Does the Dog Die? An Anthology of Canine Horror

by Duncan Ralston, Judith Sonnet, Megan Stockton

Unleash the Terror... with 10 Dark Tales of Canine Horror!
In this twisted anthology from some of your favorite indie horror authors working today, the line between man's best friend and worst nightmare is blurred.

From loyal companions to vicious beasts, these unsettling tales explore the darker side of canine nature... and humanity.

Confront your deepest fears in this chilling, tragic and brutal collection that will leave you can you really trust the ones who wag their tails?

Featuring stories Judith Sonnet (No One Rides for Free, The Home)Megan Stockton (Bluejay, Lovely, Dark & Deep)Duncan Ralston (Woom, The Ghostland Trilogy)Jae Mazer (Slit Mouse, Crone)Patrick C. Harrison III (100% Match, Queen Boss Slay)Mark MJ Green (Abortus, Birdsong)Michelle von Eschen (Motel Styx, Old Farmhouses of the North)Rowland Bercy Jr. (Unbortion, The Dryad of Dueling Oaks)RJ Benetti (The Amityville Bukkake, The Upside-Down Voice That Speaks Backwards)Jonathan Butcher (Motel Styx, Your Loved Ones Will Die First)

Genres: Horror, Anthologies, Short Stories, Horror Thriller, Fiction

212 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 29, 2024

About the author

**CVLT: Lonely Motel Book 3 out now!!!**

**Sequel to the hit novel PUZZLE HOUSE coming Winter 2026**

Author of the cult smash-hit Woom and Ghostland and more than 15 other books that aren't the cult smash-hit Woom or Ghostland. His debut collection was blurbed positively by the legendary Jack Ketchum. His vampire novel, Pedo Island Bloodbath, was nominated for a 2024 Splatterpunk Award for Best Novel. His horror-thriller Ghostland will soon be a board game from Crystal Lake Publishing.

For 10 FREE dark fiction short stories/novellas including the prequel to GHOSTLAND, "The Moving House," signed copies of Woom, bookplates and merch, please visit www.duncanralston.com.

Photo © Josh Silver 2015

Reviews

[Zain · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fabulous Book.

Yes! The book is about canine terror. I sit here and think about how this book makes me feel as I read it. The dogs in these stories are so beautiful and comforting that they take over the world.

The dogs have good taste, good instincts, good habits. I’m sure they will always be there when they’re needed.

They are very sweet and loving animals. And I’m glad that they are able to help people with their grief, their happiness, their horror. You can always depend on them.

The authors of these stories have written a story that will move your heart. Each story is a unique and special experience for you, the reader.

Celebrate the journey with memories and laughter and love. ‘Till the next time…

Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Danielle Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okayyy, anthology review time. So buckle up. Going to be a long one. Let’s do what we do and take each story one by one. 😮‍💨

CHERRY
By Megan Stockton

“Every dog she met probably felt as though she was wearing a mask: motive unclear, emotionless.”

Well damn, what a way to start an antho with a bang! I love the way Stockton tells a story, and I loved this one. Ya know when someone tries to pin two people against one another and then they realize what’s happening, so they team up and take the asshole down?! Okay, well make it that… but 10x better. Karma really is a bitch. 🫡

LESSONS IN DUDEFIGHTING
By Jonathan Butcher

"You need to learn why what you did was so wrong," Poppy says. "You need to understand."

Ouff. Gut punch with a solid message in this one. Butcher absolutely nailed this story, per usual. This one was a swift reminder that you can’t change someone. They will only see what they want to, and will never change their ways unless THEY want to. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. Can only hope they open their eyes and see what’s in front of them.

THE BOY WHO RAN WITH DOGS
By RJ Benetti

“It’s just as it was before, with life being a punishing loop of perennial pain.”

Okay, Benetti… I really didn’t think you were going to put me in my feels the way you did, but alas, here we are. This one got me good. I may have teared up a couple times. No, not because of animal harm etc, but because of the message deeply seeded within this one. This really showcased a different writing side of R.J. that I haven’t read before, but would love to see more of.

