The Dogfather Books in Order
Part ofRoxanne St Claire Books in OrderBrowse The Dogfather books by Roxanne St Claire in order, with summaries, series background, and a quick guide to starting this dog-loving family romance series.
Last updated: July 10, 2026
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The Dogfather books in publication order
9 books
Leader of the Pack
by Roxanne St Claire
2017
Former Marine Liam Kilcannon wants to protect single mom Andi Rivers and her shy son, not fall for them again. But a custody threat, a protection dog, and old heartbreak put them right back in each other's orbit.
New Leash on Life
by Roxanne St Claire
2017
Dog whisperer Shane Kilcannon offers to help tourism expert Chloe Somerset win over Bitter Bark, if she will foster one misunderstood dog. Working side by side could transform the town, and both of their carefully ordered lives.
Santa Paws is Coming to Town
by Roxanne St Claire
2017
Christmas at Waterford Farm stalls when a newly rescued puppy goes missing. Daniel Kilcannon and his entire family set off on a frantic holiday search that becomes a warm, funny, and very dog-filled celebration.
Sit...Stay...Beg
by Roxanne St Claire
2017
Garrett Kilcannon would rather rescue dogs than talk to reporters, especially one as persistent as Jessie Curtis. But when Jessie reaches a troubled rescue no one else can, Garrett's secrets and his heart both come under pressure.
Bad to the Bone
by Roxanne St Claire
2018
Fresh out of prison, Trace Bancroft returns to Bitter Bark with his beloved dog and nowhere else to turn. When the dog's illness forces him back to Molly Kilcannon, old history and unfinished feelings come roaring back.
Bark! The Herald Angels Sing
by Roxanne St Claire
2018
Gramma Finnie and teen Pru have one Christmas Eve job, gather the old, new, borrowed, and blue for a family wedding. A stray dog, bad weather, and a series of mishaps turn it into a chaotic holiday adventure.
Double Dog Dare
by Roxanne St Claire
2018
Darcy Kilcannon is ready for independence, until she meets the handsome landlord her matchmaking father seems to have chosen for her. His no-pets rule is a problem for a dog groomer who refuses to part with her little dog.
Ruff Around the Edges
by Roxanne St Claire
2018
Army pilot Aidan Kilcannon brings home Ruff, the boxer he shared with his fallen best friend. Then Rebecca Spencer, that friend's grieving sister, claims the dog too, and neither of them is ready for the emotional fallout.
Old Dog New Tricks
by Roxanne St Claire
2019
After marrying off his children, widowed veterinarian Daniel Kilcannon starts wondering if love might still be possible for him too. Then a woman from his past arrives in Bitter Bark and changes everything.
The Dogfather books in chronological order

Sit...Stay...Beg
by Roxanne St Claire
2017The Dogfather, Book 1
New Leash on Life
by Roxanne St Claire
2017The Dogfather, Book 2
Leader of the Pack
by Roxanne St Claire
2017The Dogfather, Book 3
Santa Paws is Coming to Town
by Roxanne St Claire
2017The Dogfather, Book 4
Bad to the Bone
by Roxanne St Claire
2018The Dogfather, Book 5
Ruff Around the Edges
by Roxanne St Claire
2018The Dogfather, Book 6
Double Dog Dare
by Roxanne St Claire
2018The Dogfather, Book 7
Bark! The Herald Angels Sing
by Roxanne St Claire
2018The Dogfather, Book 8
Old Dog New Tricks
by Roxanne St Claire
2019The Dogfather, Book 9
Series background & context
The Dogfather is St Claire in full family-romance mode, warm, funny, emotional, and extremely dog friendly. The series centers on Daniel Kilcannon, a widowed veterinarian who has turned Waterford Farm in the Blue Ridge foothills into a rescue and training center for dogs. He is also, with zero shame, trying to steer his six grown children toward the kind of lasting love he had with his late wife.
That is why they call him the Dogfather.
The setup is simple and very effective. Each book follows one member of the Kilcannon family, or someone close to them, as romance collides with work, grief, secrets, and the general noise of a big, loving clan. Garrett, Shane, Liam, Molly, Aidan, Darcy, and eventually Daniel himself all get stories that begin with a dog and end somewhere much more personal.
The dogs are not just decoration here. Rescue animals, protection dogs, puppies, stubborn mutts, and grieving companions all help move the plot and reveal character. Sometimes the dogs create chaos. Sometimes they open the door to healing. Usually they do both.
The small-town setting matters, too. Bitter Bark and Waterford Farm feel lived in. Family members are always nearby, meals are shared, people meddle, and old losses sit right beside new beginnings. Daniel’s grief over Annie gives the series a little extra depth, because even when the books are funny, and they often are, there is a real understanding of what this family has already been through.
These novels stand alone, but they are richer in order because the family keeps growing around each couple. If you like rescue dogs, big sibling energy, small-town romance, and a matchmaker father who absolutely refuses to stay in his lane, The Dogfather is a very easy series to get attached to.
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