Paws, Feathers, Hooves, and Heart: How Animals Sneak Into My Stories

by

Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here.

Readers sometimes ask if the pets in my books are based on animals from my own life. The answer is, no more than the people in my stories are based on the people in my life. Though sometimes they are composites – especially when it comes to the pets. But the truth is, I rarely plan for the pets in my stories. Most of the time, they wander onto the page on their own—just when a character needs them most.

Animals have a way of softening even the gruffest heroes and grounding the loneliest heroines. They can bring humor, heart, or a moment of quiet companionship. In historical stories, they also help paint a truer picture of daily life. But most of all, they fill an emotional space that words alone sometimes can’t.

That said, not all of my books feature pets. Some stories simply don’t call for them, and I try never to include an animal unless it feels completely organic to the character and plot. When a pet feels forced into the story without true purpose, it distracts from the heart of the tale and can strike a hollow note. But when I sense a bit of emptiness—a character who needs someone to listen, or a moment that needs something another human character can’t provide—the right creature usually trots in on its own.

Take Miss Fanny’s canary Sweetie Pie and Miss Adeline’s cat Othello in Whatever It Takes. Miss Fanny is a soft-hearted widow who loves everyone, while Miss Adeline is a retired actress who thrives on drama. Their pets reflect their personalities perfectly—Sweetie Pie, gentle and clueless, and Othello, mysterious and theatrical. Together they add humor, warmth, and the occasional feather-flying tension to their shared household.

In Something More, Elthia’s little Yorkie, Poppy, provides courage and comfort for a young woman traveling alone from “back East,” fleeing a forced engagement to take a governess position in Texas. Far from home and all that’s familiar, Elthia needs something to hold on to. Poppy, lively and devoted, is a small piece of home she can carry with her—a friend she can draw courage from and a reminder that she’s not truly alone.

Then there’s Nate Cooper’s dog, Beans, from Second Chance Hero. Nate adopts the stray partly because he feels like something of a stray himself—and partly because Beans reminds him of the dog his now-deceased sister once loved. Through that bond, Nate reconnects with the tenderness and loyalty he thought he’d lost.

One of my more unusual “pets” is Ivy’s mule, Jubal, in Lone Star Heiress. Ivy began the story on horseback, but the opening chapter felt too stiff. Since she was traveling alone, her thoughts were trapped inside her head, and the scene seemed flat. Then I decided to trade the horse for an ornery mule with plenty of attitude. The moment I gave him a name and a problem—a stone stuck in his hoof—the scene came alive. Ivy now had someone to fuss over and talk to, and Jubal became an important part of her journey.

Over time, I’ve realized that animals in my stories aren’t just companions—they’re catalysts. They can sense things about people that others might miss, often showing readers who can be trusted long before my characters figure it out for themselves. Animals also affect how I write a scene. They slow the pace just enough to let emotion breathe, add texture to quiet moments, or bring out tenderness I didn’t know was hiding there.

My newest example is Ruby and her cat, Patience, from Griff’s Journey Home. By the time the story opens, Patience has been part of Ruby’s life for a few months. Once a feral stray, she’s now Ruby’s confidant and only steady companion in a world that hasn’t given her many lasting ties. Griff, on the other hand, thinks pampered house pets are ridiculous—he’s far more comfortable around saddle horses and cattle dogs than creatures who nap in sunbeams. Patience, for her part, treats Griff with queenly disdain. But over time, as Ruby and Griff’s friendship deepens, that distance begins to fade. One evening, while they’re playing checkers, Patience rubs against Griff’s legs, and he reaches down to scratch her behind the ears without thinking. It’s a simple, quiet gesture, but it marks an important shift. When Patience finally accepts and trusts him, Ruby realizes she can, too.

I’ve learned never to underestimate what a small—or not so small—faithful creature can bring to a story—or to a heart.

So do you have a favorite fictional animal—or a real-life companion who’s dear to you? I’d love to hear about them. Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for a signed copy of your choice of any of my available books!

