Hot Take — Why Are So Many Dog Baby Books So Cringe?

When I first raided my toddler's "cute" dog books, I was shocked by what I found.

by Jessica Yergin

Before I co-founded Tails of Connection—or had a reactive dog like Stanley—I was that person in New York City asking to pet every “cute” dog I saw on the street. Cringe. I didn’t know how much I didn’t know. But now, thanks to this community, my understanding of dog behavior, body language, and the importance of giving dogs real autonomy has completely changed.

And now, as a mom of two kids under three, I’m facing a new layer of dog-human misunderstanding: baby books.

Specifically, dog-themed baby books.
Spoiler alert: they are so bad.

I pulled four popular titles from my daughters’ shelves—most of them featuring black and white dogs that look suspiciously like Stanley. (Bless the friends and relatives who gifted them—how were they supposed to know they were reinforcing outdated or even dangerous messaging about dogs?)

Let’s break it down.

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❌ Touch-and-Feel Books Have Got to Go

Titles: If I Were a Poodle and If I Were a Puppy (Jellycat Series)

These cutesy tactile books encourage kids to touch dogs’ ears, tails, noses… even their toys and accessories. We’re teaching toddlers to approach dogs like they’re stuffed animals—and that’s a problem. Some dogs resource guard. And most importantly, dogs deserve consent and autonomy. Why are we setting kids up to interact with dogs in ways that make many real-life dogs uncomfortable—or worse, the kids unsafe?

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🛑🐴 Stop Showing Kids Riding Dogs Like Ponies

Title: Dog’s First Baby

This one is super popular in parenting circles—and to be fair, some parts are fine. (Yes, Stanley also hoovers up fallen Cheerios like it’s his job.) But there are pages where the baby is pulling on the dog’s face, playing with a toy in the dog’s mouth, or literally riding the dog like a horse. All of this happens without adult supervision.

That’s not just unrealistic—it’s dangerous. Instead of modeling safe coexistence, the book promotes a fantasy that could lead to real-life bites or trauma. A few tweaks—like adding a supervising adult or showing the baby co-existing with an adult between them—could make a world of difference.

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🐶 Barking Dogs Aren’t Always Friendly

Title: Doggies: A Counting and Barking Book by Sandra Boynton