going through their heads, how the interpret the way we interact with them and with other people

At the end of the day it's a story about relationships. It will appeal to dog lovers particularly, but there is a good story in their for those who are nit - and it may just change their opinion.

I loved this book and am looking forward to reading more from W. Bruce Cameron

[larryerick · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

If you're a dog lover, you will find it very hard to not like this book. Written from the point of view of a dog, the storyline takes a journey you'll enjoy. If this were a TV movie, it would have been produced by the Hallmark Movie Channel with technical assistance from Animal Planet and artistic guidance from Syfy. It's quite simply written and much more engaging than would have been expected, but ultimately, for me, it ran a bit too long and it's plot twists were just a bit too much. But I'm a bit of a Scrooge. Don't take my word for it.

[baochuan-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nice reading with interesting plot, I enjoyed the book.

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The dog in this book has a number of names and bodies, but one life's purpose - to be the best dog for his boy. Over the course of the novel, the dog experiences life as a feral dog rescued for a short life, a beloved pet, a police dog who exhibits great bravery, and a beloved companion of his boy's last years. The descriptions of what is going on the human lives around the dog are curious for the point of view the reader gets. There are some touching moments as we see the love that exists between the dog and those whose lives he shares.

[mojomomma_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is not a book I would have chosen for myself, but it was passed along to me from a friend who raved about it. It was a very sweet story told from a dog's point of view. Humans look mighty silly sometimes! As the dog main character cycles through a number of dog lives, we meet a wide variety of people and he learns lessons from each life that helps him later reconnect with the boy he loved.

[dorie.craig · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this one, even though it made me cry in places. This is the story of a dog who is basically reincarnated into different lives, but keeps the memory of his previous lives. The story is told in first person from the dog's perspective, but it manages this without a cutesy tone that would have ruined the book. Just when you start getting a little bored with the current life, the dog dies (hence the bits of crying), and is reincarnated into a different life with a different owner. I liked how it ended, too. Very appropriate.

[gingermama-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes a book falls into your hands at just the right moment. This one showed up just a few days after I had to say a heartbreaking goodbye to my own good dog, and I nearly gave it away, thinking it would be too painful to read. But I gave it a try, and in addition to being a wonderfully original story, I found comfort in its message.

[wearylibrarian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an amazing book! Canton tells of life through a dog's eyes as he/she returns to find his purpose in life. Keep your tissues handy.

[razinha-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A light and quick read. And another interesting perspective. Don't over-analyze it. Just enjoy.

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm a sucker for books about dogs; actually I'm a sucker for books about almost any kind of animal. This book reminded me a lot of The Art of Racing in the Rain because both have dogs as narrators and both believe in reincarnation. I liked The Art of Racing in the Rain better I think but maybe if I had read this book before that one I would have rated this one higher.The dog narrator in this book is reincarnated several times. His first life is quite short. Toby was found with his mother and two siblings by a woman who just couldn't pass up a stray dog so they all lived in a large compound with many other dogs. A few months after Toby arrived at the compound another dog came in who was aggressive and mean. Toby was injured in a fight. Then the animal welfare officers came in and took all the dogs to a shelter. Toby and some others were deemed to be unadoptable so they were euthanized. In his next life he was a Golden Retrirver called Bailey and he was looked after by a family with a young boy called Ethan. There were several traumas in Bailey's life but he always knew he was loved by Ethan. When he grew too old and sick he had to be euthanized and Bailey figured that the purpose of his life was to love Ethan which he had done. He didn't expect to be reincarnated but he had several more lives which taught him a great deal about humans and a dog's purpose. I would love to believe that dogs could be reincarnated because I would love to have my dogs come back. I'm not quite convinced of this but it did make a good book. My book club will be discussing this book at our next meeting so I'm sure we'll have some good dog stories.

[benuathanasia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*cries* Lemme get some tissues before I start. Ok *sobs* this was wonderful. And sad. And amazing. And beautiful. The movie handled the ending better, but the rest of this was really excellent. And sad.

[doncranford · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing book!

[tanyan-4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book!

[mistyd10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

very sweet story

[docwood-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful.

[candacevan_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A sweet story of a dog's lives, told from the dog's point of view.

However, the story was suffused by a very _human_ point of view, namely, the search for "purpose." Dogs live in the moment. Yes, they have memories, and yes, they are capable of profound love and devotion. But a driven sense of purpose? That seems to me to be a decidedly human conceit.