SHUCKING THE FLESH
By Mark MJ Green

“Beneath their capes, the bodies of the gathered men and women were unclothed, lost in their own personal ecstasies.”

This one took me by surprise! It was beautifully written but parts were brutal to read. (That’s a compliment!) Then… holy plot twist that went into some culty unhinged scenes that I was so not expecting, but so glad was there since it’s one of my favorite topics in horror! I believe this was the first story I’ve read / reviewed by Green, but based on this writing alone, it definitely won’t be my last.

HOUSEWARMING
By Michelle Von Eschen

“Hours pass while I toss and turn, my mind unable to stop reviewing the strangeness of the day.”

Another story that fully put me in my damn feels. It was written so well and had so many relatable factors scattered from start to finish. I feel like I keep saying how much I loved each story, but I can’t help it. I loved this one too. Loyalty is top tier. The world needs more of it.

HER FUR ON MY LIPS
By Jae Mazer

“Everything was shiny-new and scary, and I didn’t want to mess it up.”

Holy shit. I can honestly say this might be the first time I’ve been “triggered” by a story. It hit close to home, too close to home. But fuck, it was written well. The FMC was done absolutely brilliantly. I felt EVERY emotion pouring through the words of my kindle. As tough as this one was for me, it will definitely be a standout in a good way.

NIGHT OF THE NAGUAL
By Rowland Bercy Jr.

“Instead of Leroy morphing into his animal counterpart, a part of his spirit was leaving his body and entering Luna.”

Rowland is one of my favorite writers that I’ve discovered this year. He can tell a story like no other. I am forever obsessed with his writing style and the way he’s able to cross over and do an array of subject matters/tones/etc and nail them beautifully. This story was such a vibe and took on some supernatural/shapeshifter themes which is always a 10/10 for me. I don’t like to choose favorites, but this is another standout story for me and I can’t praise it more.

GRETEL (A GRANDPAPPY STORY)
By PC3

“When she met her last death, this mythical beast of burden simply and quietly evaporated into the ether, like she was never there at all.”

Eek. Can’t lie. This was the story I was most looking forward to when I saw the TOC and found out we were going to revisit the dog from Grandpappy. (That damn dog and baked beans live rent free in my head… more often than I care to admit.) Per always, PC3 did NOT disappoint and delivered everything I was hoping for and more. All I’ll say is, long live this memorable dog. She now has a permanent place in both my head and heart. (Still annoyed about the mess the grandson left in Grandpappy though. IYKYK)

BLOOD AND SPRITE
By Judith Sonnet

“Before long, Belinda had lapped everything up, save for a chunky, curdled patch of white foam that rested between her index and ring finger.”

Hehe. I was nervous about this one because I’m well aware at how hard Judith is willing to push the envelope when it comes to stories. So a dog one had me doing that nervous chuckle when I got to her story, lol. But per usual, she pulled through with a fantastic story and per usual, I think it will be a fan favorite. Make no mistake though, this one isn’t going to be for the faint of heart and I may or may not have squirmed and gagged a few times, lol.

WE HUNT AT NIGHT
By Duncan Ralston

“Its breath smells like the used tampon basket in a gas station toilet, an' that fake mustache is hangin onto his rotten upper lip by a red cunt hair.”

Oh wow, Duncan. I have no idea why I’m surprised, but the way I stared at my kindle and read this was wild, lol. The dialect was unhinged and I feel like I’ll talk the way the MC did for an embarrassingly long time. This was some backwoods yeehaw underground shenanigans… mixed in with a twist on a zombie apocalypse. I’m not even sure how to describe it to be honest. But it was totally Duncan from start to finish and another that will be a standout fan favorite, and a great way to round out the anthology.

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this ARC this weekend called Does The Dog Die?
And man the stories were good, but I absolutely had favorites.

