James Bond has been banned from having a dog for over 70 years, according to novelist and actor Charlie Higson. Speaking on the My Mate Bought a Toaster podcast, Higson revealed that Ian Fleming's estate forbade him from giving Bond a canine companion in his Young Bond series because Fleming himself hated dogs.
The Dog That Never Was
Higson, known for his role in The Fast Show, wrote five Young Bond books starting with SilverFin in 2005. In his first draft, he gave the young spy a dog. 'I thought to myself, "He's on an adventure, he should have a dog",' Higson said. However, the Fleming estate quickly rejected the idea. 'They said, "No, Ian hated dogs",' Higson continued. 'So the dog didn't make it into the book.'
Bond's Canine-Free History
Since Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953), 007 has never owned a dog across books or films. The character has been portrayed by actors including Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig, but none have shared the screen with a Bond dog. The only exception is a comedic sketch on Saturday Night Live where Daniel Craig danced with a fluffy dog, poking fun at his serious image.
Higson's Adult Bond Adventure
In 2023, Higson published On His Majesty's Secret Service, an adult Bond novel commissioned for King Charles III's coronation. 'Ian Fleming Publications came to me a little more than a month ago and I was thrilled – until I realised it had to be ready for the coronation in May,' Higson said. The book is set in the present day and features Bond investigating a plot to disrupt the coronation. Higson described the tight deadline as 'as tense and heart-pounding as any Bond mission'.
Future of the Franchise
With Daniel Craig's departure after No Time to Die (2021), Amazon MGM now controls the film franchise's creative direction. Fans eagerly await the next casting, wondering if the no-dogs rule might ever be broken. Meanwhile, the ban remains firmly in place, ensuring Bond's status as a cat person – or at least, not a dog person – endures.
