11 Ideas for Writing About Dogs

1. Write a Novel With a Canine Hero

There are thousands of brilliant novels out there with a canine hero or support role. There is just something about dogs that make us humans want to know more and follow their adventures, and above all, we want to make sure that the dog doesn’t die at the end of the story!

Whether you base the character on your own dog or make the story fictional is entirely up to you, but remember that writing a novel takes time, commitment, and a massive imagination.

It could be helpful to brush up on your writing skills at a local writing class before you get started to make sure you know as much as possible about how to build a story and make its characters believable.

2. Write a Non-Fiction Book About Dogs

Perhaps you know an awful lot about dogs but don’t necessarily feel like you could make up a fictional story. Then why not write about what you know?

New dog owners are crying out for help with their new puppies. There is also a market for everything from dog biscuit recipes to how to play with and “Tweet” about your dog.

3. Write a Screenplay About Dogs for the Movies

When you think about your story, can you visualize it like a film or a movie? Have you watched all the biggest dog films—from Turner and Hooch to 101 Dalmations—and thought that you could have easily written that story? Then why not try your hand at writing a screenplay of your own?

4. Write Short Stories and Win Competitions

There are hundreds of writing competitions taking place every month, both online and offline. Sometimes they are run by magazines, and you can win a chance to get your story published in a real magazine. Other times, competitions are run by everything from local councils to companies looking to promote their products.

5. Set up Your Own Dog Blog

Setting up your own dog blog can be a very rewarding experience, both financially and socially, depending on how much time and effort you’re willing to put in. Some people blog about their dog’s day-to-day experiences; some draw daily cartoons, whereas others focus on areas they know other dog owners need help with.

You can earn money through everything from pay-per-click advertising to product reviews and affiliate sales. If you want to become a successful blogger, you need to learn everything there is to learn about SEO, spend countless hours writing regular content and taking photos, plus find the time to “network” with other bloggers and dog owners in order to drive traffic to your site.

A dog blog could also be a good base to establish a readership if you’re planning on writing a dog book or perhaps an e-book.

6. Write Short Articles About Dogs

Hubpages is an excellent platform if you want to write short articles about a subject like dogs, dog training or anything else dog-related.

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It is similar to setting up your own blog in that you will need to learn how to write for an online audience, but it is so much easier and less time-consuming as the Hubpages community is there to support you along the way.

You can earn money through sales from Amazon and eBay and get advertising revenue from Google Adsense or the Hubpages Ad Programme.

Many authors and dog lovers also use HubPages as their starting point to try out new stories and widen their readership. They are also networking with other writers and get valuable feedback on their work.

7. Guest Blogging on Dog Blogs

If you become a regular reader and leave frequent and insightful comments on some of your favourite dog blogs, chances are high that they’ll let you write a guest blog post if you ask them.

This will help promote your personal brand, give valuable backlinks to your own website or blog and might help you get your foot in the door to some of the bigger newspapers or blogs.

8. Write Freelance Articles for Dog Magazines

Although this can be a difficult market to break into, it's not entirely impossible. I recently read about a lady who made it her specialty to try out and write about various country trails suitable for dog walks in the UK. She managed to get a regular feature in one of the biggest newspapers in the country.

Apart from a bit of luck, persistence and plenty of good ideas, you will need excellent writing skills, a bit of luck and brilliant contacts to get your work into the biggest dog magazines.

9. Write Articles for Online Dog Magazines

Some online magazines, like My Dog Magazine accept articles from freelance writers, but most won't pay you for your work. This doesn't mean it's not worth your effort, however, as being published will help you build your online brand and will do you heaps of good in the long run if you're looking to build your own blog or write articles for magazines, for example.

10. Volunteer Your Writing Skills to a Charity

Many of the bigger dog charities have organized admin positions, and you will be able to find and apply for those positions online. Chances are high they’ll be more than happy to let you help out with everything from marketing collateral to writing content for their websites or helpful guides for their customers.

11. Write a Newsletter for Your Dog Club

Most dog clubs operate on very small budgets or even by volunteers. So anyone volunteering to write content for their website or newsletter is likely to get a big yes and make many new friends in the process!

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Comments

Karngd on August 23, 2020:

Write about dogs

Emily on April 19, 2020:

It needs more information about how to handle and care for dogs

Charlotte on March 01, 2020:

This really didn't help me that much

By Lucy mcalister on September 28, 2014:

I have three dogs two Labradors and a golden retriever.They are called Molly, Barney and Ben.Molly is choloct in colour and as mad as a hatter. Barney is as quit as can be and he is gold in colour. Ben is black and he is as good as gold. They are the best dogs in the world.

Linda Liebrand (author) from San Francisco on February 16, 2012:

Thanks for visiting Sanne! The photos are a collection of dogs I've owned, met or played with in the park :o)

SanneL from Sweden on February 15, 2012:

What a great and fun hub!

You have put together a very useful hub. I love your pictures as well! Thank you for sharing! Voted up and pushed all the right buttons.

Thanks!

Linda Liebrand (author) from San Francisco on February 05, 2012:

They are the best friend anyone would ever wish for :-)

Linda Liebrand (author) from San Francisco on February 05, 2012:

Thanks for reading - I'm the same :o)

htodd from United States on February 05, 2012:

That is so cute ..interesting post..Dogs are really awesome friends

Angela Blair from Central Texas on February 03, 2012:

Great ideas -- being a critter lover I always read articles on dogs, cats, horses, etc. so was immediately drawn to your Hub. Was surprised to find a wealth of information which I'm storing away for reference. Thanks so much! Best, Sis

Linda Liebrand (author) from San Francisco on February 03, 2012:

Thanks for stopping by. Its so great writing about dogs - you never run out of topics! :o)

Linda Rogers from Minnesota on February 02, 2012:

What a helpful hub. I appreciate all the great information. I have two dogs and have written a couple hubs about them but would like to write more.

Linda Liebrand (author) from San Francisco on February 02, 2012:

The more dog hubs the better! Thanks for stopping by :o)

Don A. Hoglund from Wisconsin Rapids on February 02, 2012:

You do point out interesting possibilities.I have written a few dog hubs. I'll have to give some thought about doing more.

Linda Liebrand (author) from San Francisco on February 02, 2012:

Thank You Judi! Hopping over to read some of your hubs now :-)

Judi Brown from UK on February 02, 2012:

As usual, a great hub with useful and practical advice. Voted up etc.