There's a significant overlap between people who love movies and people who love dogs, so it's no surprise that there's also a large number of movies about our four-legged best friends. It makes sense that there's no shortage of answers when a dog-loving movie fan asks for others' favorite dog movies. Take a look and see if your favorite dog movie is listed here.
1. Best in Show (2000)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.
This mockumentary from Christopher Guest centers on the dogs and owners preparing for a national dog show. It's a silly comedy with a fantastic cast, including Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, Jennifer Coolidge, and Guest. But the dogs aren't to be left out; we see all kinds of breeds and temperaments.
2. Isle of Dogs (2018)
Image Credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Wes Anderson's second stop-motion animated film about canines (the first being Fantastic Mr. Fox) gets a lot of recommendations from other film and dog lovers in the discussion. The movie is set mainly on the eponymous Isle of Dogs, where all dogs have been banished after the outbreak of canine flu. The film follows a group of wild dogs who help a boy on a journey to find his beloved pet that was taken from him in the banishment.
3. The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1986)
Image Credit: Fuji Television Network.
The Adventures of Milo and Otis is a dog and a cat movie, so fans of both animals will be satisfied by this adorable film. The movie centers on the eponymous Milo (a kitten) and Otis (a pug), who become best friends but are separated in an accident. We then follow them each on their individual adventures as they attempt to reunite.
4. A Dog's Purpose (2017)
Image Credit: Universal Pictures.
One person highlights A Dog's Purpose as "a really sweet story about a dog's life through reincarnation." Based on the novel of the same name by W. Bruce Cameron, the movie is sometimes difficult to watch as it engages seriously with themes of grief, loyalty, and family.
5. Dog (2022)
Image Credit: FilmNation Entertainment.
The very simply titled Dog follows Channing Tatum (also co-director of the film) as an Army Ranger who has to escort the dog of a friend who has died to the funeral. The dog is reactive and aggressive, and Tatum's character struggles at first to get her to behave on their journey. But the more time they spend together, the more he grows to love her. It's a movie that looks at issues affecting veterans while delivering some hilarious and adorable dog-centric moments.
6. All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)
Image Credit: Rank Film Distributors.
Not many movies about dogs start with them being criminals, but at the start of All Dogs Go to Heaven, protagonist Charlie (Burt Reynolds) isn't a typical good boy. He's a career criminal killed by a rival, sent to Heaven, and then escapes to enact revenge. But over the course of the movie, and through a touching relationship with an orphan girl who can talk to animals, Charlie finds redemption.
7. Scooby-Doo (2002)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.
The first live-action Scooby-Doo movie has become an internet classic just as much for the memes it's spawned as the movie itself. But returning to the film, it's a fantastic live-action cartoon adventure as the characters reunite after time apart to investigate a mystery at an amusement park. It's far from a subtle or intelligent movie. But it's hilarious and over the top, with beloved characters brought to life wonderfully by some very game actors.
8. Hachikō Monogatari (1987)
Image Credit: Shochiku-Fuji Company.
Hachikō Monogatari, remade in the US as Hachi: A Dog's Tale in 2009, tells an equally sweet and sad story about the bond between an Akita and his owner. The movie tracks their relationship from the eponymous Hachikō's time as a puppy to the owner's untimely death. But that's not where the story ends. Instead, we see Hachikō continue to wait for his owner at the same train station where he used to meet him every day after work for years. It's only more adorable and devastating when you learn that the movie is based on a true story.
9. Red Dog (2011)
Image Credit: Roadshow Film Distributors.
Another true story movie, Red Dog, tells the story of a dog, simply called Red Dog, who traveled all over the Pilbara region of Western Australia searching for his master, who died in an accident. But through his travels, Red Dog becomes a folk hero, as everyone in the area knows and loves him. It's another bittersweet movie that will undoubtedly pull at your heartstrings.
10. Up (2009)
Image Credit: Walt Disney Pictures.
Up isn't entirely centered on dogs, but they play a significant role in the movie, so it makes sense that some film fans highlight it as one of the best dog movies. The story follows a young "wilderness explorer" and an elderly widower as they journey to a waterfall the widower planned to see with his wife before she died. The dogs arrive when the two adventurers meet Dug (Bob Peterson), who can talk because of a special collar. But things get more complicated when they learn that Dug is just one of many such dogs, most of whom aren't as friendly.
11. The Ugly Dachshund (1966)
Image Credit: Buena Vista Distribution.
The Ugly Dachshund is a delightfully silly comedy about a Great Dane puppy that grows up with Dachshunds and starts to think he is one. The movie centers on the relationship between a married couple who adopt a Great Dane puppy when his mother won't nurse him and add him to their litter of Dachshunds. The only problem is that the Dachshund puppies are mischievous little ones and continually create havoc that is blamed on the bigger dog.
12. Cujo (1983)
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
Not all movies about dogs are about them being, or even becoming, good. Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, Cujo tells the story of a sweet St. Bernard who contracts rabies after a rabid bat bites him. The movie is an all-out creature feature that's one of the most terrifying adaptations of King's work. Source: Reddit.
These Dogs Make Great Pets
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Dog Breeds are very different. Some breeds are ideal for family pets, while others are best for adult-only households. From catching rodents to tracking to keeping someone's lap warm, dog breeds evolved to accommodate different tasks over time.
