10 Feel-Good Dog Movies To Watch With Your Canine Companion

group of three friends watching tv on couch at night eating potato chips. Photo: rez-art (Getty)

There’s more than enough things to watch alone in your bathrobe with a box of tissues, but there’s a short list of dog movies that are suitable to watch with your canine companion. Warner Bros. just green-lit Super Pets, based on the animals of the Justice League, so clearly our timing is impeccable.

Now, to be clear, just because there’s a dog in a movie doesn’t mean it’s going to end well and you should be watching it with your pet. In fact, it rarely ends well. So here are our 10 recommendations for feel-good dog movies to watch with your furry friend.

More importantly, we could supply you with a list of dog movies not to watch. Like Cujo, Marley & Me, A Dog’s Purpose, Old Yeller or All Dogs Go to Heaven (and the sequel, however that got made).

Turner & Hooch

Anything Tom Hanks is a must-watch, but this is the epitome of canine companionship. Hanks can’t stand the dog, never had one and suddenly gets thrust into man’s best friendship, which leads to him solving his first murder case, getting promoted to chief and finding the love of his life (not the dog). Sounds like a home run to us. Just stop watching it when you see there’s 15 minutes left. Great ending though, still trying to figure out how Hooch made it with Lassie.

Beethoven

Ah yes, the reluctant father to a swarm of needy children who want a dog. Obviously, he gets roped into taking care of it and ends up almost having it put down (on accident, calm yourself) before saving the dog and having about five sequels. Charles Grodin certainly goes down as one the best movie dads, but he’s even better guest-starring on Louie.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

It’s a sappy movie about a sassy cat leading an old retriever and pit-mix pup into the great unknown. But it still makes us weep every time. Luckily, we have our dogs with us to wipe our snot on their convenient fur coats.

101 Dalamatians

A classic Disney movie with a pretty solid live-action remake starring Glenn Close. The Cruela DeVille prequel looks to be taking shape, but nothing tops the original 1961 movie.

The Adventures of Milo and Otis

If you have trouble choosing between cat and dog but also have a fear of flying to foreign countries, Milo and Otis will solve all yours problems. But this graphic does adequately illustrate our thoughts on the whole cat vs. dog conversation.

Lady and the Tramp

Another Disney classic staring down the barrel of a reboot, this is just one of those movies you can’t help but think of every time you cover your face in spaghetti. Justin Theroux is slated to be involved in the remake, most likely as the tramp.

Lassie (or Benji)

There is no boy’s best friend story better told than Lassie. Although, Timmy does get himself in a heap-load of trouble, leaving that poor dog to figure it out on her own. She’s like MacGyver without the opposable thumbs.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Alright, so this wasn’t the best graphic to entice you, but Ron Burgundy gets his dog back so you can just heel! In fact, the movie has other exotic creatures communicating at a higher level, like bears and Christina Applegate. The Mask makes for another non-dog movie with a furry friendship for the lead.

Bolt (or Up)

Anything animated involving dogs is pretty much going to win us over. There’s Bolt, Up, The Secret Life of Pets, Mr. Peabody & Sherman and Frankenweenie. There, that ought to keep you busy. 

Isle of Dogs

If you haven’t seen it, you must, as Wes Anderson is brilliant. Now, just so you know, it starts off a little dark but hang in there for the payoff. It’s got the usual obsessions of Anderson with the extra bonus of canine comedy. Sounds like another home run.