3 mins

W. Bruce Cameron A Dog's Journey

A Dog's Journey continues Bailey's reincarnation story—why it makes people cry, what readers say, and how the movies compare across the trilogy.

by AudiobookHub Team | 2025-12-25

The A Dog's Purpose Trilogy, in One Breath

W. Bruce Cameron's A Dog's Purpose trilogy is built on a simple, devastatingly effective idea: one dog's soul keeps coming back—in different bodies, different homes, different life stages—until it completes the job it was "sent" to do. Across the three books, Bailey's reincarnations aren't just a fantasy hook; they're a way to zoom in on the most human moments: first love, family fractures, growing up too fast, and learning how to stay when life gets messy. The series moves from finding a purpose (Book 1) to protecting the next generation (Book 2) to keeping a promise that holds a struggling family together (Book 3). If you want the cleanest entry point, start with A Dog's Purpose—then A Dog's Journey, and finally A Dog's Promise.

The Trilogy, in Plain English

1) A Dog's Purpose

A single dog's soul is reborn again and again, living different lives with different humans, slowly realizing that love, loyalty, and being "someone's dog" can be a purpose all by itself.

This book became a long-running bestseller (the New York Times bestseller list for 49 weeks is widely cited) and it's the foundation for everything that follows.

2) A Dog's Journey

This time, Bailey's "mission" narrows: he becomes emotionally tethered to CJ (Clarity June)—the granddaughter of the family he loved—because she's growing up in chaos and needs a protector.

The vibe is: "I promised I'd keep you safe, even if it takes multiple lifetimes." That's basically the engine of the whole book.

3) A Dog's Promise

Without spoiling it: the third book keeps the reincarnation structure, but adds new emotional weight and a "choice" theme—what the dog remembers, what it lets go of, and what it tries to heal in the humans it's attached to.

Why People Keep Recommending It (and Why It's So Easy to Cry)

The reputation online is pretty consistent:

- Readers/listeners rate the audiobooks very high on Audible. A Dog's Purpose and A Dog's Journey both show 4.7/5 with large rating counts, and A Dog's Promise also scores very highly.

- Critics often describe the movie adaptations as very sentimental—sometimes "as sentimental as one might expect."

- It's polarizing in a predictable way: for some people it's pure comfort + catharsis; for others it can feel "designed to make you cry."

My take for an AudiobookHub audience: it's not trying to be subtle. It's trying to be cathartic. If someone wants quiet, literary grief, it may feel like a tearjerker machine. If someone wants a hopeful, loyal, heart-forward story, it lands hard.

The Mini-Viral "Internet Joke" Energy (Without Quoting Anyone)

You've probably seen this kind of vibe as short clips/captions:

- "I didn't cry. My dog cried. (And then I cried.)"

- "This isn't a movie, it's an emotional hydration test."

- "They should hand out tissues at the title screen."

That meme-ability is basically supported by the mainstream framing too: Rotten Tomatoes' critics consensus for A Dog's Journey literally leans into the idea that even cynical viewers may struggle to avoid crying.

Movie Adaptations (and How They Compare)

- A Dog's Purpose (film) released 2017, based on the first novel.

- A Dog's Journey (film) released 2019, adapting the sequel.

- A Dog's Promise does not have the same widely established film adaptation presence as the first two (you'll see fan questions, but nothing as firmly documented as the 2017/2019 releases).

Important Reputation Footnote (Optional but Honest)

The 2017 film had a public controversy after behind-the-scenes footage circulated showing a dog appearing distressed during a water stunt; the Los Angeles premiere was canceled and there was significant public debate.