Housewarming by Michelle Butcher this one got me, I had a small feeling about what was going to end up happening but I told myself no..

Blood and Sprite by Judith Sonnet this one, another Judith knock out, I somehow didn't realize she was in it until I got to the story and ✨🙏

We Hunt at Night by Duncan Ralston I started reading this and then realized the uh accent the characters were using and and it cracked me up, I must have been reading with my southern glasses on, but that one was unexpectedly messed up.

Okay I lied one more, Gretel, wow Patrick C. Harrison III

This was such a good anthology, I enjoyed all of the stories but those, those are the ones I had to tell my boyfriend about immediately after reading, and that's a sure sign of is this good?

Ty for letting me read this!!

Does The Dog Die An Anthology of Canine Horror.

[Emily Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dog themed horror anthology featuring some of my favorite authors?! Sign me up!!! I immediately signed up to ARC read this anthology and it did not disappoint. Each story was unique and well written. All very different types of horror. Although some parts of the stories were emotional and hard to read at times, the overall big picture of dogs getting revenge was strong!

[Badseedgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will answer the question in the title right away "Does the Dog Die?" Well in some cases the answer is yes, the dog does die. The dog sometimes dies in horrific, tragic, painful, bloody ways. If animal deaths are a trigger, this might not be the book for you.

Every one of these stories were knock outs for me. Stop. There were no bad stories in this one.

Cherry - Told from the perspective of a female pit dog, it is a sad story with a satisfying ending. This story reinforced my belief that dogs deserve better than humanity.

Lessons from Dudefighting - Turn about if fair play.

The Boy Who Ran with Dogs - Feral child story, but interesting because it is in an urban setting.

Sucking The Flesh - This felt like it was set in an already established world. I wonder if it was part of an established series.

Housewarming - I cried like a baby with this one. I sort of realized what the M. Night Shyamalan twist was going to be, but I was no less devastated by the reveal.

Her Fur on My Lips - Trigger warning: Rape This one almost broke me. I was already crying from the last story and this went a hairs breath from causing me to DNF this book.

Night of the Nagual - A different take on the idea of a werewolf/shifter.

Gretel - This was a great story, but I hated the main character so much I only wanted bad things to happen to him.

Blood and Sprite - eww. I love Mogwai, but still.......

We Hunt at Night - In spite of this being a zombie story, my all time favorite type, this might have been my least favorite story in the book. Of course, with these stories that is like saying it was my least favorite child.

Do not sit on this anthology. It was great!

[Jamie LeGuier · Rating 4 out of 5]

The standout stories for me were Cherry by Megan Stockton, Housewarming by Michelle von Eschen and Her Fur On My Lips by Jae Mazer

[Trisha Tropiano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does the Dog Die? An Anthology of Canine Horror was not at all what I expected! Yes, some dogs die, but some exact their revenge, some dogs are saved by their humans, and some live, and live, and live again.

You won’t be disappointed with stories from Megan Stockton, Jonathan Butcher, RJ Benetti, Mark MJ Green, Michelle von Eschen, Jae Mazer, Rowland Bercy Jr., Patrick C. Harrison III, Judith Sonnet, and Duncan Ralston.

I would definitely have a hard time choosing a favourite - all the stories are fantastic! Megan Stockton’s story Cherry, told from the perspective of the dog is just so heartbreaking. Housewarming by Michelle von Eschen is a sad and touching story about a dog’s loyalty to its humans. I loved everything about We Hunt at Night by Duncan Ralston, even the tragic ending. And Blood and Sprite by Judith Sonnet … well, it’s gross and horrific and absolutely perfect!

[Erin Sterett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Does The Dog Die? and It is an absolute banger of a book! It carries 10 short stories, all of which are different in their delivery. I really enjoyed RJ Benetti’s story, PC3s, and Duncan Ralston’s!

