It’s a well-known fact that if a movie centers around a dog, there’s a good chance it will tearfully endwith the dog’s death. FromOld YellertoMarley & Me, beloved dogs have been dying on screen for decades. Dogs are such a special part of many peoples’ lives, and their movie portrayals capture just how important they can be to a person. If you want to watch a dog-centric movie without worrying about getting your heart broken, here are nine great choices.
9Air Bud (1997)
Air Budis a fun family movie about Josh, a young boy who has moved to a new town. While practicing basketball, he meets a Golden Retriever who ran away from an abusive owner. When Josh discovers the dog, Buddy, can play basketball, the two become teammates. Buddy also becomes Josh’s friend, and helps him after his father’s death. This cute movie alsolaunched a large franchise, so if you enjoy this one, there’s plenty more.
8Lassie (2005)
Lassieis based on the novelLassie Come Home, which has seen many adaptations. It tells the story of the Carraclough family, who sell their dog, Lassie, to a local Duke. The Duke’s servant is unkind to Lassie, and she constantly escapes to go back to her family. After the Duke takes her to the Scottish highlands, Lassie travels 500 miles back to her family. Her journey is tense and dangerous, but all the stress is worth it to see their emotional reunion and happy ending.
7The Call of the Wild (2020)
InTheCall of the Wild, an adaptation of the Jack London novel,Harrison Ford starsas John, a frontiersman in the 19th century. While on a voyage to the Yukon, John meets a dog named Buck, and saves him from being shot. The two then form a bond, and Buck enjoys their lives while being drawn to a wolf in the woods. The movie lets Buck shine through his adventures, and stuns with gorgeous shots of the wilderness, before reaching its emotional end.
Related:These Are the Best Dog Movies of All Time
6Beethoven (1992)
Beethovenfeatures a large and lovable St. Bernard as the title dog. He sneaks into the Newton family’s home as a puppy, and becomes a member of the family as he grows. The family loves his fun, sometimes destructive nature, but father George is reluctant at first. However, when an evil vet wants to kill Beethoven, George realizes how much he means to the family and rescues him. It’s a light-hearted family movie with what Collider considers one ofthe best dog performances.
5Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journeyfocuses on two dogs and a cat – Chance, Shadow, and Sassy – who are brought to a ranch when their owners have to move. After a mix-up leaves them without a caretaker, Shadow leads the group back to their owners, starting off a nail-biting journey back home. What really makes the movie special is that the animals talk, which brings humor and lets us see the world through them as proper characters.
4White Fang (1991)
Another Jack London adaptation,White Fangbrings to life the bond between Jack (Ethan Hawke), a young gold prospector, and his wolfdog, White Fang. White Fang shows his strength early when he saves Jack from a bear attack, and is later taken from Jack and put into dog fights. Similar toThe Call of the Wild, it has beautiful snowy landscapes, and also has a nice take on the human-dog connection, as Jack helps White Fang recover from the abuse of the fights.
3Dog (2022)
Dogstars Channing Tatum as Jackson, an army veteran with brain damage from war. To get a better job, he makes a deal with his former officer to bring a service dog, Lulu, to a soldier’s funeral. Lulu is also suffering from PTSD, like Jackson, and the two form a bond on the journey. It has funny moments, while still dealing with serious topics like PTSD and the hardships that veterans face. According to Entertainment Weekly, Tatum based the movie ona road trip with his real-life dog, and gives the movie all the touching emotion it needs.
Related:Channing Tatum’s Best Performances, Ranked
2Isle of Dogs (2018)
Isle of Dogsis astop-motion animated moviethat features a variety of dogs. After a canine flu hits Japan, the Mayor sends all dogs to a trash island. One of the dogs is Spots, friend and bodyguard to Atari. Atari then sets out to find his old dog, while trying to stop the Mayor from eliminating the entire dog population. It’s an ambitious movie with many messages about greed, but it’s still a heartwarming dog movie with great, adorable animation.
1Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)
Because of Winn-Dixieis a great movie that shows the power of a dog to help people. Opal (AnnaSophia Robb) is a young girl who feels lonely after moving to Florida. In the Winn-Dixie grocery store, she finds a stray dog causing chaos. To prevent the dog from being taken to a pound, she claims it as her own. Winn-Dixie helps her make new friends, while also helping her strained relationship with her father. It’s a fun movie with a lot of emotion, particularly in the ending.
