Everyone’s best friend is a dog. Dog owners understand the value of spending time with their cherished canine companions, whether playing fetch or taking a stroll together after a long day at the office. And nothing compares to having a cute dog by your side, mainly when it’s time for a family movie. What could be more interesting than some cute Disney dog movies with your dog at your side?
If you’ve ever watched a film and TV series with your dog present, you know that dogs genuinely focus on the screen—and it’s pretty doggone cute. Here we provide you this list of the best Disney dog films. So, start the heartwarming dog films that will likely make the whole family laugh and cry simultaneously.
We also included a few more mature canine films you may watch after the kids are in bed, just for fun.
20 Best Disney Dog Movies for All the Dog Lovers:
20. Eight Below
- Director: Frank Marshall
- Writer: Mike Rich, David Digilio.
- Cast: Paul Walker, Bruce Greenwood, Moon Bloodgood, Jason Biggs, and Wendy Crewson.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
- IMDB: 7.3/10
- Platform: Disney+
- Year Of Release: 2006
You’ll cry at yet another Disney film about dogs.
Eight Below Plot:
The film Eight Below relates the tale of a disastrous Antarctic mission that leaves a group of sled dogs alone in the ferocious elements. The late Paul Walker played their owner Jerry, who will do anything to save the dogs before it’s too late. It’s a tale about survival, demonstrating the devotion dogs and their owners have for one another.
19. All Dogs Go to Heaven
- Director: Don Bluth
- Writer: David N. Weiss
- Cast: Burt Reynolds, Dom Deluise, Judith Barsi, Charles Nelson, and Melba Moore.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 44%
- IMDB: 6.7/10
- Platform: Prime Video
- Year Of Release: 1989
The 1989 animated lyrical fantasy adventure comedy-drama film All Dogs Go to Heaven was directed by Don Bluth, with Gary Goldman and Dan Kuenster as co-directors.
All Dogs Go to Heaven Plot:
It depicts the tale of Charlie B. Barkin, a German Shepherd killed by his erstwhile companion Carface Carruthers. To exact revenge on Carface, Charlie withdraws from his position in Heaven and travels back to Earth, where his closest mate, Itchy Itchiford, still resides.
Instead, he finds up becoming friends with Anne-Marie, a little orphan. Charlie gains valuable knowledge about generosity, friendship, and love. In this animated film, the canine casino owner, Charlie (Burt Reynolds), is killed by the card shark Carface (Vic Tayback).
18. Lassie Come Home
- Director: Fred M. Wilcox
- Writer: Hugo Butler
- Cast: Roddy Mcdowall, Elizabeth Taylor, Donald Crisp, Edmund Gwenn, Elsa Lanchester, and May Whitty.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
- IMDB: 5.6/10
- Platform: Netflix
- Year Of Release: 1940
The 1943 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Technicolor motion picture Lassie Come Back home, featuring Roddy McDowall with canine actor Pal, tells the story of Yorkshire lad Joe Carraclough and his ferocious dog, Lassie.
Lassie Come Home Plot:
Financial strains force the parents of young Joe Carraclough to auction his beloved dog, Lassie, to the Duke of Rudling in a small Yorkshire community during the Great Depression (Nigel Bruce). The collie remembers her previous owner after the duke takes her to his Scottish estate, and the dog is allowed to flee by the duke’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Taylor.
17. Turner And Hooch
- Director: Roger Spottiswoode
- Writer: Jim Cash, Dennis Shryack, Michael Blodgett, Jack Epps Jr., Daniel Petrie.
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Reginald VelJohnson, Mare Winningham, Beasley, Craig T. Nelson, Scott Paulin, and John Mclintire.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
- IMDB: 6.2/10
- Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
- Year Of Release: 1989
The features of the movies led to a series that included a legacy sequel tv show and a television movie sequel.
Turner And Hooch Plot:
Det. Scott Turner is a rigid, by-the-book police officer. He aspires to work in the big city and leave his small California town. Turner reluctantly takes over ownership of the deceased man’s dog after his friend Amos Reed, the owner of a junkyard, is slain.
Turner tries to adapt to living with the enormous dog after realizing that the dog might be capable of assisting him in investigating the murder case, but this causes significant damage to the household and unwelcome upheaval.
16. Isle Of Dogs
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Writer: Wes Anderson
- Cast: Bill Murray, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Koyu Rankin, Scarlett Johansson, and Greta Gerwig.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
- IMDB: 7.8/10
- Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
- Year Of Release: 2018
This Wes Anderson film takes place in a fictional Japanese city.
Isle Of Dogs Plot:
Due to a canine flu outbreak, the municipality’s mayor dispatched all dogs to Trash Island, subsequently known as Isle of Dogs. Atari Kobayashi, an orphan, was now protected by one of the dogs named Spots Kobayashi. The storyline of the movie is around Atari saving his puppy.
The film received high praise for its humorous and unique portrayal. Twelve-year-old Atari goes out on his own for a crazy adventure in a tiny Junior-Turbo Prop.
15. Frankenweenie
- Director: Tim Burton
- Writer: Tim Burton, John August, and Leonard Ripps.
- Cast: Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Landau, Atticus Shaffer, Charlie Tahan, and Robert Capron.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
- IMDB: 6.9/10
- Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
- Year Of Release: 2012
Perhaps they are more into the macabre than their peers? They will adore this film about a child who revives his cherished dog.
