Movies for Dog Lovers: Ultimate Guide |
The Ultimate Guide to Movies for DOG LOVERS - Man's best friend and cinema's most loved animal, dog lovers all know the dreaded feeling of wondering whether the dog will last until the credits roll? All too often, movies kill our furry friends off in a heartbreaking ending. While we love tear-jerkers, sometimes we want a more heartwarming experience.
Check out our list of the top dog movies to grace the big screen.
Movies for Dog Lovers | 1943 - 2022
LASSIE COME HOME - 1943
94% TOMATOMETER
76% AUDIENCE SCORE
Set in Yorkshire, England, during the depression, Lassie Come Home is the first of seven Lassie films. It tells the story of Yorkshire boy Joe Carraclough and his collie, Lassie. The character Lassie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame shortly after the film's release. The film also went on to spawn one of the longest-running TV shows of all time, Lassie.
LADY AND THE TRAMP - 1955
93% TOMATOMETER
80% AUDIENCE SCORE
Another Disney animated dog movie, Lady and the Tramp, follows the pampered cocker spaniel (Lady) as she feels abandoned once her owners have a baby. Finding herself loose on the streets, she befriends the stray mutt Tramp and romance ensues. It's a child-friendly, entertaining family film for all dog lovers.
OLD YELLER - 1957
100% TOMATOMETER
79% AUDIENCE SCORE
Perhaps one of the most famous dog movies of all time (and the saddest), Old Yeller has been a favorite of many for the last 60 years. It's a coming-of-age movie about a boy and stray dog in post-civil war Texas. It'll definitely pull your heartstrings, but it's a much-watch movie if you feel emotionally prepared. Watch it for the loving bond between canine and human, if nothing else.
THE SHAGGY DOG - 1959
68% TOMATOMETER
48% AUDIENCE SCORE
The Shaggy Dog tells the heartwarming and funny story of a boy transforming into a sheepdog. Since the original movie came out, we've seen a 1987 television sequel, a 1994 television remake, and a 2006 live-action remake. The Shaggy Dog is one of the most popular Disney movies of the last century and certainly an enjoyable dog film for kids.
TURNER & HOOCH - 1989
50% TOMATOMETER
51% AUDIENCE SCORE
As Tom Hanks and his slobbering Dogue de Bordeaux work together to solve a murder, your heart will warm at the enchanting duo. Perhaps it's less of a tear-jerker than others on this list, but the ending will probably require a box of tissues.
ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS - 1961
98% TOMATOMETER
76% AUDIENCE SCORE
The 1961 animated One Hundred and One Dalmatians is one of the most popular movies of all time. Loved by kids and adults alike, no dog movie list is complete without this Disney classic. While there are many story variations, this original Disney movie is the most iconic. Rod Taylor voices Pongo, Cate Bauer as Perdita, and Betty Lou Gerson plays the villainous Cruella DeVil.
WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS - 1974
0% TOMATOMETER
74% AUDIENCE SCORE
Where The Red Fern Grows might be one of the hardest and most sad dog movies ever made. The story follows a twelve-year-old boy called Billy who is desperate for a dog he can hunt with. As the film unfolds, Billy works hard to earn enough money to adopt Old Dan and Little Ann. However, as the inevitable credits draw closer, the pups die within a week of each other, breaking the viewer's hearts.
THE PLAGUE DOGS - 1982
63% TOMATOMETER
90% AUDIENCE SCORE
The Plague Dogs was a lesser-known novel by Richard Adams (Watership Down). This 1982 adaption to the big screen will traumatize younger, and older viewers alike as Rowf and Snitter escape a research lab and evade capture, leaving you on the edge of your seat.
WHITE FANG - 1991
65% TOMATOMETER
63% AUDIENCE SCORE
Yet another Jack London-inspired Disney film, White Fang, features a young man (played by Ethan Hawke) rescuing a half-wolf, half-dog played by Jed, from an abusive handler. While the film does have a few dogs dying, the title character survived to make a sequel. Also, dog lovers should watch with caution-even if White Fang survives, there are a few abusive scenes.
BEETHOVEN - 1992
31% TOMATOMETER
35% AUDIENCE SCORE
We've already mentioned the star of Beethoven-Chris the St. Bernard-in this family comedy. Named after the famous composer, Beethoven brings his human family closer together, stops an abusive vet, and survives seven sequels.