[LZW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, again….normally not a fan of anthologies but this one was stellar!!!! Huge dog fan (I board, provide daycare, and train dogs in house) and this was so realistically written. Every story was different and superbly engaging! I wanted more from every one of them! It was like sampling the best ever, and wanting a full plate! Loved loved loved this book so much!

[Nick Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to make of this one when I discovered it, but it sounded interesting so I figured I’d give it a try. I must say I really enjoyed this one! All the stories were good to really good and every single one of them made me laugh, cry, make me angry or all 3 at the same time. There is a lot of violence against dogs so if you can’t handle that, you might want to skip it. If you can, definitely recommended.

[rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not usually the type of person who reaches for short story collections, but I found this one surprisingly compelling. The stories range from disturbing to depressing and there were several moments where I genuinely felt horrible for the characters who went through a ton of ugly shit in some of these stories. The dogs were loyal, unsettling and even sometimes oddly comforting. A few of my favourite stories definitely had to be “Housewarming” “Her Fur on My Lips” & “Shucking the Flesh”

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Animal cruelty is nothing new to horror - from dogs to turtles, animals often find themselves in the middle of ugly situations and get hurt, tortured, or die. Horror is like that. But animal death counts as a serious trigger for many people, and just seeing the title of this terrific anthology, one may balk and immediately write the whole thing off as too much of an emotional risk. HOWEVER, if you're one of those lovely people, please DON'T SKIP THIS BOOK!

"Does The Dog Die?" is definitely NOT a book celebrating animal violence; no gratuitous animal death occurs in these pages, the authors obviously have a sweet spot for doggies, and "canine horror" is not a trigger warning as such - it's rather an indication that the dogs themselves play a central and significant role in the stories. That said, this is a horror anthology, so to be clear, sometimes dogs do die or get hurt; but sometimes they come back! Other times, they're given the chance to punch back - and many times, they end up being the hero of the story. These endings are a bit inevitable, since the tales, though quite varied and covering a lot of ground, from quiet horror to extreme gore, do play with situations dangerous to the canines: everything from dogfights and home invasion to zombies is found here. If no dog got hurt at all, ever, under these circumstances, the story would suffer terribly. And that's what makes this anthology a great addition to a horror fan's shelf: it's all about the story! And if the dog has to go into the blender, well... OK, that was uncalled for LOL

The anthology contains ten short horror stories, each one putting a dog in danger, at risk, or what have you. Not all of them are grim or extreme; some are downright funny. This review has gone on long enough, so I'll just mention my favorites: Megan Stockton's "Cherry," the opening story, a horrible look at dogfighting from the POV of a female dog; if you can stomach this story, you can safely go on - until the extreme horror tale of Patrick C. Harrison III's "Gretel", a "Grandpappy" tie-in, which you'd better leave for last. Judith Sonnet's "Blood and Sprite" is a delight to read: an incantation to heal a dying dog, described with flair and all the well-known Sonnet nastiness, yet the ending shows real love for the doggie (yes, yes, it dies, but still...). And finally, the closing story, "We Hunt At Night" by Duncan Ralston, a zombie-like, heart-breaking story, where the dog plays a very significant part throughout (probably not the way you think, though).

So, to recap: yes, there are triggers, yes you'll be horrified but also entertained (the stories are really great!), and there's no gratuitous animal violence. This is canine horror at its best!!!

[Jules Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I shouldn’t have to, but I will say it: trigger warnings. There are MANY triggers in this book. A few more than the anthology’s title may indicate - so, please go into this with the anticipation that you WILL be uncomfortable and may need to step away for a bit or even skip a story if that trigger is too much for you.

On to the meat.

This is a fantastic anthology. It starts out how you’d expect an anthology called Does the Dog Die? to start out, and then it blows you away. Each story is unique and brutal in their own way. Each author brings their own talent and a different genre with each tale. The thing I love the most is that it flows. Each of these authors are established indie horror authors with their own voice, but this anthology melds (so kudos to the editor on that).

