10 Best Dog Movies

In terms of domestic pets, dogs are perhaps the most beloved of all. In fact, most people who own a dog would consider them more than just a pet – they’re family. After all, they are loyal, smart, beautiful, and make for great companionship. And they range in shape, size and colour, meaning there is at least one kind of breed for everyone.

Moreover, they have amazing abilities to serve humans, from hunting, herding, aiding the police, aiding the disabled and therapeutic roles. It’s no wonder dogs have been given the common sobriquet of “a man’s best friend”.

Because of how popular the canine kind are, we’ve seen them frequently represented in a positive light through the media. Scooby-Doo has become one of the longest running dog characters of all time, whilst Lassie was such an icon within cinema, she was given her own Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

We’ve also seen many movies where a dog is the prime focus. Often, these are films which speak to dog lovers on a personal level, because they embody and showcase all the best characteristics and qualities about the domestic pet which we love. And here is just a selection of the best dog-focused movies of all time.

Whilst A Dog’s Purpose isn’t flawless, it does take a very risky storyline and convey it with real heart. Based on W. Bruce Cameron’s novel of the same name, the movie is told through the perspective of a dog who reincarnates through several different lives as a dog, each instance as a different breed and sometimes a different gender, in order to discover life’s purpose.

In his second life, a young boy named Ethan and his mother rescue him before he is killed by heatstroke. The bond between the young boy and the dog grows strong, but nature takes its course as Bailey dies of old age whilst Ethan is just a young man. The narrator wakes up to find they are a female German shepherd who works as a police dog. Through multiple lifetimes, the canine’s existence seems to intertwine with the boy who rescued him, and he realises that Ethan personally was his ultimate purpose.

The film might be on the melodramatic side, but if there’s one thing it does perfectly, it’s conveying all the best aspects of a dog. Throughout the movie, the main dog in question (who is never truly given an identity) is shown to be loyal, hard-working, comforting and always playful. It’s a reminder of how much we must never take our pets for granted because for all their lifetime, YOU will be their life.