HOMEWARD BOUND: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY - 1993
87% TOMATOMETER
71% AUDIENCE SCORE
The Incredible Journey tells the story of three animals braving harsh terrain to reunite with their loving owners. Starring Michael J. Fox as Chance the bulldog, Don Ameche as the old golden retriever Shadow, and Sally Field as a cat called Sassy.To put your mind at ease: all three pets make it home, but there are a few tear-jerking scenes.
BALTO - 1995
56% TOMATOMETER
70% AUDIENCE SCORE
With Kevin Bacon and Phil Collins bringing this animated movie to life, Balto follows a wolf-dog hybrid as he embarks on a dangerous adventure in Alaska. Loosely based on a true story, there was once a dog called Balto saving children infected with diphtheria in 1925.
FLUKE - 1995
25% TOMATOMETER
69% AUDIENCE SCORE
When Matthew Modine dies in a car crash, he comes back to life as a golden retriever. The film was based on a novel of the same name by horror writer James Herbert. Far from being a horror movie, the film's ending will have you sobbing.
101 DALMATIANS - 1996
41% TOMATOMETER
40% AUDIENCE SCORE
A live-action update of Disney's 1961 classic, 101 Dalmatians, follows many puppies escaping evil Cruella DeVil's plans. While the animated version is excellent, seeing 101 real puppies is more satisfying. With an all-star cast, including Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, and Hugh Laurie, 101 Dalmatians is a film worth watching again and again.
AIRBUD - 1997
45% TOMATOMETER
38% AUDIENCE SCORE
The similarly famous Golden Retriever Buddy escapes his circus owner to live with a 12-year-old, becoming this school's basketball team champion. While the plot is a little far-fetched, it's an enjoyable family-friendly movie where all animals survive and thrive.
BEST IN SHOW - 2000
93% TOMATOMETER
89% AUDIENCE SCORE
Best in Show is a comedy mockumentary featuring the owners of five show dogs heading for a national competition. The film follows their 'behind the scenes' navigation of the cut-throat world of show dog competitions.
MY DOG SKIP 2000
73% TOMATOMETER
68% AUDIENCE SCORE
My Dog Skip won Best Family Film at the 2001 Critics Choice Awards, deservedly so. This comedy-drama tells the story of a nine-year-old boy and his bond with his dog. My Dog Skip stars Luke Wilson and Kevin Bacon. It's a heartwarming and heart-wrenching film based on an autobiographical book of the same name.
WALLACE AND GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT - 2005
95% TOMATOMETER
79% AUDIENCE SCORE
Wallace and Gromit are an iconic duo that has graced the big and small screens since 1989. Using stop-motion, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit took five years to make. While Gromit doesn't have any actual lines, his eye-rolling and comic timing make him the star of this feature-length movie.
EIGHT BELOW - 2006
73% TOMATOMETER
79% AUDIENCE SCORE
Winning an ASCAP Award at the ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards, Eight Below tells the true family-friendly story of Jerry Shephard in the Antarctic. Shepherd ventures out into the ice with his sled dogs to find a rare meteorite and faces terrifying weather conditions and must choose between his dogs and his life.
BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA - 2008
40% TOMATOMETER
51% AUDIENCE SCORE
The first in a trilogy, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, is perfect for children five years old and up. It's an upbeat, talking-animal adventure following Papi and his friends. In the first film, Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) is dognapped in Mexico and awaits rescue from Papi (voiced by George Lopez), harboring a massive crush on the female chihuahua.
BOLT - 2008
89% TOMATOMETER
74% AUDIENCE SCORE
Bolt is an animated comedy packed with action, starring Miley Cyrus and John Travolta. It explores the love between pet and owner as Bolt, a superhero movie star, escapes the set and discovers real life is not the same as living in a movie. Bolt is entertaining and a joy for all the family to watch.
MARLEY AND ME - 2008
63% TOMATOMETER
75% AUDIENCE SCORE
Marley and Me is one of the all-time saddest dog movies. When two journalists raise a labrador pup only to euthanize him at the movie's end, you won't be able to stop the tears coming. What makes this movie even more depressing is that it follows a true story. However, it does have its light comedic moments so that you won't sob your way through the entire two hours.