I’m still not sure which is my favorite story, or which made me the most squirmy (there were a couple). What I do know is that this bad (good?) boy lives rent free and uninvited for the time being.

[Meredith Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the title, I was worried that there would be a lot of violent graphic dog death, but that is t the case. So, don’t let that deter you. Overall, it is a really well written anthology that left me a little sad at the end. Megan Stockton opens with a brutal story that did rip my heart out. So, that was hard to read, but the remainder were fine. If you are a fan of PCIII, then you are definitely going to want to read his contribution. A character from one of his other novels makes an appearance. Michelle Von Eschen’s ghost story was just very sad. And Duncan Ralston closes out the anthology with an apocalyptic horror story. My favorite though has to be Jonathan Butcher’s Lessons in Dudefighting, which is very unique and satisfying spin on animal cruelty.

[Tiffany Lowe-Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing stories! Starts right off with a gut punch but you just keep reading! Each story is perfectly different and triggers so many emotions from hate, sadness, anger and happiness. Great lineup of authors who will leave you perfectly shocked and traumatized!!

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

People who enjoy horror stories will enjoy this book as I did though at times my eyes watered but a word of caution to animal lovers especially dogs, this may not be for you. Of course the title says it all.

[Mrsgmamma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me way too long to read. I kept falling asleep and I’m pretty sad about that. I was about to dnf when I had 22 pages left to read bc I couldn’t stop falling asleep, but I pushed through it. I gave this a 3 star bc some of the stories were ok, but definitely wasn’t my fave book.

[Sisi · Rating 2 out of 5]

No me gustó pero probablemente sea porque no es mi tipo de horror, lo dejé de leer después de la cuarta historia. La primera historia me puso muy triste por la crueldad que muestra, el final siendo algo agridulce, y la que me pareció buena fue la de “Housewarming”. No lo recomendaría si eres sensible al maltrato animal.

[Rowan Mac]

I honestly don't even want to leave a star rating.

Most of the stories are way more splatter-y than I usually enjoy-and yes, dogs die- and I did not enjoy the majority of them, but that's on me for buying an anthology on sale knowing that Ralston and Sonnett were involved-- that said, WOW, Ralston's story actually changed my mind about him as an author after having really not enjoyed Woom.

As is the case with most anthologies, some of these stories really hit some emotional sweet spots for me and others, I grit my teeth and bore, but I didn't walk away from any of them feeling neutral.

Brb, gotta go snuggle every dog I've ever met now.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology was a heart wrenching, intriguing, fascinating, stomach churning collection of dog featured stories.

I'm a total and complete dog person. I grew up without dogs, and now that I've had three for my entire married life, I can't imagine life without them.

Not going to lie - as a dog lover, this was difficult to read at times. The stories all vary, some with brutal violence against canine companions, some with dogs getting their justice, some with just....... I don't even know how to explain, you'll have to read it for yourself 🤣

There were several stories that stuck with me and likely will for months, if not years.

Cherry - Megan Stockton knows how to punch you right in the gut and the emotions all at once. I knew I was in for it when the first story brought me to tears.

Lessons In Dudefighting - Jonathan Butcher authors the second story in, and this was when I realized that all of the stories were truly going to be different. This one was so clever and unexpected

Her Fur On My Lips - oh. my. GOD. I thought I cried as much as I could with Cherry. This was my introduction to Jae Mazer, and I'm definitely searching out for more.

We Hunt At Night - I wouldn't expect anything less from Duncan Ralston. This one had me making all of the emoji faces that I usually use.

All in all, a brutal, but incredible read. A couple of the stories just weren't for me, but I bet that someone who reads more extreme/spicy books would seriously enjoy the ones that didn't hit for me. Dog lovers, take heed before reading this one, though. It's a LOT in some of the stories.

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished the Does the Dog Die? anthology.

As someone who worked at shelters in Wisconsin and New Mexico, I found this collection perfect. I've seen the best and worst in humanity. I've witnessed horrible things people have done to creatures who only want love. I've also seen incredible compassion from people who want to give the least adoptable a chance at living a wonderful life.

