The 100+ Best Dog Movies Of All Time
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Voting Rules
Films must be about dogs or feature dogs / puppies as major characters
- 1Don Ameche, Michael J. Fox, Sally FieldEmbarking on a thrilling adventure in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, three beloved pets take the lead. Shadow, a wise old golden retriever (voiced by Don Ameche), Sassy, a witty Himalayan cat (voiced by Sally Field), and Chance, a reckless American bulldog (voiced by Michael J. Fox), are left in the care of a family friend. When they mistakenly believe their owners have abandoned them, they set out across the rugged Sierra Nevada terrain to reunite with their family. Battling treacherous conditions and wild animals along the way, their determination is tested at every step. This heartwarming tale underscores the power of friendship and loyalty in this family-friendly adventure film.
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- #33 of 200 onThe 195+ Greatest Adventure Movies
- #12 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- 2Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, Pearl BaileyIn the heart of Disney's animated feature, The Fox and the Hound, we follow Tod (Mickey Rooney), a red fox kit, and Copper (Kurt Russell), a hound dog puppy. The two forge an unlikely friendship that defies their natural instincts. As they grow, societal expectations force them onto diverging paths, testing their bond. This family-friendly drama, with its narrative rooted in loyalty and friendship, won acclaim for its storytelling. It is a compelling exploration of nature versus nurture, where characters are pitched against the world's harsh realities.
- #109 of 204 onMusical Movies With The Best Songs
- #41 of 448 onThe 400+ Best Animated Kids Movies
- #293 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- 3Ashley Judd, Jonah Hauer-King, Edward James OlmosAs a puppy, Bella finds her way into the arms of Lucas, a young man who gives her a good home. When Bella becomes separated from Lucas, she soon finds herself on an epic 400-mile journey to reunite with her beloved owner. Along the way, the lost but spirited dog touches the lives of an orphaned mountain lion, a down-on-his-luck veteran and some friendly strangers who happen to cross her path.More A Dog's Way Home
- #33 of 81 onThe Best New Kids' Movies Of The Last Few Years
- #19 of 33 onThe Highest Grossing Movies of 2019, Ranked
- #34 of 184 onThe 180+ Top Kids Movies
- 4Peggy Lee, Barbara Luddy, Larry RobertsThis Disney animated classic follows a pampered cocker spaniel named Lady (Barbara Luddy) whose comfortable life slips away once her owners have a baby. When, after some tense circumstances, Lady finds herself on the loose and out on the street, she is befriended and protected by the tough stray mutt Tramp (Larry Roberts). A romance begins to blossom between the two dogs, but their many differences, along with more drama at Lady's household, threaten to keep them apart.More Lady and the Tramp
- #43 of 204 onMusical Movies With The Best Songs
- #42 of 448 onThe 400+ Best Animated Kids Movies
- #7 of 136 onThe 100+ Best Movies For Date Night
- 5Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric DaneIn the heartwarming comedy-drama film Marley & Me, John Grogan (Owen Wilson) and his wife, Jennifer (Jennifer Aniston), navigate the challenges of marriage and journalism. In an attempt to test their readiness for parenthood, they adopt a Labrador Retriever puppy, Marley. The mischievous yet lovable Marley brings chaos and unexpected life lessons into their lives. This family-oriented movie is filled with humor and heartfelt moments, showing the profound impact one dog can have on a family unit. Directed by David Frankel, this film beautifully illustrates that even in the messiest situations, love prevails.More Marley & Me
- #24 of 59 onThe Best Movies Based on Non-Fiction Books
- #8 of 123 onThe Biggest Tearjerker Movies Of All Time
- #37 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- 6Paul Walker, Bruce Greenwood, Moon BloodgoodThe frozen wasteland of Antarctica serves as the background for a tale about the bonds of friendship and loyalty. Three members of a scientific expedition, Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker), his friend Cooper (Jason Biggs) and an American geologist (Bruce Greenwood), must leave their beloved sled dogs behind after a devastating accident and increasingly perilous weather conditions. Alone, the dogs struggle to survive the harsh Antarctic winter.More Eight Below
- #32 of 101 onThe Best Movies Of 2006
- #38 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- #44 of 59 onThe Best Disney Movies Starring Animals
