This book will always get me. It's inspirational, uplifting and heartwarming. I don't think I had ever read a book that has made me feel just about every emotion possible, before this one.
The characters are high spirited, lovable Australians and the dog ... well, what can you say about Red dog. You can't help but love him.
I would suggest that at some point, everybody (animal lover or not) should read this book.

NOTE: 'Red Dog' the movie actually does the book justice.

This was such a lovely little read!! One of those books that makes you chuckle and then makes you cry!!

It centres around a dog - who really existed! - and his antics across Australia where he had multiple owners and would seem to cross the paths of people who needed him the most. But wherever he went he left a mark on those people and it just warms your heart as you read about the different people he comes across on his journey. I've not seen the film but will look out for it!

We had watched the film last year, so was nice to read this short book telling the amusing story of Red Dog. Very simply written but evoking the dust and heat of Northern Australia, Red Dog has a series of short adventures travelling vast distances across the territories. Heartwarming and sad, a nice tale about a cheeky, funny dog.

I did enjoy this story and as an Aussie, loved the fact that Louis was so taken by the history and stories of Red Dog, to write a sort of ode to him. It's always interesting when a non-Australian tries to write in the tone and perspective of country Australia. There are some cringe-worthy moments that clearly a British editor would not pick up on ie. She rang when the men were having smoko. Clearly needed a Strayan to have a read through. When John dies and Red Dog goes in search of him, it is quite heartbreaking because it's not something an animal can understand. I know the movie was met with mixed reviews, so not sure if I actually want to see it as I'm sure it'll be more dramatised. Although I'd love to travel to the Pilbara one day. Also I think the glossary of Australianisms in the back is hilarious!

Short and bittersweet. As someone who grew up on Australian soaps, it was easier to read than I expected and the lingo really helped give the story a sense of place. Australia is almost a character in itself and I always like that in a book. Even though the character of Red Dog seems so unbelievable in essence, at the same time I could really imagine all of this happening. You get a sense of myth about it, that the stories have been exaggerated over time but also you WANT to believe that there was a dog who would happily go walkabout. He reminded me of a Disney-like character, a Thomas O'Malley but for dogs. I could definitely have read more of his bite-sized adventures but I also like how short the book was.

I enjoy reading Australian stories with Australian slang and colloquialisms. A simple little story about the dog who is everyone's :)

Kırmızı Köpek / Louis  de Bernieres

Kırmızı köpek üç yavrunun en küçüğüydü. Büyüdüğü zaman bakır rengine çalan bir kürkü, amber sarısı gözleri ve dimdik kulakları olan güzel bir köpek olmuştu. Kuyruğu biraz kalıncaydı. Göğsünü örten kürkü aslan yelesi gibi uzundu. Alnı geniş, burnunun ucu biraz kalkıktı. Bir madenci kasabasında yaşıyor ve işçilerin hepsiyle arkadaşlık ediyordu. Servis otobüsünde şöförün arkasındaki koltuk onundu bazende kömür taşıyan lokomotife biner makinistin yanına otururdu. Herkes onu çok seviyordu. Adamlar onu sendikaya yazdırdılar. Sosyal tesislere üye yaptılar. Onun için bir fon ayırdılar ve her ay yemek fişi verdiler. Resmi görevi artıkları temizlemekti. Tasmasının bir tarafında ''kırmızı köpek-çomar'' arkasinda ''gezmediğim yer kalmadı dostum'' yazar.
1971- 1979 yılları arasında Avustralya'nın bir maden kasabasında yaşamış bir ve orada bronz bir heykeli olan köpeğin gerçek yaşam  öyküsü. Filmi de var.

People have been raving about the film, some saying its life changing, others that they are not sure why but that it means so much to them, that it has made them feel.

On the whole the stories are beautiful. Filled with compassion and love for a dog with immense spirit and love. Anyone who loves dogs, and anyone who understands that dogs are mans best friend, and smarter than they are given credit for. The writing style is easy, and a young teen could pick it up and read it with no problems.

I cried... I'm sure everyone does.

This was a short, sweet book about a red kelpie who used to wander around some of the more remote parts of Western Australia and became everyone's friend and bringer of mischief. It wasn't terrible but then it wasn't anything that special either. More could have been made of it I think but it was a very quick and easy read.

I read this book to my kids and husband. The characters were wonderful, quirky and so Aussie and Red Dog’s antics laugh out loud funny. I had to hand it to my husband to finish reading, though, as I knew I wouldn’t get through it without breaking down. And cry I did! No one else did, though. Which makes me wonder what kind of people I live with

The book was shorter than I expected and I feel the author could have included many more short stories of Red Dog. There wasn’t an illustration of the statue or map of the area or reprint of the newspaper or any of the magazine articles Red Dog was in.
Had these items been included, factual or not, I would have given the book a higher rating.
This is a good book for any dog lover.

A true story about Red Dog a legendary dog who wandered Western Australia in the 1970s. Red Dog began life with one owner but then relocated to a mining town of Dampier and found himself befriending a whole swathe of people, never attaching himself to anyone in particular. A bus driver called John seemed to have the closest allegiance with Red Dog but after John’s untimely death, the dog found itself adopted by the whole community. Everyone had a story to tell about the dog and eventually he was registered as having no owner to prevent anyone ever claiming he was a stray. This is a captivating tale and if ever I am in WA I would love to go find his memorial.