DOLITTLE: MILLION DOLLAR MUTTS - 2009
0% TOMATOMETER
51% AUDIENCE SCORE
The fifth in a series of Dr. Dolittle movies, Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts, follows Maya Dolittle and her beloved Lucky as they start their TV show 'The Animal Talkers' before becoming a vet. The entire Dr. Dolittle series is perfect for young dog lovers and parents alike.
HACHI: A DOG'S TALE - 2009
64% TOMATOMETER
84% AUDIENCE SCORE
Another true story, Hachi: A Dog's Tale, is about a professor (Richard Gere) who befriends a lost Akita puppy at a train station. Human and animal form an immediate bond, and Gere welcomes the dog into his home. It follows the real-life of a 1920s Japanese Akita named Hachiko. Have the tissues ready for this movie.
UP - 2009
98% TOMATOMETER
90% AUDIENCE SCORE
While Up isn't a dog movie, its cartoon dog Dug definitely steals the limelight. Up received five Academy Award nominations and two wins: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score, and has since become a classic. Thanks to his unique collar, Dug can talk-or at least say "squirrel!" a lot.
MARMADUKE - 2010
9% TOMATOMETER
42% AUDIENCE SCORE
Marmaduke is a 2010 live-action comedy based on a comic strip. The film focuses on a Kansas family and their Great Dane Marmaduke (voiced by Owen Wilson). The family moves to California, where Marmaduke has to negotiate with local gangs in LA. Heartwarming, funny, and entertaining, don't give Marmaduke a miss.
THE ARTIST - 2011
95% TOMATOMETER
87% AUDIENCE SCORE
The Artist is a French drama romance film in black and white, earning nominations and wins across the board, including an Oscar for Best Picture. The show's real star is the Jack Russell Terrier, played by Uggie. If you can't get enough of Uggie, watch his show-stealing red carpet appearances.
SUPPER BUDDIES - 2013
0% TOMATOMETER
50% AUDIENCE SCORE
Starring Zendaya, Super Buddies tells the story of five golden retrievers developing superpowers and using their newfound abilities to save the Earth. It's the final film in the Air Buddies franchise, starring our beloved dog Buddy and starting with the iconic 1997 film Air Bud.
MAX - 2015
38% TOMATOMETER
70% AUDIENCE SCORE
Loosely based on a true story, Max follows the titular Belgian shepherd grieving the loss of U.S. Marine Kyle Wincott as he goes to live with the fallen soldier's family. It's a beautiful story and an inspiring tale of a heroic hound coping with post-traumatic behavior. It's a tear-jerker, but man's best friend survives.
HEART OF A DOG - 2015
96% TOMATOMETER
64% AUDIENCE SCORE
Heart of a Dog is a documentary exploring the remembrances of musician Laurie Anderson as she looks back on the deaths of her husband, mother, and beloved dog. While it's not as happy as some of our other picks, it's one of the most beautiful pieces of cinema in existence. The music, as you would expect, is exquisite.
RED DOG: TRUE BLUE - 2016
100% TOMATOMETER
69% AUDIENCE SCORE
Starring Jason Isaacs, Byran Brown, and Lee Miller, Red Dog: True Blue is the story of 11-year-old Mick befriending a dog and embarking on life-changing adventures. The film's sequel, Red Dog, came out in 2012 and is based on the true story of the Red Dog finding his master.
PICK OF THE LITTER - 2018
97% TOMATOMETER
90% AUDIENCE SCORE
While it's not aimed at children, Pick of the Litter is tame enough for all ages. The documentary is positive and educational, sharing how puppies become trained guide dogs. Kids (and adults) will learn a lot from watching Pick of the Litter.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN - 2019
44% TOMATOMETER
96% AUDIENCE SCORE
Not only does the dog face hardship in The Art of Racing in the Rain (spoiler: he dies), but the female lead suffers a fatal diagnosis. It's told from the dog's point of view and is bound to get the waterworks flowing. It's inspiring and original and very, very sad.
THE CALL OF THE WILD - 2020
63% TOMATOMETER
89% AUDIENCE SCORE
Jack London's iconic novel, The Call of The Wild, sparked this recent movie starring a CGI dog, Buck, and Harrison Ford. The film follows Buck's evolution from a spoiled pet into a champion sled dog before becoming a wild creature in the late 19th century. While it might disappoint some viewers that Buck was, in fact, human Terry Notary using motion capture, the relationship between Ford's character and the St. Bernard / Scotch Collie is powerful.
