Some of these put a dog right at the center; others just borrow the word for a riff or a strut. Either way, here is the playlist for the best companion you will ever have.
Updated 2026
Hound Dog by Elvis Presley 1956
Not really about a dog, but it put one in the title forever.
Martha My Dear by The Beatles 1968
Paul wrote it with his sheepdog Martha in mind.
Atomic Dog by George Clinton 1982
Funk that turned the word dog into a strut.
Black Dog by Led Zeppelin 1971
Named after a stray that wandered the studio, riff first.
How Much Is That Doggie in the Window by Patti Page 1953
The pet-shop singalong your grandparents knew by heart.
Walkin' the Dog by Rufus Thomas 1963
A dance, a leash, and a Memphis groove.
For the dog you had to say goodbye to.
Old Shep by Elvis Presley 1956
A boy and the dog he grows up with, and then loses.
Mr. Bojangles by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 1970
A drifter, his dog that died, and the line that still he grieves.