- 7Rod Taylor, Betty Lou Gerson, Cate BauerIn 101 Dalmatians, Pongo and Perdita, two dalmatians living in London, become proud parents to a litter of adorable puppies. However, their joy quickly turns to concern when the infamous Cruella De Vil (Betty Lou Gerson), driven by her obsession with fur fashion, kidnaps the pups for her next fur coat. With the aid of various animals across the countryside, the dalmatians embark on a daring mission to rescue their stolen brood from Cruella's clutches.More 101 Dalmatians
- #191 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #35 of 450 onThe 400+ Best Animated Kids Movies
- #10 of 188 onThe 180+ Top Kids Movies
- 8Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Dean JonesWhen the family of George Newton (Charles Grodin) decides to adopt a cute St. Bernard puppy, the patriarch soon feels displaced by the dog. Before long, the adorable canine, dubbed Beethoven, has grown considerably, leading to household mishaps. While George's wife and kids dote on Beethoven, it takes time for him to see the pooch's finer qualities. However, Beethoven's life with the Newton family is jeopardized when a scheming vet (Dean Jones) tries to nab the dog for a deadly experiment.More Beethoven
- Dig Deeper...18 Grim Facts About The Life Of Beethoven You Never Learned As A Kid
- #81 of 188 onThe 180+ Top Kids Movies
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- 9Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker, Tommy KirkOld Yeller, a classic Disney film from the late 50s, spins a tale of friendship and survival in the Texas frontier. The story revolves around young Travis Coates (Tommy Kirk) who, while his father is away on a cattle drive, becomes the man of the house. His life takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with a stray dog named Old Yeller (Spike). Initially reluctant to accept this new member into their family, Travis soon realises Old Yeller's unwavering loyalty and courage. As they navigate through wild animal attacks and unpredictable hardships, an unbreakable bond forms between the boy and his dog. Notable for its vivid portrayal of frontier life, Old Yeller remains one of Disney's most endearing live-action films.More Old Yeller
- #59 of 288 onThe 250+ Best Western Movies Of All Time
- #3 of 123 onThe Biggest Tearjerker Movies Of All Time
- #48 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- 10
A Dog's Purpose
Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid, Peggy LiptonA Dog's Purpose is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Lasse Hallström, based on a 2010 novel by W. Bruce Cameron (who also co-wrote the screenplay). The film focuses on a dog whose life is shown from his birth to his death and to his reincarnation through four different dog breeds. - 11Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Joely RichardsonIn the heartwarming family film, 101 Dalmatians, you'll find yourself immersed in a world of canine capers and high-stakes adventure. Roger (Jeff Daniels) and Anita (Joely Richardson), two Londoners, are proud pet parents to Pongo and Perdita, two Dalmatians who become parents themselves to a litter of adorable puppies. However, the joy is short-lived as the villainous Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close), with her insatiable lust for a Dalmatian fur coat, sets her sights on their spotted offspring. The race against time begins when these innocent pups are kidnapped, leading Pongo and Perdita on a daring rescue mission across England. A classic tale of love and bravery that's sure to captivate all age groups with its mix of suspense, humor, and unforgettable characters.More 101 Dalmatians
- Dig Deeper...The Live Action 101 Dalmatians Is The Most Insane Fever Dream Of A Movie
- #267 of 379 onThe Best Movies Of The 1990s
- #87 of 375 onThe Best Movies Based On Books
- 12Joey Lawrence, Bette Midler, Billy JoelIn the animated musical film Oliver & Company, an orphaned kitten named Oliver (Joey Lawrence) gets lost in New York City. He finds unexpected companionship with a street-smart dog named Dodger (Billy Joel), and his ragtag group of canine friends. As Oliver navigates through adventures and dangers, he unexpectedly stumbles upon a wealthy little girl, Jenny (Natalie Gregory), who adopts him. However, their bond attracts the attention of a nefarious character, Sykes (Robert Loggia). The movie is known for its vibrant animation and memorable soundtrack, including Billy Joel's hit song Why Should I Worry?More Oliver & Company
- #85 of 204 onMusical Movies With The Best Songs
- #94 of 448 onThe 400+ Best Animated Kids Movies
- #251 of 399 onThe Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
- 13Emile Genest, John Drainie, Tommy TweedAn unlikely trio of pets -- aging bull terrier Bodger, spry Labrador retriever Luath, and Siamese cat Tao -- begin missing their owners after being dropped off for the summer with a friend of the family, John Longridge (Emile Genest), who lives across the country from them. Their loneliness becomes unbearable, however, when John leaves on an extended camping trip. The three animals resolve to find their way back home, no matter how difficult -- and even if that means journeying over 250 miles.
