Country Life's Book of Dogs

Author Agnes Stamp, Foreword by Tony Allcock

A celebration of the many breeds of dog we love, as seen through the pages of Country Life magazine, from working the fields to romping through splendid gardens to lounging in beautifully appointed sitting rooms.

Throughout its 125-year history, Country Life has chronicled our love affair with dogs. This elegantly designed volume features seventy breeds based on Royal Kennel Club classifications: hounds, working dogs, terriers, gundogs, herding dogs, toys, and utility. Each breed profile includes modern and archival photographs along with history, anecdotes, and lore.

Here we see the romance of English country living through a canine lens. From Jilly Cooper and her rescue greyhound to Trudie Styler’s wolfhounds and many famous country estates, such as Badminton House, Belvoir Castle, Castle Howard, and Holkham Hall—as well as the Royal Family with their dogs at Balmoral, Windsor Castle, and Highgrove—the book offers an intimate look at Britain’s stately houses, gardens, and gorgeous countryside.

Most of today’s breeds originated in Britain or were codified by the Royal Kennel Club, as covered by Country Life from its inception. The book poignantly raises awareness about breeds that are today considered vulnerable to extinction, such as the winsome Norwich terrier, the stout bull terrier, or the resolute otterhound, currently ranked most endangered.

Also included are non-native breeds that have long associations with the Royal Family or the nobility—such as Pomeranians, Queen Victoria’s lifelong passion, and pugs, native to China but long an aristocratic favorite.

About The Author

Agnes Stamp is Country Life’s Acting Deputy Features Editor. She has worked for the magazine in various guises since 2013—across print, digital, and specialist editorial projects—before joining the Features Desk in 2023. A graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, she previously worked for luxury titles including Wallpaper* and GQ. An equestrian and canine enthusiast, Agnes has also written for Horse & Hound and holds a postgraduate certificate from Liverpool University in veterinary business management. Tony Allcock OBE is chairman of the Royal Kennel Club, the world’s oldest kennel club.

Publish Date: September 16, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Category: Pets - Dogs - General
Publisher: Rizzoli
Trim Size: 10 x 10
Pages: 348
US Price: $65.00
CDN Price: $85.00
ISBN: 978-0-8478-7444-6

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Reviews

"For the many dog lovers in your life, it’s hard to imagine a more welcome gift. Throughout its 125-year history, the British magazine Country Life has celebrated hunting dogs and working farm dogs, the Queen’s corgis and commoners’ collies alike. This volume features profiles of 70 different breeds, illustrated with winsome photographic portraits, paintings, and images culled from the Country Life archives. Just try to read it without wanting to adopt a dog of your own." — FREDERIC

"FROM THE FIRST issue of Country Life in 1897—when the Princess of Wales posed with her borzoi—to today, dogs have been stitched into the magazine’s very fabric, a constant presence in its pages and in the lives of its readers. Country Life’s Book of Dogs by Agnes Stamp, published by Rizzoli, gathers that long affection into an illustrated tour of Britain’s canine heritage, guided by breed histories, anecdotes, and photographs that range from field to fireside. It follows the Royal Kennel Club’s groupings—hounds, terriers, gundogs, pastoral (herding) dogs, utility, and toys—inviting the reader to wander from otterhounds and pointers to corgis and pugs with the same delight one might feel crossing a country lawn...In his foreword, Royal Kennel Club chairman Tony Allcock underscores the book’s timely purpose: to celebrate beloved companions while shining a light on Britain’s “vulnerable native breeds,” the worthy but overlooked dogs that once worked our fields and guarded our thresholds." — QUEST MAGAZINE