Kirkus Reviews found that "The loss and retrieval of a favorite toy animal is agreeably handled" and "Pleasant, if unoriginal—as usual, Hughes' rumpled tots and general clutter make you feel instantly at home.

found "A touching story comes from England, but it has qualities that should make it universally appealing" and concluded "Familiar concepts, a plot nicely gauged for small children's interest and comprehension, and a credible happy ending should satisfy listeners, while the beautifully detailed paintings ... should engage both readers-aloud and their audiences.

Hughes won the 1977 Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book illustration by a British subject.

For the 50th anniversary of the Medal (1955–2005), a panel of experts named Dogger one of the top ten winning works, which composed the ballot for a public election of the nation's favourite.

Hughes and Dogger polled 26% of the vote to 25% for its successor, the 1978 medalist Janet Ahlberg and Each Peach Pear Plum.