- 14
Max
Thomas Haden Church, Josh Wiggins, Luke Kleintank - 15John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie EssmanBolt is a captivating animation film that takes the audience on an exciting journey. The movie revolves around its canine protagonist, Bolt (voiced by John Travolta), who fully believes he has superpowers due to his role in a television show. Things take a turn when Bolt finds himself lost in New York City, far from his co-star and owner, Penny (Miley Cyrus). As he navigates through the real world, Bolt befriends a cynical alley cat named Mittens (Susie Essman) and a hamster named Rhino (Mark Walton). Together, they embark on an adventure filled with unexpected challenges and discoveries. This film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and showcases an enchanting blend of comedy, action, and heartfelt moments.More Bolt
- #108 of 450 onThe 400+ Best Animated Kids Movies
- #57 of 188 onThe 180+ Top Kids Movies
- #24 of 59 onThe Best Disney Movies Starring Animals
- 16Dudley Moore, Shigeru TsuyugushiThe Adventures of Milo and Otis is an Japanese adventure comedy-drama film about two animals, the titular characters, Milo and Otis. The original English version was released on June 27, 1986, and the restored English version was released on August 23, 1989. Initially filmed as Koneko Monogatari in the United States, United Kingdom, Kitakyūshū, Japan, the film was completely restored, trimmed and westernized with added narration by Dudley Moore. Director Masanori Hata and associate director Kon Ichikawa edited the film together from 400,000 feet of footage, which is roughly 40.3 hours, shot over a period of four years.
- #110 of 200 onThe 195+ Greatest Adventure Movies
- #54 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- #20 of 33 onThe Greatest Classic Films The Whole Family Will Love
- 17Dom DeLuise, Burt Reynolds, Daryl GilleyIn the animated feature All Dogs Go to Heaven, Charlie B. Barkin (Burt Reynolds) is a rogue German Shepherd with a charming spirit. After being killed by his former friend and business partner, Carface Carruthers (Vic Tayback), Charlie finds himself in heaven. Yet, he yearns for a second chance at life. He returns to earth, befriends an orphan girl who can talk to animals, Anne-Marie (Judith Barsi), and embarks on a mission of redemption. This film, filled with whimsical songs and quirky characters, offers a unique perspective on the age-old debate of good versus evil.
- Dig Deeper...Animation Is The Only Thing Keeping 'All Dogs Go to Heaven' In The Kids' Films Genre
- #134 of 204 onMusical Movies With The Best Songs
- #80 of 448 onThe 400+ Best Animated Kids Movies
- 18Tom Hanks, Mare Winningham, Craig T. NelsonIn the 1989 comedy-drama, 'Turner & Hooch', Scott Turner (Tom Hanks), a meticulous detective, finds his orderly life turned upside down when he inherits Hooch, a slobbering French Mastiff. The large and unruly dog was the only witness to the murder of his owner, Amos Reed (John McIntire). As Turner investigates the crime, he learns to adapt to the chaos Hooch brings into his life. The film is a delightful mix of mystery and humor as man and dog form an unlikely partnership to solve the case.More Turner & Hooch
- #103 of 399 onThe Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
- #23 of 83 onThe Best Movies Of 1989, Ranked
- #64 of 232 onThe Best '80s Comedy Movies, Ranked
- 19AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, Eva Marie SaintAbandoned by her mother years ago, Opal (AnnaSophia Robb), a 10-year-old girl, moves with her preacher father (Jeff Daniels) to a small town in Florida. Lonely and missing her old friends, Opal is ecstatic to find companionship with a rambunctious little dog she names Winn-Dixie, after the store where she found the pup. With Winn-Dixie's help, Opal befriends several colorful townsfolk (Cicely Tyson, Eva Marie Saint, Dave Matthews) and even begins mending her relationship with her father.
- #57 of 143 onThe Best Movies of 2005
- #74 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- #12 of 52 onThe Best Movies With A Little Girl Protagonist
- 20Klaus Maria Brandauer, Ethan Hawke, Seymour CasselThis adaptation of Jack London's wilderness tale focuses on young Jack Conroy (Ethan Hawke), who has arrived in Alaska to search for a gold mine. When Jack encounters White Fang, a dog/wolf hybrid who has been cruelly treated by his owner, Beauty Smith (James Remar), he rescues the canine from the jaws of death during a fight with a fierce bulldog. Aided by his friend Alex Larson (Klaus Maria Brandauer), Jack nurses White Fang back to health, and the animal becomes a close companion to the men.More White Fang
- #25 of 86 onThe Best Movies Of 1991, Ranked
- #82 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- #56 of 87 onThe Best Film Adaptations Of Young Adult Novels
- 21Tom Guiry, Helen Slater, Jon TenneyOn their way to start a new life at a sheep farm in rural Virginia, the Turner family are halted by a wreck on the highway that has claimed the life of a truck driver. Spotting the trucker's now-abandoned collie on the side of the road, they take pity on the dog and adopt her. As the city family copes with the change to rural life, including a feud with a neighboring farm family who resent the city interlopers, the ever-loyal Lassie helps them adjust to their new surroundings.More Lassie
- #64 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- #75 of 101 onThe 100+ Best Movies For 3-Year-Old Toddlers
- #13 of 82 onThe 75+ Best Live Action Animal Movies
- 22Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, Lisa KudrowAfter moving into a foster home that forbids pets, siblings Andi (Emma Roberts) and Bruce (Jake T. Austin) must quickly find a home for their dog, Friday. The resourceful pair find an abandoned hotel, and with the help of Bruce's mechanical skills, turn it into a pooch paradise for Friday and a number of strays. But when the inevitable barking makes neighbors suspicious, Andi and Bruce must find a way to hide their canine haven from prying eyes.