Each story demonstrates our complex relationship with dogs. They range from heartbreaking, darkly humorous, supernatural terror and so much more.

It opens up with a realistic tale by Megan Stockton, Cherry. It's written from a fighting dog's point of view. That one hit me hard, and I loved where the story went. The second story is entirely different but has similar themes. Lessons in Dudefighting by Jonathan Butcher is more of a sci-fi horror that has dark humor. It's a world where dogs evolved and ruled the world over humans. This shows the variety the collection has.

My favorite is Night of the Nagual by Rowland Bercy Jr. I appreciate that he focused on the pagan aspects of Dominican culture, something I wasn't aware of before. The story itself is beautiful and tragic. Luna is a Doberman who is Leroy's soul dog. All Leroy wants is a happy, uncomplicated life with his boyfriend and dog. However, events take his life in a different direction. Any Dobie owner knows the intense bond they have with their dogs. They are very intuned with their people and will protect them from harm. My own sweet Kizzy, who loves people and other canines, once saved me from an aggressive loose dog when we lived in New Mexico. Bercy Jr captures all of these aspects.

If you're squeamish with violence against dogs, you might not enjoy it. But give this book a chance. All of them are written well, and the stories will grip you. Each has something to offer. After reading these, you will want to hug your pup or get one from your local shelter/rescue.

[Zane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler alert: yes, the dog does die in a lot of these stories. But there’s a lot of good boys and girls in here too.

Man, some of these stories really hit hard. My wife and I are big animal people - we have 2 dogs that are like kids to us. We love them unconditionally and we know they love us the same way. There’s always been some level to it, but I feel like our generation has really shifted pets from companions to family members. So some of these stories really hit below the belt.

There were a couple of really weird stories that I didn’t love, but a majority of them were really well written and just emotional all around. Many of them made me want to hug my dogs tight.

A lot of the stories are very graphic and splatterpunk adjacent, so be warned if you’re not into that, but I really enjoyed “Her Fur on my Lips”, “Housewarming”, “Blood and Sprite” (what in the actual fuck was that?), and “We Hunt at Night.” The last one was written by the editor, Duncan Ralston, and while it was not only physically difficult to read simply because it was written in a heavy slang like spoken English, but it had the added difficulty of dealing with child death at the end of the world, which, as a new father, really, really hits close to home.

[ashy slashy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all anthology books, there’s a few stories that really just drag, however, even the stories I didn’t enjoy as much were really good! The only thing I wish I got from this was more fucked up torture but I understand why they didn’t go that route. I really enjoyed PC3’s story and Rowland’s as well!

I absolutely LOVED Judith’s story as well. A nice and short gore fest with a “disappointing” ending.

[Niamhyyy12 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

Great bunch of short stories-great for a quick fix
enjoyed them all!
Came across a few authors that I haven’t heard about and will 100% be looking/ reading more from them:)

[Carrie Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒈 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒏: 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒔.

Mind your triggers, folks. But this is not the collection you may be thinking. There is some much-needed social commentary in many of these stories, I cried more than once, and I made a donation to my local animal shelter. We don't deserve these babies.

I read all the way through, but you may need to take some breaks. Here's a list of stories, and there's not a bad one in the bunch:

"Cherry" by Megan Stockton was my absolute favorite. The horrific 'sport' of dogfighting told from a dog's POV. I strongly feel that this crime belongs on the list of "cannot rehabilitate" and nothing will ever change my mind. This story will haunt me forever.

"Lessons in Dudefighting" by Jonathan Butcher was a darkly comedic tale of the sport of 'humanfighting' from the POV of the dogs. I loved it.

"The Boy Who Ran with Dogs" by Rj Benetti absolutely gutted me. I'll leave this quote here: 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬...𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭. 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭...𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

"Shucking the Leash" by Mark MJ Green features a dog created by an ungodly ritual who tries his best to be a Good Boy.

