ABANDONED. Narrated by dog dying after being gutted by coyotes

[Les]

This book begins with its narrator, a dog, lying at the edge of his master's yard. He has been attacked by a coyote. He is watching his master search for him, but cannot bark. Sounds depressing, which is why I put it down, but now I'm obsessed with finding that book again.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Les.

[Cheryl]

When were you trying to read it, and do you think it was new then?

Do you think it was for adults, teens, or children?

[Les]

@Cheryl, It was definitely for adults. I believe it would be under eight years old. I found it in the library under Recommended Reads, but the librarians have all talked about it with me and can't recall who recommended it. The library database has been searched extensively, as has the web. I spent a whole weekend searching the web with keywords. Quite honestly, it's appearing to be a phantasm of my imagination.

[Peter]

So just to be clear, you didn't read far enough to learn if the dog lives or dies? I'm gonna choose to believe he lived, and anyone who tells me different will get the fingers-in-the-ears treatment. I'm glad you said it was an adult book. If it was a kid's book, no way did the dog survive.

Could it have been Dean Koontz? He's big on dogs, but all of his stuff is horror, supernatural or just plain weird.

Is it a novel you're trying to remember, or a short story in a collection?

[Les]

@Peter, It's a novel or else some remorseful non-fiction reconstruction. Not by Koontz; I've read all his stuff. Closest seems to be Dog Days by Jon Katz, but that ain't it. Thanks for trying anyhow.
L.

[Diana]

There's a chapter like this in Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey. This is probably unhelpful because the book did not start with this chapter and this book is more than 30 years old. But yeah, from the point of view of the dog, attacked by coyotes (or maybe some other wild canine), unable to bark, trying to get the attention of the owner that is looking for it.

[Les]

@Diana, hmm that sounds promising. I'll have to dig out my copy. Thanks.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Les, are you still looking for this? Was it Sometimes a Great Notion?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

No response. Moved to Abandoned.