- 23Robert Hays, Kim Greist, Veronica LaurenThe Seaver family arrives at San Francisco International Airport to catch a flight to Canada. They check in their pets: Chance (Michael J. Fox), an American bulldog; Shadow (Ralph Waite), a golden retriever; and Sassy (Sally Field), a nervous cat. But the confused pets burst out of their carriers and escape to the city. There they fall in with a group of strays and struggle to avoid an overzealous dogcatcher. But when the trio tire of vagrancy, they set out to find their beloved owners.
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- #44 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- #31 of 59 onThe Best Disney Movies Starring Animals
- 24Miriam Margolyes, Lola Bates-Campbell, Kevin BaconIn this animated feature, a deadly diphtheria epidemic strikes the remote town of Nome, Alaska. With the life-saving medicine located hundreds of miles away, the residents decide to send out a sled-dog team. Balto (Kevin Bacon) -- a half-wolf dog ignored by all except a goose, Boris (Bob Hoskins), and two polar bears -- is chosen to run but is disqualified by lead dog Steele (Jim Cummings). When the other dogs get lost in the snow, Balto risks his life to rescue them and deliver the medicine.More Balto
- #96 of 450 onThe 400+ Best Animated Kids Movies
- #91 of 188 onThe 180+ Top Kids Movies
- #265 of 379 onThe Best Movies Of The 1990s
- 25Peter Breck, Chris Connelly, Patsy GarrettStray dog Benji doesn't need an owner, preferring to roam freely all over his friendly Texas town. He delights in hectoring the cat of a local widow (Frances Bavier), and can always rely on a kindly shopkeeper (Edgar Buchanan) for a handout. But, when two children Benji loves are kidnapped and held for ransom, the dog springs into action, taking it upon himself to foil the crooks and save the day. Along the way, he also falls in love with a beautiful Maltese named Tiffany.More Benji
- #72 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
- #157 of 188 onThe 180+ Top Kids Movies
- #91 of 168 onThe 165 Best Tearjerker Movies of All Time, Ranked
- 26Michael Jeter, Kevin Zegers, Wendy MakkenaDiffident in the wake of his father's death, high schooler Josh (Kevin Zegers) struggles to adapt to his new home in Washington state. That all changes, however, when he signs up to be the school basketball team's manager and discovers that his pet dog Bud, a stray golden retriever he took in, can play the sport amazingly well. After Bud joins the team, Josh's life brightens considerably, until the dog's former owner Norm Snively (Michael Jeter) returns in hopes of reclaiming the pooch.More Air Bud
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- #107 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
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- 27James Whitmore, Beverly Garland, Lonny ChapmanWhere the Red Fern Grows is a 1974 film directed by Norman Tokar, based on the 1961 novel of the same name. It stars James Whitmore, Beverly Garland, Stewart Petersen and Jack Ging.
- 28Michael Moriarty, Rod Steiger, Blake HeronYoung Marty Preston (Blake Heron) wants to keep a beagle dog that followed him home. He even names him Shiloh. Unfortunately, his father, Ray (Michael Moriarty), insists the pup be returned to its rightful owner, hunter Judd Travers (Scott Wilson), even though Judd abuses the dog. After Shiloh is abused again, he returns to Marty, who then hides him away in a backyard shed. But when a stray dog attacks and badly hurts Shiloh, Marty needs to turn to his father for help.
- 29Owen Wilson, Lee Pace, Judy GreerWith the help of his best feline friend, a lovable Great Dane named Marmaduke (Owen Wilson) helps his family (Lee Pace, Judy Greer) adjust to their new lives in Orange County, California. Although he is loving life and living large in The O.C., he is discovering that fitting in with his new pals at the dog park is not always easy.More Marmaduke
- #80 of 176 onThe 150+ Best Animal Movies
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- #34 of 82 onThe 75+ Best Live Action Animal Movies
- 30Cuba Gooding, James Coburn, SisqóWhen Miami dentist Ted Brooks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) finds out that he's been named in a will, he travels to Alaska to claim his inheritance. Once he gets there, however, his dreams turn to mush: he discovers he's been left a mischievous team of sled dogs -- who have got it in for him. Making matters even worse is the crusty mountain man Thunder Jack (James Coburn), who's also got it in for the city slicker. Wanting to claim the dogs for himself, Jack urges Ted to hotfoot it back to warmer climates.More Snow Dogs
- #174 of 207 onThe Best Sports Movies Ever Made
- #53 of 59 onThe Best Disney Movies Starring Animals
- #2 of 100 onThe Best Movies With Snow in the Title
