36 Awesome Dog Movies

beagle laying on a couch with a blanket and popcorn

Nothing beats sitting back and relaxing with a good movie. Whether you want something that makes you laugh, tugs at your heartstrings, or just want to enjoy a good story, there’s a dog movie out there that’s a perfect fit. If you’re looking for a dog movie to watch, here are a few awesome dog movies to get you started:

1. 101 Dalmatians

Whether you go with the animated classic or the live-action film, you can’t go wrong with 101 Dalmatians* (Amazon Affiliate Link). You’ll get plenty of canine and animal interaction and screentime as these puppies make their way through adventures and obstacles.

2. A Dog’s Purpose

A Dog’s Purpose* (Amazon Affiliate Link) follows a devoted dog as they are reincarnated over and over and grows up with different humans. They help their humans laugh, love, and get through life and, in the process, discover their own purpose.

3. Air Bud

Air Bud* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is the story of a Golden Retriever and a high school boy. They’re both a little broken when they find each other and build a relationship throughout the movie. You’ll fall in love with Buddy and find yourself hoping, cheering, and laughing along with his adventures.

4. All Dogs Go To Heaven

All Dogs Go To Heaven* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is another classic animated dog movie. This movie is all about getting another chance at life and how to use it.

With plenty of adventure, great music, and colorful characters, it’s hard not to fall in love with this story and cheer Charlie on as he decides between revenge or rescue.

5. Alpha

A film set in the Paleolithic era, Alpha* (Amazon Affiliate Link) tells the tale of Keda, a hunter-gatherer who is mistakenly abandoned by his tribe. While alone, he is attacked by wolves, but manages to injure one. Instead of killing the wolf, he gains the animal’s trust and nurses it back to health. Then, they set out to find their families, encountering many dangerous things along the way.

6. Balto

It’s hard to think about dog movies without bringing up Balto* (Amazon Affiliate Link). Although there are plenty of embellishments for entertainment purposes, this animated dog movie classic is based on a true story.

It follows the famous sled dog run that saved Nome, Alaska from a diphtheria outbreak in 1925. If the movie inspires you to want to travel to Alaska with your dog one day, make sure you start your research with an Alaska dog-friendly travel guide.

7. Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a movie based on a book by the same name. In this heartwarming story, a young lonely girl named Opal finds a fantastic friend in an orphaned dog that she rescues.

She gives the stray a home and names them Winn-Dixie. In return, Winn-Dixie gives Opal unconditional love and friendship. And, along the way, helps her open up to her family and the people around her. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal has an unforgettable summer and an unforgettable canine friend.

8. Beethoven

Beethoven* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is another dog movie classic. Thankfully, there are several movies in this franchise. So, there is plenty of content available after you fall in love with this fluffy, loving, and mischievous Saint Bernard.

9. Benji

Benji* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is another one of the classic dog movies and is another one of the most famous dogs. Benji is a hero that comes to the rescue at the perfect moment. He helps bring a family together and heal their broken relationships.

10. Best in Show

Best in Show* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a parody, a spoof, and a comedy focused on American dog shows. The fictional comedy is styled as a documentary takes us “behind the scenes” of competitive dog shows through the main characters.

The “mockumentary” follows a group of ruthless dog owners as they travel to the show, compete, and do almost anything to win. It also follows up with the characters post-competition to bring the ridiculousness full-circle.

11. Bolt

Bolt* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is one of Disney’s newer dog movies and it is a great movie to watch with the family. This canine is the star of a TV show and thinks his TV powers are real.

All is well and good until he accidentally ends up in the real world and not on a TV set. This movie allows you to join Bolt and his friends on the adventure to find his owner.

12. Eight Below

Eight Below* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a harrowing story that will take you on an emotional roller coaster as one Antarctic explorer does everything he can to rescue his sled dogs.

Brutal cold forces two explorers to leave their sled dogs behind to fend for their own survival during the most unforgiving Antarctic winter on the planet.

This movie follows Jerry as he fights for his own survival and also his incredible journey to reunite with and rescue his beloved sled dogs.

13. Finding Rin Tin Tin

Finding Rin Tin Tin* (Amazon Affiliate Link) tells the tale of a World War 1 American pilot Lee Duncan who was in France. While there, he found a German Shepherd puppy and named him Rin Tin Tin. After the war, Duncan brought Rin Tin Tin home to America and the German Shepard became one of the most beloved dogs in Hollywood.

14. Frankenweenie

If you’re looking for something more Halloween-themed, look no further than Frankenweenie* (Amazon Affiliate Link). This is the story of a young boy who uses a powerful science experience to bring his beloved dog back to life.

Directed by Time Burton, this supernatural horror-comedy is hilarious and offbeat as young Victor faces the unintended, and sometimes monstrous, consequences of resurrecting his recently deceased canine companion.

15. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale

Hachi: A Dog’s Tale* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a heartwarming movie about a professor and an Akita puppy that bond closely and grow together. Hachi, short for Hachiko, is a faithful friend and companion to Professor Parker.

So much so, that the dog alerts Parker of potential dangers and also accompanies him to and from the train station every day. The film centers around Hachi’s devotion and inspires the world.

16. Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a dog movie classic! It’s full of exciting adventure, emotional scenes, and is easily one of the most powerful stories of animal love and loyalty.

It’s a great option for the whole family and it will be hard not to fall in love with Chance, Sassy, and Shadow and cheer them on throughout their journey.

