The Sheepdog Series
Picture Books for Ages 2–7

Give your child a model,
not just a rule.

A book series about working dogs that protect and serve. One idea that sticks: be the one who looks out for others. Always be a Sheepdog.

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The Idea

These aren't just books about dogs.

A Sheepdog has one job: protect the flock. Not because someone's watching. Not for a reward. Because that's what a Sheepdog does.

These books take that idea and put it in your child's hands. Working dogs, one instinct across all of them — be the one who shows up for others. Be diligent. Stay alert. Don't look away when it matters.

"Always be a Sheepdog."

Most kids aren't misbehaving because they're bad. They don't have a model yet. A Sheepdog gives them one. Read these books once. Come back to them when it counts.

What the series teaches

Four values. One per page at a time.

  • ▶
    Safe Hands

    No hitting. No pushing. No bullying. The books open that conversation without making it feel like a lecture.

  • ▶
    Why We Serve

    Explain your job — why you wear a uniform, why you deploy — in language a two-year-old can hold onto.

  • ▶
    Stay Alert

    Every dog in the series earns their place by paying attention. Vigilance is a value. It can be taught early.

  • ▶
    Protect Others First

    A Sheepdog doesn't look out for itself first. That's the root of every story in this series.

The Books

Four Working Dogs. One Standard.

Each book follows a different dog doing a different job — and the same thing is true of all of them: they show up, they stay alert, and they protect the people counting on them.

The Military Dog children's picture book by Rick L Yost
New Release

The Military Dog

Published March 20, 2026

Tank is a Military Working Dog deployed overseas with his unit. A chocolate Lab in his K9 vest, he keeps the mission safe — diligent, alert, always on post.

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The Sheepdog children's picture book by Rick L Yost

The Sheepdog

Published May 22, 2015

Ace guards the flock on the farm. Danger lurks — and he must be diligent and always alert for trouble. The book that started the series.

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The Firedog children's picture book by Rick L Yost

The Firedog

Published December 8, 2016

Smoke is a Dalmatian at the firehouse. Special training for a specific job — and she runs toward what everyone else runs from.

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The Police Dog children's picture book by Rick L Yost

The Police Dog

Published June 9, 2018

Badge is a German Shepherd K9 officer working the streets with his partner. Trained to handle what others can't. Always alert for danger and crime.

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When to Use Them

Read them at bedtime,
for Fun!
Use them when it matters.

These books work harder than most. They don't just fill a shelf — they give you something to point to when the moment calls for it.

  • ▶ Someone got pushed at school and you need a word for what happened — and what to do instead
  • ▶ Your child asks why you have to go to work, why you wear a uniform, why you deploy
  • ▶ You want to teach safe hands before the hitting starts — not after
  • ▶ Your kid is growing up in a first responder or military household and needs to understand what that means
  • ▶ You want a character they can hold onto — something to be, not just something to avoid
  • ▶ A preschool or kindergarten classroom needs a direct, visual lesson on protecting others

The Author

Rick L Yost, author of The Sheepdog Series

Rick L Yost

Author · U.S. Army Veteran · Father

These books started as bedtime stories for my boys. I would tell a story, work a lesson into it, then talk through the lesson with them after. Some of those stories were actually pretty good. I started writing them down. A series followed.

The Sheepdog Series teaches the importance of helping and protecting others. I wrote it for 2–7 year old little boys and girls. Use these books to teach them not to hit, push, or bully — to have safe hands with their friends. Use it to explain what your job is, how you help others, and why you have to go to work.

And always be a Sheepdog.

RLTW

Dedicated to Sheepdogs everywhere — the ones on the farm, in the firehouse, on the beat, and downrange. Be safe.

Organizations I support: The Sparta Project V.E.T.S.