If you’d like to meet Patience along with Ruby and Griff for yourself, you’ll find them in my newest release, Griff’s Journey Home, the third book in my Everharts of Texas series. It’s a story about second chances, finding home in unexpected places, and yes—the quiet wisdom of one very perceptive – and very independent – cat.

ORDER  LINK

A detour he hadn’t planned. A connection he never saw coming.
Rancher Griff Everhart doesn’t go looking for entanglements. Burned by love before, he’s content to live quietly and focus on his ranch. But when a young woman asks him to escort her to Tyler, Texas, he reluctantly agrees—expecting nothing more than an uneventful day on the trail.

Ruby Anne Tuggle is chasing a fresh start, determined to make it on her own. But when an unexpected illness changes their plans, Griff finds himself relying on Ruby in ways he never anticipated. Amid healing, shared laughter, and days spent together, friendship blooms into something neither of them saw coming.

As Thanksgiving draws near and a temporary detour turns into something far deeper, two guarded hearts must decide whether love is worth the risk… and whether the road ahead is one they’ll walk together.

49 thoughts on “Paws, Feathers, Hooves, and Heart: How Animals Sneak Into My Stories”

  1. One of my favorite animal characters was the guide dog in “Follow My Leader”m a book that has been around for many years – The semi-autobiographical story of a young boy who was blinded, I think, by fireworks and his journey ti acceptance if his blindness.

  4. I confess I loved that all four Tule authors in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series carried the same little thieving dog throughout their four books. I got to choose what happened to Rascal at the end of the series…

  5. I love animals, so I love to read about them. There’s a lot of K-9 novels out there now, and I’ve enjoyed several of them recently.

  6. Good morning Winnie! I think the funniest one a read a few years ago was in Pendleton Petticoats by Shanna Hatsfield. It was a mule. And he showed up everywhere causing all kinds of trouble! Shanna made that mule almost human. Never laughed so hard.

    Best wishes to you Winnie!

  7. Good morning Winnie. Thanks for sharing your post today. I love animals, always have. When I lived on a ranch in CA, growing up, I was in 4-H and involved in Horses-Cattle-Pigs. I loved my animals and all the others on the ranch. But I especially fell in love with a pig. One night it rained real hard and one of our sows went into labor. Dad helped Posie if needed, mom held an umbrella for him and Posie and I was just there if help was needed. This was my first watching of a pig giving birth. Soooo excited. There were 13 little piglets. The last one was a runt. Dad was going to take care of him. NOOOOOOO. I convinced mom that I could take care of him. Mind you I was 9 years old and in school. And it was the middle of the night. So mom got me a box with a soft rag that I could put next to my bed. When I was at school mom took care of the feeding. When I came home, he was on the other side of the patio door waiting for me. The closer I got to the house, he started to rub his nose up and down the glass door. OHHHH. I opened the door and he ran out to do his business. Well there was his name. Squeek. His nose made funny noises on the door. He grew fast and was outside a lot with the rest of us. He went with the two dogs that walked us up to the bus stop. He was there with the two dogs when we got home from school. He wandered the ranch with all of us. As he got older, one of the sows who was in heat got out of her pen and chased after Squeek. Squeek was terrified and ran into the bulls pen. HAHAHAH. Just so you know there were times we left the bull alone and other times he was a ‘teddy bear’. He felt it was his job to take care of Squeek. LOL. Mom finally said that he had to live outside because every time he rubbed his nose on the sliding glass door it moved and mom didn’t want it to come out of its tracks. Sad day for all of us. Dad built him his own pen and from that day on, Squeek lived outside. But he was a fantastic boar and gave fantastic litters. Oh, while he was young he went to the fairs with us in the petting zoos. The children loved to pet him. And when he heard the door opening he would run to be pet and loved. When I was a sophomore in high school we moved to Illinois. We sold most of our animals. We had to sell Squeek. Mom found him a great home that would take care of him well. By that time he was over 500 lbs. not a runt anymore. LOL. I will always hold special memories about this fantastic pig.

  8. At the moment I can’t think of any particular animal, but I enjoy reading about animals in stories. It adds an extra dimension to a story to have an animal in the story.

