Dog Show

'Collins remains the most companionable of poetic companions.' – The New York Times

Billy Collins’s poetry collection Dog Show celebrates the joy of our canine best friends, honouring 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 behaviour, 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 man's best friend (sorry, cat lovers).

Accompanied by Pamela Sztybel’s watercolours, 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.

• Publication date: 20 November 2025
• Page count: 96
• Dimensions: Height 133 mm; Width 198 mm; Thickness 15 mm
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Format: Hardback
• ISBN-13: 9781035087471