Dogs have been featured in movies for almost as long as movies have been around. Whether as plucky sidekicks or as unlikely protagonists, dogs have featured in movies across genres, countries, and decades. Dogs in movies bring a certain charm and innocence, even for audience members who aren't normally dog people.
While some movie-goers might roll their eyes at a film staring a precocious pup, there are certain movies that manage to overcome even this preference. Whether because they tell a great story independent of the canine character or because the dog in question is just that likable, some dog movies manage to win over even those who ordinarily couldn't care less.
10 Red Dog Is A Story About Love And Loyalty
Based on the true story, Red Dog tells the tale of a crossbreed between a kelpie and a cattle dog who was beloved by the people of the Pilbara region. When his previous owner fails to return home, he waits for days before searching for his master. His journey takes him across the Pilbara and beyond, only to return in dejection.
While Red Dog's search was seemingly for naught, people were moved by the dog's fervent loyalty. He died at the foot of his owner's grave some years later, and his story was chronicled by several authors. A statue of him still stands in Dampier to this day.
9
Oliver & Company Reinvents A Literary Classic
Folks who might not have the biggest opinions about dogs may change their minds by watching Oliver and Company, a Disney epic inspired by Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist. In the film, an orphaned kitten falls in line with a gang of dogs belonging to a New York City loan shark. When the kitten is adopted by a wealthy family and given the name Oliver, antics ensue.
What was once a story about the world of common crooks becomes one about bonds despite circumstances. Even if the viewer isn't the biggest fan of dogs, they can relate to the experience of being accepted by their special group in their small corner of the world.
8 Milo And Otis Transcends the Species Gap Through Sheer Cuteness
Friends can be found in the most unseemly of places, as demonstrated by this action-comedy drama. Filmed in Japan in 1986 and later re-dubbed overseas, MIlo and Otis tells the story of a tabby and pug living on a farm. When Milo accidentally drifts down the river in a box, Otis chases after him and a plethora of adventures begins.
The stakes in this film are as low as physically possible, with the events varying from the mundane to the mildly exciting, at least for humans. Seeing two small animals finding themselves in the situations that await them could only bring a smile to the viewer's face the whole way through.
7 Bolt Shows That Animals Can Be Heroes Too
When a show dog whose convinced that he has superpowers loses his beloved owner, it kick-starts the road trip of a lifetime. Bolt stars a white dog by the same name, who himself stars in a television show with his owner, Penny. After believing that Penny has been kidnapped, he accidentally ships himself across the United States and along the way makes friends on his way back to her.
Dog lovers and non-dog lovers alike will enjoy this harrowing tale of a delusional puppy coming to terms with who he truly is and learning about the real world he's never known. Bolt is a fish out of water story the likes of which had never been seen before during its time.
6 Fact Is Stranger Than Fiction In Hachiko Monogatari
Based on the famous true story of Hachiko, Hachiko Monogatari regales the viewer with the tale of the dog who shares the name of the film. A purebred male Akita named Hachiko is adopted by the Ueno family and develops an unbreakable bond with the father, Hidejiro Ueno. The dog becomes well known in Shibuya, waiting to greet Ueno when he returns home every day from work.
Hachiko's fate is a well-known story to people both in and outside Japan, and his memory lives on in Shibuya Station to this day. Anyone who loves animals will be touched by the dog's devotion to a master that never came home.
5 Lady And The Tramp Pulls At The Heartstrings
The 1950s Disney classic Lady and the Tramp tells the story of a cocker spaniel born in luxury named Lady and a stray mutt named Tramp. Although the two don't start on the right foot, dire circumstances bring them together and a bond is formed. This triumph over adversity is truly something to behold, as evidenced by the film's strong legacy which upholds even today.
One doesn't even need to be a dog lover or pet owner in general to enjoy Lady and the Tramp. Anyone with a passing interest in either animals or romance stories will find their seventy-six minutes spent watching this film well spent.
4 Cujo Is A Dog Hater's Dream Come True
For all the fervent dog lovers out there, the 1983 slasher horror Cujo will surely get brows furrowing while cat people will be raising theirs. Based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, the film follows the nightmarish killing spree of a rabid Saint Bernard in the fictional city of Castle Rock, Maine.
Dog people can still enjoy Cujo even if the antagonist is one of the cutest breeds around; it's not dog slander, after all. However, cat people can still point and enjoy what hopefully isn't their deep-seated fears or grievances about dogs coming to life. Even so, the cinematography and concept that makes Stephen King's stories so famous will keep any horror fan's attention.
3 101 Dalmatians Is Built On A Strong Foundation
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=1.5)
It's safe to say that almost everyone who's ever seen a movie has seen or at least knows of 101 Dalmatians. It tells the story of two London families, one human, and another canine, thwarting the insatiable greed of one Cruella de Vil.
Family is the root of everything in 101 Dalmations, from the first second to the last. Viewers can be enthralled by the wonderful animation while rooting for the one-hundred-and-one puppies to get back home. That, or they could root for Cruella, whose unfettered ambition is almost something to be admired, as supposedly evidenced by getting a film of her own in 2021.
2 The Secret Life of Pets Dives Into The World Of Animal Friends
Most pet owners wonder what kind of shenanigans their beloved companions get up to when they're not at home. The Secret Life of Pets answers this query in the wackiest way possible. When another dog, Duke, is adopted and enters Jack Russel Terrier Max's life, he seeks to return his peaceful and playful life to the status quo.
Throughout the movie, Max learns the value of friendships old and new in his quest to get rid of Duke and then ultimately rescue him. All kinds of pet owners will be able to relate in some way, as there are pets of all sorts running the show.
1 White Fang Shows How Nothing Is Defined By Birth
It's hard to forget that dogs and wolves are very similar both in appearance and behavior, but sometimes people do forget. The original White Fang novel from 1906 does a stunning job of portraying the rough life of one lone wolfdog living in the Yukon. It's a century-old timeless classic, hence why there's no wonder that Netflix released an adaptation in 2018.
White Fang is a story about things that are inherent in most, if not all, people: freedom, courage, trust, and adversity. Something about how viewers watch the titular canine grow from a vulnerable puppy into a powerful, loved guard dog despite everything is sure to appeal to anyone regardless of origin.