17. Iron Will

Iron Will* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is an action-packed dog adventure. A man enters a dog-sled race in a desperate attempt to save his family’s farm. The movie follows him and his team of dogs as they fight through incredible hardships and find real inner strength while racing from Winnipeg to St. Paul.

18. Isle of Dogs

Wes Anderson is known for his unique film style, and the Isle of Dogs* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is no different. This stop-motion animated film offers viewers an imaginative story about how dogs are exiled to another part of the world due to a canine-only flu. With distinctive characters, this film is heartwarming, funny, and delivers an important message.

19. K-9

In K-9* (Amazon Affiliate Link), a misfit police dog and a misfit police officer team up to chase a drug trafficker. Although the topic might seem serious at first, this dog movie is meant to be a hilarious comedy. As these two characters move through their adventures, they create a heartwarming tale that also provides a lot of laughs.

20. Lady and the Tramp

Lady and the Tramp* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a classic animated dog movie. Uptown girl Lady pairs up with street-wise stray Tramp for several adventures that will make you laugh, cry, and sigh.

21. Lassie

Lassie* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a classic dog movie and definitely one of the most famous dogs. This loyal dog often ends up on crazy adventures and taking on big obstacles in order to save the day.

22. Marley & Me

Marley & Me* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is all about a pair of newlyweds that adopt a puppy. Marley is a yellow Labrador Retriever puppy that gets into a lot of mischief throughout their life.

This movie will provide a lot of laughs, life lessons, and more as you follow along with this couple and their pooch as they navigate life’s ups and downs together.

23. Megan Leavey

Megan Leavey* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is an awesome dog movie that deals with some heavier themes. It centers around Megan Leavey, a Marine Corporal, her dog, Rex, and their journey to an unbreakable bond and through wartime challenges and obstacles. This movie is based on a true life story and will take you on a roller coaster of emotions.

24. My Dog Skip

My Dog Skip* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a classic story about a boy, his dog, and their adventures together in small-town America during the mid-1900s. In this heartwarming story, a young Southern boy with a sensitive soul comes of age and learns valuable life lessons as he moves through life with his beloved canine companion.

25. Old Yeller

Old Yeller* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is another classic dog movie. This dog comes crashing into a family’s life as a stray and earns his place on the farm as well as part of the family.

26. Oliver & Company

Oliver & Company* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a classic Disney dog movie that doesn’t get nearly enough credit. The main character and storyline may follow a cat, but the dogs really make this cast of characters stand out.

27. Scooby-Doo

Scooby-Doo* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is an animated classic with a ton of content available for consumption. In addition to the long-running series following Scooby and the Gang, there are also several movies to choose from both in classic animation and live-action with a CGI Scooby.

28. Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero

Sgt. Stubby was a stray dog that joined U.S. soldiers on the battlefields during World War I. Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is an animated story based on that true and poignant tale from U.S. History. To this day, Sergeant Stubby is still recognized as the most decorated dog in American history.

29. The Adventures of Milo and Otis

In The Adventures of Milo and Otis* (Amazon Affiliate Link), you can follow along as a young cat and a Pug find themselves away from home.

30. The Art of Racing in the Rain

In The Art of Racing in the Rain* (Amazon Affiliate Link), Enzo the Golden Retriever is our narrator. His owner is an aspiring Formula One racecar driver. As Enzo experiences life with his owner, Enzo learns, and lets us know, how to apply techniques needed on the racetrack to navigate successfully through life. It’s a heartfelt, emotional, and philosophical story where our canine friend can teach us a lot about being human.

31. The Fox and the Hound

The Fox and the Hound* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a classic animated movie about animal friendship. Can a fox and a hound dog overcome their nature, their training, and their owners to stay friends as they grow up? That’s what this movie is all about.

32. The Great Alaskan Race

Another movie about Siberian Husky sled dogs, The Great Alaskan Race* (Amazon Affiliate Link) highlights the dogs who must lead their musher through harrowing conditions in order to deliver life-saving diphtheria medication. Based on a true story, this story of Togo and Balto is often seen as a companion film to the animated film Balto.

33. The Secret Life of Pets

The Secret Life of Pets* (Amazon Affiliate Link) follows a happy terrier named Max whose life is upended when his owner adopts a stray dog named Duke. Follow along with both dogs and a cast of canine, feline, and other animal characters as they overcome obstacles and try to find a way to coexist at home.

34. Turner and Hooch

Turner and Hooch* (Amazon Affiliate Link) pairs police movies and dog movies perfectly. Tom Hanks plays a police officer who adopts Hooch, a Dogue de Bordeaux. The comedy and hilarious chaos ensue throughout the movie as these two go on adventures, solve cases, and generally just try to get used to each other.

35. Up

While this movie is not technically a dog movie, there are plenty of dog performances. Up* (Amazon Affiliate Link) tells the story of an elderly gentleman who uproots his home with a thousand balloons and accidentally brings a young boy along. A lovable mutt named Dug comes into their adventure and will bring you plenty of laughs.

36. White Fang

Adapted from the Jack London novel, White Fang* (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a story about a young gold prospector in Alaska. There, he befriends a wolf-dog named White Fang. While the story is brutal, it is still a heartwarming tale of how humans and animals can work together and build a friendship of trust.

Nothing beats awesome dog movies! This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but it’s a good place to start if you’re blanking on which dog movie to watch next. What’s your favorite dog movie?

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