Favorite Dogs in Movies and TV

I grew up watching Lassie shows, but in no episode did I ever feel true pain or feel really close to the ol’ girl. Not like when I got to a certain chapter in Where The Red Fern Grows, or Marley and Me. No, I never messy-cried with Lassy. And while I don’t think a movie’s ability to make you cry should be a factor in how good it is, it certainly speaks to the degree that the movie has developed your connection to the characters. 

Dogs have always been able to push our emotional buttons and a good dog actor can really make or break a movie. Protect My Paws analyzed data from IMDb data to determine the most-filmed dog breeds in movies and TV shows from the past century. Check out their infographic below!

Which canine-actor breed is your favorite? The movies and TV shows below are some of my personal favorites for various reasons, chief among them is their amazing iconic dogs and famous Hollywood dog actors and actresses! Let me know if there’s anything you think I missed!

First Place: Homeward Bound

This has to be number one, no exceptions. This is undeniably one of the best dog movies of all time and tells about an incredible journey. I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more. Bonus: Watch how Max’s character happily wags his tail while reciting, “No, my owner needs me. I’m going home.”

Second Place: Turner and Hooch

Turner & Hooch is my personal favorite, a cop-buddy classic with a lovable beast of a dog. And the acting? Superb (Tom Hanks was alright, too, I guess).

Third Place: The Fox and the Hound

Lovable movie, brutal finish. This is not a happy ending in my eyes.

Fourth Place: Air Bud
Name a better movie on dog's contribution to sports, I'll wait. Air Bud is as good a sports role model as Michael Jordan, Shaq, and Stephen Curry!

Side Note: Can you imagine telling your Dad you lost your starting spot on the basketball team because a dog outplayed you? 

Fifth Place: Marley and Me

Instant Classic. Yes, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are great, but the pooch, Marley, is the star. If you’re a dog owner to a lab, you know this is a spot-on representation of lab ownership and a dog and a man being best friends. Touching and genuine, funny and heart-wrenching.

Sixth Place: Frasier

Just because Eddie is a great pup, I think this deserves an honorable mention.

Seventh Place: Lassie

Just because this show never made me cry doesn’t mean it isn’t a mainstay. There are very few shows for dogs, but I have a feeling that any pup from the Collie family can look back and be proud of Lassie and the legacy of her work.

Eighth Place: Game of Thrones

Simply put, the Direwolves of the Stark Family are amazing. I don’t care that you hardly see them I’d watch a spin-off of Ghost if I could. And as far as dog names from tv shows goes, Ghost and Grey Wind take the bone-in stag cake and are best in show!

Ninth Place: Secret Life of Pets

The voices on this movie are hilarious. Another animated film made for kids that totally works for adults, in my opinion.

Tenth Place: Old Yeller/Where The Red Fern Grows

We've got to pay some homage to the old dog movies that have kick-started entire generations of emotional dog-centric cinema! I’m lumping these two together at the end, but not because they aren’t great movies. I am putting them here because I read the books and was so shell-shocked that I couldn’t bring myself to cry my way through the movies. No thanks, written trauma was enough for me.

Did you like our list of dog movies? Did we miss some films about dogs that you really love? Let us know in the comments and tell us why you loved it!