Top Dog Movies

Lassie Come Home

One of the all-time classic dog films, this family favorite features a great cast, including Roddy McDowell and a very young Elizabeth Taylor. Of course, the real start of the film is the loyal collie dog named Lassie, determined to be reunited with her loving but poor family who are forced to sell her to a wealthy duke. Young and old alike love this classic. Make sure to keep the tissues handy. This film helped kick off a series of Lassie films and a television show.

Old Yeller

Another superb classic dog movie is Old Yeller. The simple storyline of a boy's reluctant adoption of a Mountain Cur dog that wandered onto the family's ranch becomes a loving and devoted tale of the bond the boy and dog share, which eventually helps the boy grow into a man. In case you somehow missed this legendary dog film, I won't give away the ending, but you might want to have two boxes of tissues for this one- it's been known to even make grown men cry. While the book states Old Yeller was of the Mountain Cur breed, the dog used in the movie was a yellow hound cross.

Benji

It's difficult not to love that shaggy-haired mutt known as Benji. While a beloved fixture of the town, he really gains respect when he helps find two kidnapped children and becomes a true canine hero. Benji was played by a 15-year-old mixed breed (believed to be terrier, poodle, and perhaps schnauzer and cocker spaniel as well) named Higgins that was rescued from an animal shelter in L.A. While this was sadly the last film for Higgins, you can also catch his antics in the classic television show Petticoat Junction.

Homeward Bound (1993 Walt Disney Version)

The adventures of a golden retriever named Shadow, a bulldog named Chance, and a Himalayan cat named Sassy, the movie follows the unlikely trio's journey in which they hope to be reunited with their family. This detailed and interesting review focuses on how the animals performed some of the amazing stunts in the film. The 1993 Walt Disney version is a remake of the original film adaptation, which was entitled The Incredible Journey, and was released in 1963.

Best in Show

To prove that not all great dog films are Walt Disney productions, this Christoper Guest mockumentary is definitely an adults-only affair with a wicked sense of humor. The world of dog shows and dog breeding is the focus of the movie, as the story follows several participants in the fictional Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. The human characters are colorful and eccentric, and the dogs are just plain adorable. As with most of Guest's films, most of the film's script was improvised, though the dogs were so well trained that according to IMDB, only one unscripted bark made it into the film.

Beethoven

Starring a lovable, slobbering, 185 pound St. Bernard, Beethoven adopts a family, who loves the clumsy but loyal beast, except for the father, played by Charles Grodin. But Beethoven, having just escaped dognappers, ends up the target of an evil veterinarian who conducts animal experiments. The father ends up being Beethoven's last hope. A huge hit, especially with kids, the only group not fans of the film were the American Veterinary Association, who protested the negative portrayal of the veterinarian in the movie by writing a letter to Jack Valenti, who was head of the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America).

Lady and the Tramp

This Walt Disney classic is a delight for the whole family. Featuring the unlikely romance of a purebred female cocker spaniel and a male mutt, the movie also includes one of animated film's most memorable scenes- when Lady and Tramp are dining on spaghetti at a restaurant and end up nibbling on the same strand, resulting in a sweet and tender kiss. Peggy Lee was the voice of the sinister Siamese cats and also helped with the film's score. Another bit of trivia: this was the first feature length animated movie to be filmed in the widescreen format.

Turner and Hooch

Amongst the best of the "cop and dog" movies, this film stars Tom Hanks as a detective and a French mastiff named Hooch. The neat freak detective finds himself stuck with Hooch, a not-so-well-behaved pooch. But the detective needs the dog in order to crack a murder case. Another feel-good film that's comic elements and sweet relationship between man and dog age well with time.

Eight Below

Based on the Japanese hit film Antarctica, this Walt Disney Studios adaptation centers on the beautiful but treacherous Antarctic wilderness, and the lives of eight dogs- six Siberian Huskies and two Malamutes- who unfortunately have been left behind at a research station by a sled dog trainer who was forced to evacuate because of a storm. A rescue mission is planned to save the beautiful dogs as they fight the very bitter cold and other dangers that the Antarctic region presents. In addition to the amazing scenery that the film is able to capture, the dogs in this film really steal the show by displaying their unique personalities. This is a family adventure film that older kids and adults will enjoy.

101 Dalmatians (1961 Original Version)

One of the all-time favorite animated dog films, this Walt Disney creation centers on the dalmatian couple Pongo and Perdita, who gives birth to a litter of puppies that are dognapped by one of the most memorable villains in all of animated history, Cruella DeVil. The original version is told from the dog's perspective, which was unique for its time period. Some dog movie-related trivia: Disney slipped in characters from Lady in the Tramp in the "twilight bark" scene. And one more bit of trivia- do you think the dog barks in the film sound authentic? They were done by Clarence Nash, the voice of Donald Duck! This spotted dog flick was the highest grossing film of 1961. A 1996 live-action adaptation featured Glenn Close as Cruella DeVil.