Dog Show: Poems

by Billy Collins, Pamela Sztybel (Illustrator)

ONE OF OPRAH’S FAVORITE THINGS!

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

New York Times bestselling author and former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins captures the essence and mystery of dogs in this special collection of poems inspired by our beloved companions, with striking watercolor canine portraits by Pamela Sztybel.

As Oprah says on Oprah Daily “This collection of 25 poems by Billy Collins is a sweet gift for dog lovers. ‘A Dog on His Master’ is a favorite of mine.”

“Everyone who has a dog—or still grieves for one—will find themselves in this collection of witty, sweet and poignant poems by former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins . . [an] eminently giftable collection.”—The Washington Post

“There are lots of books about man’s best friend, but none as sweet or as beautiful as Dog Show.”—Air Mail

“The pleasures here are many for Collins fans, dog lovers, and any reader looking for clever, poignant, and spirit-lifting poems accompanied by deft, lively, and affectionate paintings.”—Booklist

Billy Collins’s Dog Show celebrates the joy of our canine best friends, honoring the love we feel for the animals who play such vital roles in our lives. In twenty-five poems, Collins distills the many ways dogs warm our hearts, from the happiness we experience as we watch a dog run unencumbered by our burdens, to the silliness of cradling a dog in our arms as we step on the scale together. Turning his inimitable eye and ear to the complexities of dog behavior, Collins ponders all that these winning creatures give us and what we learn from them about ourselves.

For more than four decades Collins has delighted readers with his insight, wit, and clear poetic voice. In Dog Show, “America’s favorite poet” (The Wall Street Journal) illuminates America’s favorite pet (sorry, cat lovers). Accompanied by Pamela Sztybel’s watercolors, which effortlessly depict a dog’s humble grace, Dog Show reveals the profound role these majestic animals play in our lives and the meaning they give us.

Genres: Poetry, Dogs, Animals, Nonfiction, Art, Audiobook

84 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2025

About the author

William James Collins is an American poet who served as the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003. He was a Distinguished Professor at Lehman College of the City University of New York, retiring in 2016. Collins was recognized as a Literary Lion of the New York Public Library (1992) and selected as the New York State Poet for 2004 through 2006. In 2016, Collins was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. As of 2020, he is a teacher in the MFA program at Stony Brook Southampton.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as part of Book Girls’ Guide Bingo Book Challenge 2026 (permission given to start early) - Animal Lovers

[gray (my.rainbow.bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

poems about dogs are some of my favorite things in the world even though they make me miss my dog so much

[R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you would have told me twenty years ago that on Dave Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve 2025 I’d cozy down with a mug of cocoa and a book of dog poems, I would have laughed sharply and eyed you with suspicion - but it was actually pleasant.

[Rachael Dockery · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Elyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billy Collins never misses. Silly, sweet, sentimental — just like dogs. I laughed and cried. A perfect collection.

[Karen Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

If all poetry was like this, I''d read more. Wonderful poems-some sad, some funny-about man's best friend.

[Margaret Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect collection of poems on the depth of love, the magic of what a dog companion adds to our lives. The illustrations are gently beautiful as well. The whole piece seems like a cute little conversation book, but it really serves the place of poetry: finding and showing facets of the beauty in our little lives. A great place to start seeing how reading poetry from time to time can add an extra layer to our experience of the world.

[Barbara Kochick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I savored this gift book a few poems at time. Accessible poems reach all emotions.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Some true gems of verse in this short book of poems! If you have or ever had a dog you loved, you will surely recognize your dog in some of Collins' ruminations. The very first poem, Dharma, captures the jaunty, joyful dog pushiness that is the nature of dog.. on the walk, around the food dish.. As a witness to that same behavior over the years with our various dog companions-- I was in awe to see it set so skillfully to paper. Recommend Billy Collins to anyone who normally avoids poetry. You won't be disappointed. Oh! and take your time and savor a few poems at a time.

[Evalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorites were: Weighing the Dog, A Dog on His Master, All Dressed Up, The Guardian, Good News, and Two Creatures because they remind me the most of my beloved mutt, Maggie Mae.

[Jennifer Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billy Collins is a master at capturing the spirit of a dog in poetry. As he says, …”instead of following your bliss, follow around some lighthearted dog.” This tiny tome is a tender collection of observations of our canine companions and their role in our lives. Absolutely perfect observations. And the watercolor paintings by Pamela Sztybel that accompany each poem are wonderful. A must read even if you’ve never had a pup companion.

[Lianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not his best collection, and some of the poems were perplexing. But there were a couple great ones, and a couple that made me tear up a little. I'll never tire of poems about dogs.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A b&n best audiobook of 2025 for a reason

[Jennifer Pruett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and very funny collection of poems about dogs and how they affect our lives. Some poems made me chuckle out loud, and I insisted on reading many to my husband as I found them so charming or fun. Highly recommended (even if you think you aren’t a dog person)!

[Wil Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whimsical and thought-provoking poems about canines and human-kind’s relationship with them. Collins’s work includes “role reversals” where canines take the role of narrator-poet and observe the world poetically from a dog’s perspective. If you’re a dog-lover, You know that dogs connect directly with us. And you wonder what’s going on in a dog’s mind, Collins tells us (or attempts to tell us)…it’s a poetic conceit that Collins indulges in.

Dog Show is a wonderful and fast read. If you love canines you’ll adore it.

[Anna Claxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book for the texture of its cover, and the rest of the book did not disappoint. The paintings are wonderful to look at, and the poems made me laugh and sigh. “The Guardian” is my favorite. I read it twice, and once I get home and pet my own chicken guard dog, I’ll probably read it again.

[Kartika · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read of the year.
Lovely little book of poems and watercolors.
Great way to start the year with a smile.
What’s next?
Something serious, I imagine.
Not that dogs aren’t serious business. They are.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but luminous collection to our best friends. A delight.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This doesn’t hold a candle to Dog Songs but then what really could?

Ironically, my favorite poem of the collection is “Trying to Write a Dog Poem in a House with Two Cats.”

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d probably like this better if I were a dog person. The illustrations were nice.

[Gillian Sutliff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Billy Collins and I like dogs

More of a gift book

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet book of poems about dogs, beautiful illustrations

[Elsie Coen · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely, casual, adorably true poems. gentle on the soul and mind.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a nice way to start the new year. I have both the hard copy - with beautiful illustrations - the audio version read by the poet. Nothing beats the latter. If you like dogs and Billy Vollins, I highly recommend.

[Sammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for any dog lover

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked the dog pix with the poems, but overall they didn’t do a lot for me. Alas

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contains my favorite poem by this author. Very very good.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up. xmas gift.
sweet collection of poems about our faithful companions accompanied by lovely watercolors.

[Joni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every poem in this collection concerns dogs, either mainly or tangentially. Some of them resonated with me. Some of them didn't. But what I loved most of all were the wonderful watercolor paintings of dogs found throughout the pages of this book.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful collection of poems musing about different types of dogs, their characteristics and their affect on the poet. Beautiful….thanks dad!