Writing Horror: Should the Dog Die?

February 12, 2024 Colin Lawson Comments 0 Comment

Hello, fellow horror writers! Welcome to another blog post for people like you. Today, I want to talk about a controversial topic that often divides horror lovers, both readers and writers: should the dog live or die?

You know what I’m talking about. The dog that accompanies the protagonist on their terrifying journey, the loyal companion that barks at the slightest sign of danger, the furry friend that provides some comic relief in the midst of the horror. The dog that inevitably meets a gruesome fate at the hands of the monster, the killer, or the curse.

***The dog that inevitably meets a gruesome fate at the hands of the monster, the killer, or the curse.***

Why do horror writers do this? Why do they make us fall in love with a cute canine only to rip our hearts out when they kill it off? Is it a cheap way to elicit an emotional response from the audience? Is it a way to show how evil and ruthless the villain is? Is it a way to raise the stakes and make us fear for the protagonist’s survival?

Or is it just plain cruel and unnecessary?

I have mixed feelings about this trope. On one hand, I love dogs and I hate seeing them suffer. On the other hand, I understand that horror is supposed to make us uncomfortable and challenge our expectations. Sometimes, killing off the dog is a way to subvert the cliché that animals always survive in horror movies. Sometimes, it’s a way to create a realistic and bleak atmosphere where no one is safe. Sometimes, it’s a way to make a statement about the nature of evil and violence.

But sometimes, it’s just too much.

***An uncomfortable truth: A popular meme on social media.***
**Source:** Facebook

WARNING Spoilers ahead…

I think there are some cases where killing off the dog is justified and effective, and some cases where it’s gratuitous and exploitative. It depends on how well the story is written, how well the dog is characterized, and how well the death is handled.

For example, I think Cujo by Stephen King is a good example of a story where killing off the dog makes sense. Cujo is not just a dog, he’s a main character and an antagonist. That said, I don’t think the movie is a comfortable watch today. He’s infected by rabies and becomes a savage beast that terrorises a mother and her son trapped in a car.

***I think Cujo by Stephen King is a good example of a story where killing off the dog makes sense. Cujo is not just a dog, he’s a main character and an antagonist.*** ***He’s infected by rabies and becomes a savage beast that terrorises a mother and her son trapped in a car. That said, I don’t think the movie is a comfortable watch today.***

His death is tragic and inevitable, but also necessary for the resolution of the story. It’s not done for shock value or cheap tears, but for thematic and narrative purposes.

On the other hand, I think The Conjuring by James Wan is a bad example of a story where killing off the dog is pointless.

***The dog in The Conjuring movie is barely developed as a character. He’s just there to bark at some ghosts and then die off-screen. His death has no impact on the plot or the characters.***

The dog in this movie is barely developed as a character. He’s just there to bark at some ghosts and then die off-screen. His death has no impact on the plot or the characters. It’s just done to establish that the house is haunted and that bad things are going to happen. It’s lazy and predictable, and it doesn’t add anything to the story.

So, what do you think? Should the dog live or die in horror stories? Do you have any examples of stories where killing off the dog was done well or poorly? Let me know in the comments below!

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