  10. Our youngest son’s dog, Ziva, was so special to me. She always seemed to know when I was having a rough day and she would lay her had on my lap and just watch me. I miss her so much.

  12. Winnie, my real life companion is my mini doxi Harley. He’s a sweet, loveable, six year old pup that I don’t know what I would do without. Love, love, love my sweet boy!

  13. I have always said If there is a dog or a horse on the cover of a book I will read it.( well, cats too but I’m a dog person). I have always had a dog in my life. Currently a poodle named Riley, my constant companion.

    • We used to have dogs around here all the time too but it’s been a while. A stray cat in the neighborhood adopted us, mostly because hubby feeds her. So there’s that…

  15. I love it when pets wander onto the pages of a story. It makes things fun and cozy and sometimes very interesting.
    Griff’s Journey Home sounds like an amazing story!!!!!!!!!!

  16. Good afternoon Winnie, I love it when books have pets in the stories. Griff’s Journey Home sounds like a Great read and the book cover is Beautiful! Thank you for sharing about it and about some of the animals in your books. We have a 12 yr. old half Schnauzer who is very sweet and a very good boy. My husband got him from a man that was giving away the whole litter because they were not full Schnauzer, all I can say is that he has been a great joy since the first day my husband surprised me with him, he was only 6 weeks old. My husband got him for me because we had lost our 7 year old mix pup that we had had since he was 6 months old, he was also a very sweet and good boy. Pets add alot to our lives! Have a great day and a great week.

  17. I love pets and animals in stories! I have always had a dog and can’t imagine life without a dog! Currently, I have two blue tick hound dog, sisters. Every dog that I’ve had has been special to me and will always be in my heart.

  18. I love reading about animals in a story, especially when they are an integral part of the story. I love how you say they just wander across the page. I can’t remember the books this goat was in, but the goat’s name was Ethel and she always shows up to couples who meet and end up together. My memory is getting so bad lately. Can’t wait to read your new book. Thanks for the chance to win a book.

  19. When I was five years old, my family had a dog that my parents got from the animal shelter as a puppy. They were told that he was half Australian Dingo and half Australian Shephard. His name was Dingo and we had him for 17 years. He was a wonderful dog.

  20. I don’t have a particular favorite animal from a story, but I do enjoy when one appears on the pages. 🙂

  23. Our current tomcat is my favorite pet. He’s got Siamese seal point colors but not the voice or body shape. He’s a sweetheart. In fiction, Harry Harristeen’s (Rita Mae Brown’s Mrs. Murphy mysteries) 2 cats (Mrs. Murphy, a tiger cat, and Pewter, a solid gray cat) and 1 dog (Tee Tucker, a corgi) are my literary favorite animals. The talking cats from Wales (Magical Cat mysteries by Sofie Kelly) and Joe Grey (Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s series) are also dear to my heart.

    • My daughter had a little dog for fifteen years and I’d keep him for her often – he was a favorite of mine, in fact I gave his personality to a dog in one of my books.

  25. We are animal people and evidently have passed that down to our children. Neighbors would bring the injured animals they would find to us. We weren’t official rehabilitator, but had relatively good luck.

    In life we have had 15 doge and several cats, among many other things. My two favorites of all the dogs (all rescues) were our first two. Our first, Noli, was a beagle mix we rescued from a farm. She was sweet and protective of our children who were toddlers when we got her. She traveled so well. She would curl up on the floor of the back seat and sleep for the trip. Good thing since we moved multiple times while we had her, twice cross country. She graced us for 15 years. We got our second one shortly after Noli left us. We fostered a littler of lab mix puppy and their mom for the local animal shelter and adopted her when the shelter took them back when they were old enough to adopt out. Olivia was another sweet dog. She did not travel well, bouncing all over the car when she went for a ride. It is a good thing we were done moving by then. She adored my husband, all dogs do, and would stay by his side. She, too, graced us with 15 years. It has been about 20 years since she left us, but I still miss her. Our next dog will definitely be another lab or lab mix. By then we may need a service dog and labs make wonderful service dogs.

    In books, Flicka and Thunderhead were my favorites.

Comments are closed.

Petticoats & Pistols