"Housewarming" by Michelle Von Eschen was surreal! A dog stays behind when his family moves, but there's much more to the story than you think.

"Her Fur on My Lips" by Jae Mazer was a home invasion nightmare that I won't soon recover from!

"Night of the Nagual" by Rowland Bercy, Jr., was a fantastical short filled with the folklore of shapeshifting.

"Gretel" (a Grandpappy story) by Patrick C. Harrison III was about a couple who adopt a pair of dogs at a flea market, And because it's a PCIII story, it's beyond vile. Hide the peanut butter!

"Blood and Sprite" by Judith Sonnet wrestles with the age-old question...do we let nature take its course, or do we intervene?

"We Hunt at Night" by Duncan Ralston closes out the collection during a zombie-like virus, with one dog named Rosco who seems to be immune. But when a couple takes in a pair of travelers for the night, they realize this: 𝐄𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬.

Some of horror's best contributed to this collection, and it's available now on KU and in paperback.

[Beverly Laude · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of people who enjoy reading horror ask about a book, "Does the Dog Die?". For most of us, it seems like this fact is a big deciding factor in whether or not to read a particular book. So, I was intrigued by the title of this anthology. Add in the fact that I am a retired Veterinarian and I knew I had to read this one. I'm very glad that I did!

Some of these stories are heartbreaking and the very first one, "Cherry", will grab your attention right away and leave you in tears. The horrors of dog fighting are (unfortunately) well depicted, but there is some satisfaction for the poor dogs in the end.

Another tearjerker is "Her Fur on my Lips" and I will warn readers that this one might trigger some strong feelings. "Housewarming" is another sad but enjoyable story and was well-written and thoughtful. You also have a post-apocalyptic tale in "The Boy Who Ran with Dogs" which was a unique take on that type of story.

You also have 2 stories that might push the envelope if you aren't a fan of splatterpunk (Gretel and Blood and Sprite). I have to admit that I was cringing at times with these two! The last story is another sad tale of life during a zombie apocalypse (We Hunt at Night). Better have some tissues close by with this one!

All in all, this was a great collection and a great way to introduce yourself to new authors and get a feel for their style of writing. I highly recommend this one to those who can handle a touch of canine horror that might not allow the dog to survive.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an entertaining and enjoyable collection of short stories. There are quite a few well-known names in this genre that are enjoyable to reread… but there are some downsides.

The words “Canine Horror” should be removed from the title for two reasons: first, the authors focused solely on dogs, which is fine, they are canines too, but it could have been explored further (with wolves, coyotes, foxes, that strange breed of raccoons, etc.) and not to be confined solely to the dogs; And secondly, in 70% of the stories the dog is not the main element that causes the horror, and I would even say that in 50% of the stories the dog is only there to fulfill the requirement that there be a canine in the story.

[Sammi Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does the Dog Die?
Duncan Ralston’s Canine Horror Anthology featuring other big name indie authors. Some I’ve heard of, yet this was my first experience reading them. I was terrified by the title alone. Was there some brutal deaths?! Yes, yes there was. But whether or not it was the dogs, will depend on the story. Each story is different and with that being said; was this anthology good?! Yes, terrifyingly good with some very unique stories that will have you experiencing things as man’s best friend does.

[Kalaya Stutesman · Rating 3 out of 5]

honestly the longer I took to finish this book, the more jaded I felt. for a book filled with self proclaimed canine horror stories, it was filled with a lot of needless animal violence, which is not what I signed up for nor was it my cup of tea. I think a lot of the stories were well written and some of them had neat concepts but overall, I felt uncomfortable and sad reading it and not in a way I'd prefer.

[Reshma Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Almost all the stories were great except 2 of them. Almost had vomit coming out of my nose. I am not a fan of body horror, or those grotesque stories, THAT TOO INVOLVING AN ANIMAL???? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR BRAIN!!
I was so turned off because of those stories.
And yes the dogs do die.