Authors bite at Romney dog tale in new book

Even though he died in the 1990s, and the most famous incident involving him happened nearly three decades ago, satirists are still panting at the chance to chronicle the above-the-car adventures of Seamus the dog.

Now Mitt Romney’s canine companion is getting his own book.

{mosads}Dog on the Roof!: On the Road With Mitt & the Mutt, by National Public Radio regulars and co-writers Bruce Kluger and David Slavin, is an illustrated tale about the 1983 Romney family road trip that the Republican presidential candidate simply hasn’t been able to put to bed.

As the endlessly repeated story goes, the former Massachusetts governor says he created a special carrier for his Irish Setter, Seamus, and placed it on top of his Chevy for a 650-mile road trip to Ontario.

The not-for-kids rhyming tome, illustrated by Colleen Clapp, is written from Seamus’s rooftop perspective, with the dog declaring early on, “I’m there on the lawn and then suddenly — poof! The next thing I know, I’m a dog on a roof!”

Another Seamus-ism: “Though Jesus (and Moses, and Buddha) may love you, the same can’t be said for the dog up above you!”

Fortunately, the book skimps on the details of when the furry family member became sick at some point during the travels, and the Romneys noticed some foul-looking stuff coming down the sides of their vehicle.

The authors, the scribes behind other satires on former President George W. Bush and ex-Vice President Dick Cheney, dedicated their latest work to New York Times writer Gail Collins, who has penned more than 50 columns on Seamus.

Dog on the Roof!, which sells for $12.99, hits store shelves Tuesday.