CATS & DOGS - 2001
53% TOMATOMETER
32% AUDIENCE SCORE
In keeping with the talking pets theme, this family-friendly action-comedy Cats & Dogs features Tobey Maguire and Alec Baldwin. The animals are intelligent enough to speak, operate machinery, learn martial arts and protect the human race. The movie tells the story of the age-old war between cats and dogs without any dog deaths.
DOG - 2022
77% TOMATOMETER
89% AUDIENCE SCORE
A former US Army Ranger with PTSD must escort his comrade's dog (Lulu) to his funeral, after which they must euthanize the dog. While it ultimately has a happier ending, this tear-jerker will leave you sobbing throughout as you wait to see what happens to Lulu.
MOVIES FOR DOG LOVERS
WHAT IS THE SADDEST DOG MOVIE EVER?
Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows, and Marley and Me all compete for the title of saddest-ever dog movie. While they're brilliant films, they're definitely our top tear-jerkers. If you would prefer something where the dog doesn't die, check out our list of heartwarming dog movies, such as Max or Air Bud.
WHO IS THE MOST FAMOUS MOVIE DOG?
Marley (Marley and Me), Beethoven (Beethoven), and Toto (The Wizard of Oz) are some of the most famous dogs to grace our screens. Of course, animated puppies are well known and loved too-who could forget the dalmatians in One Hundred and One Dalmatians or Scooby-Doo?
WHO IS THE MOST FAMOUS TV DOG?
From the seven films and long-running TV show, Lassie is arguably the most famous canine actor of all time. The collie Pal (1943) played the original Lassie, and a direct descendent of Pal has played every Lassie since.
AN EVOLUTION OF DOG MOVIES
Lumiere Brothers
We can trace the history of dogs in cinema back to 1895 and the first-ever paid-for film show by the Lumiere brothers. In the early days, dogs in films were incidental. Many are strays, strutting into view without a thought to the watchful camera. However, it wasn't long before dogs became movie stars in their own right. Throughout the 1920s, acting dogs took off in Hollywood. Estimates suggest that there were around 80 German shepherd actors in Hollywood during the height of the phase.
Rin-tin-tin
The most famous dog celebrity was Rin-tin-tin, an international star rescued from French battlefields in 1918. He performed in 23 films and was a box office phenomenon. In fact, Rin-tin-tin saved Warner Bros from bankruptcy. As the world of cinema progressed from silent movies to talkies, dog actors took off. In the last 80 years, dogs have primarily played a symbolic role in films. A well-trained wire fox terrier, Skippy, started this trend in the mid-1930s. Starring as Asta in The Thin Man, Mr. Smith in The Awful Truth, and George in Bringing Up Baby, Skippy's career spanned ten years.
Dogs have played a part on our screens since the dawn of cinema. In recent years, dog trends include the small yappy dog, such as Reese Witherspoon's chihuahua Bruiser in Legally Blonde, and the killing of dogs for shock effect-something many dog-lovers avoid.
THE MOST FAMOUS DOGS IN FILM HISTORY
Names like Tom Hanks, Marilyn Monroe, and Robert De Niro are legendary. Dogs don't often get the same recognition as humans. Yet, dogs work hard to produce classic movies. So who are the dog actors behind our favorite films? While we might rarely see these dogs walk the red carpet, their salaries are enviable. Terry and Pal both earned a lot more than their human co-stars and were responsible for some of the world's most loved dog movies.
"DOES THE DOG DIE?"
As dog-lovers, watching a movie only for the dog to die in the end feels like a betrayal. Films like Marley and Me or Old Yeller are to blame for the emotional risk of heading to the cinema. Here are our top dog movies without any canine deaths.
HOW TO WATCH THESE MOVIES
Login to your favourite television streaming service (ie Netflix), and go to SEARCH. Enter the name of the film, watch and enjoy. Some of the movies are available on YouTube Movies, stream.how (Amazon),
ARTICLE SOURCE
The Ultimate Guide to Movies for DOG LOVERS
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Indepenent reviews and ratings by www.rottentomatoes.com
% TOMATOMETER (Reviews)
% AUDIENCE SCORE (Verified Ratings)
Not all movies listed are "dog"movies. Some include dogs as characters.
Some movies have multiple years and sequels.
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