Frankenweenie Plot:
Despite being a science nerd and oddball at school, young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) has one close friend: his dog Sparky. Then, however, tragedy comes, and Sparky passes away. Victor is devastated, but his science teacher (Martin Landau) offers him a suggestion on how to resurrect old Sparky.
The experiment is booming, and everything seems to be going according to plan—until Victor’s other students steal his secret and use it to bring back other dead animals—with horrifying results.
14. Bolt
- Director: Byron Howard and Chris Williams
- Writer: Dan Fogelman and Chris Williams
- Cast: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Chloe Grace Moretz, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Randy Savage, Malcolm McDowell, and Chris Williams.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
- IMDB: 6.8/10
- Platform: Disney+
- Year Of Release: 2008
About Bolt:
Bolt, a 2008 animated Disney dog film starring John Travolta and Miley Cyrus, is known for inspiring the Disney Revival of animated films and steering Disney on a new creative path that gave rise to films like Tangled and Frozen. Bolt is a White Shepherd dog who thinks he is the superpowered dog he portrays in a television series. When we think about cute dogs, many Disney dog films are embedded in our culture.
13. Trouble
- Director: Kevin Johnson
- Writer: Rob Muir
- Cast: Big Sean, Pamela Adlon, Lucy Hale, Joel McHale, Snoop Dogg, and Betty White.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
- IMDB: 5.8/10
- Platform: Netflix and Prime Video.
- Year Of Release: 2019
Sean “Big Sean” Anderson, Pamela Adlon, & Lucy Hale feature in the 2019 computer-animated comedic family movie Trouble, often referred to as Dog Gone Trouble. Kevin Johnson directed it. Before she passed away in 2021, it was Betty White’s last acting job.
Trouble Plot:
When his affluent owner passes away, Trouble’s opulent lifestyle abruptly ends. The Trouble now needs to figure out how to exist in the real world with the help of his new friends.
12. Old Yeller
- Director: Robert Stevenson
- Writer: Fred Gipson, and William Tunberg
- Cast: Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker, Kevin Corcoran, Tommy Kirk and Spike.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
- IMDB: 7.3/10
- Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
- Year Of Release: 1957
Old Yeller is a Disney film if you want to cry while watching a dog story. The beloved Disney dog movie which debuted in 1957, examines the Coates family’s life in 1860s rural America. Old Yeller, a yellow Labrador, is discovered by their son Travis in a cornfield.
Old Yeller Plot:
The film revolves around a stray dog. Travis initially tries to chase him away, but his younger brother Arliss loves the dog and shields him from Travis. Old Yeller gradually establishes himself as an essential part of the family as he defends the farm and the family.
This heartwarming film will have you sobbing into a tissue as it examines how much a dog means to a family. This is among the best dog movies.
11. Air Bud
- Director: Charles Martin Smith
- Writer: Aaron Mendelsohn, and Paul Tamasy.
- Cast: Michael Jeter, Kevin Zegers, Wendy Makkena, Eric Christmas, Bill Cobbs, and Air Buddy.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 45%
- IMDB: 5.2/10
- Platform: Netflix and Disney+
- Year Of Release: 1997
Air Bud Plot:
The fantastic Disney film is inspired by a true story about a dog named Air Bud. It tells the tale of Buddy, a stray discovered by a young boy who has just lost his father. The two get along well, mainly because they enjoy sports, and Buddy can play basketball!
It’s a sweet story about the unshakable love between a dog and its owner and how they can overcome any challenge together.
My Golden watching his Golden hero #AirBud on #ESPNDogDay #GoldenRetriever pic.twitter.com/yKFMJZCbUb
— LaToni Thomas (@thatLAthomas) August 24, 2019
10. Arctic Dogs
- Director: Aaron Woodley
- Writer: Cal Brunker, Aaron Woodley, Bob Barlen, and Bryan Thompson.
- Cast: Jeremy Renner, James Franco, Omar Sy, Anjelica Huston, John Cleese, Alec Baldwin, Heidi Klum.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 12%
- IMDB: 4.7/10
- Platform: Netflix
- Year Of Release: 2019
Arctic Dogs Plot:
This animated dog film, often known as the Polar Squad, centers around an Arctic fox rather than a dog. While working in the mail department of a delivery service in the Arctic, Swifty, the primary character voiced by Renner, rises to become one of the leading husky couriers.
And talented voice cast in the dog movies is very prominent. This dog movie is based on a comic strip.
9. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale
- Director: Lasse Hallstrom
- Writer: Stephen P. Lindsey
- Cast: Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Erick Avari, and Jason Alexander.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 64%
- IMDB: 8.1/10
- Platform: Netflix, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Instant Video, and Vudu
- Year Of Release: 2009
The 2009 American drama Hachi: A Dog’s Tale is a remake of the 1987 Japanese film Hachiko Monogatari. The Akita dog named Hachiko, who resided in Japan in the 1920s, was the subject of the first movie’s true-life story.
Hachi: A Dog’s Tale Plot:
Young Ronnie tells his classmates that his dog Hachi is his particular idol. After receiving criticism from his classmates, Ronnie continues to recount the incredible tale of his grandfather’s relationship with the dog.
8. White Fang
- Director: Randal Kleiser
- Writer: Jack London, Jeanne Rosenberg, David Fallon, and Nick Thiel.
- Cast: Klaus Maria Brandauer, Ethan Hawke, