Kim Kardashian's Desperate Quest to Be Cover Girl Involved Nicole Richie's Dog

Kim Kardashian has graced just about every major magazine cover imaginable ... but her first one required a little help from Nicole Richie and her four-legged friend.

The hilarious story is getting fresh attention thanks to the new book "Citizen Kim: The Woman Who Created the Future," written by Jonathan Van Meter ... which revisits Kim's determination to land her very first magazine cover in 2008.

In the book, Kim recalls how she managed to score a spot on the cover of "K9 Magazine" ... despite not even owning a dog at the time.

Kim says she borrowed Nicole's pooch for the shoot because she was so desperate to get her face on a magazine cover ... and the plan worked.

Fast-forward nearly two decades, and Kim's got plenty of covers under her belt ... but she's still proudly displaying that first one alongside some much bigger fashion moments.

Van Meter writes that the walls outside Kim's private office are lined with enlarged, framed magazine covers ... including the 2008 K9 issue.

Kim says her staff actually suggested taking the doggie cover down ... but she wasn't having it, telling them, "That was my first cover! Put it right next to Vogue!"

Kim has previously laughed about her K9 debut on "The Kardashians" ... admitting she'd do just about anything to land a cover, even though she's not exactly a dog person.

The book hit shelves Tuesday ... giving fans another look at just how badly Kim wanted her shot at fame.