After having had a day to think about it, I've decided that this book is mostly all hype. Yes, it made me tear up, but that's not all that hard to do. The writing in the book is not at all extraordinary or beautiful. The plotting isn't extraordinary. The only unusual thing is the book's conceit, which is unique only because it's not something a dog would care about.

[bahzah · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What can dogs teach us? Lots.If anthropomorphism irritates you, this is not your book. It is a delightful story of a dog seeking his purpose in living and trying to make sense of the world, especially the complicated humans. This is a smart, "good dog" living in joyful abandonment, good humor, and curious puzzlement. Being quite sensitive to conflicting emotions and danger, he weaves them all together in unconditional love and protection for his humans. It takes several lifetimes to put the puzzle together. Exploring what dogs think about humans, other animals, and their actions, some of the solutions and answers are just plain hilarious. For example, there is never an answer to what purpose cats serve, if any. However, there is a trusting acceptance that even when the world is not making sense, it is as it should be. Mostly. There is an undertow of fear and vulnerability in life. A "good dog" should stay alert, figure it out, and be a positive force in the mystery of a purposeful relationship with humans.

[gmtapublishing · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"A DOG'S PURPOSE" BY W. BRUCE CAMERON (REVIEW)It's been approximately an hour since I finished this book and I am still having trouble keeping my eyes dry. I have to find some form of distraction. This book is not only touching, it's real. I felt the characters and traveled with this dog through his various lives wishing he was mine. This dog was not just a companion, he was a hero, a friend, a part of many families. "A Dog's Purpose" is the kind of book that can make even the hardest heart soften like a marshmallow. So many times during the course of reading this beautifully written novel I found myself looking at my dogs and wondering... what if? There is no way you can keep from falling in love with Toby, Fella, Bailey, Doodle Dog, Pooh Bear, Ellie. You will laugh, you will cry, you will even cheer. This book brings out so many emotions that you'll be exhausted after you're done reading it and likely cry yourself to sleep. I think it's time to have a conversation with my dogs, after spending time in this book with this one, I just have to know their secrets, if only dogs could talk... what tales they would have to tell! -Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club

[kblinn_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Have your box of tissues at hand, and read the book in private unless you have no qualms about others seeing you alternately laugh and cry within the space of a few minutes. This book follows the "life" of a dog, who is actually four different dogs before the book's end. Apparently dogs no sooner die than they are reborn as puppies to start all over again with life. The great thing is that they remember their previous lives. This explains why some of us have dogs who are way smarter than they should be. It's also a very hopeful message for those who may have recently lost a pet or who have elderly pets. This is a very enjoyable read and a memorable book. I highly recommend it and think that it would make a great gift for any dog lover. I did have a little problem getting into it initially because I knew the dog was going to die. Once I bucked up and faced that fact, I was able to proceed and enjoy the book.

[ncdonnas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Simply written and touching. Loved it.

[fireformed · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed the beginning part of this book. It felt really strong, it was very creative, had a strong emotional impact. The later half of the book however lost some of it's magic. It kinda just felt like the author lost their direction a bit. I still enjoyed it overall, but I think that I would have liked it better if the second half of the book was streamlined a bit more.

[patsyjean-484209 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

fun book to read

[benoitjchevalier · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Meh. Lacks a bit of depth to my liking

[sunshine608 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. At first I was hesitant about reading it because I worried it would be cheesy but that turned out to be further from the truth. A wonderfully written book about mans best friend. Highly recommended to all dog lovers but a fair warning- keep some tissues at hand!

[keylawk · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I know of no other novel narrated from the point of view of a sequentially-reincarnated dog. Now, of course, it seems obvious that dogs goes through many lives and are reincarnated to continue searching for their purpose. (!) In telling these coming-of-ages stories, the Author (W. Bruce Cameron) shares many interesting things about dogs. And also about loyalty and love. Perhaps every creature is born with a purpose, and dogs are very clearly good at searching. Toby was born in a small litter to a wild mother who made a nest in a culvert. They were captured by humans and Toby became the favorite of Senora, a woman

[jgmencarini · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Some of the writing is kind of hammy, but it won't matter if you love dogs and believe, as I do, that they are intelligent, intuitive creatures capable of unconditional love. This novel tells the story of such a dog that keeps being reincarnated after several doggy lives so that he can find his purpose. If you have ever loved a dog or had a dog love you, then you will be touched by this book. Books rarely make me cry, but this one did. Prepare your Kleenex!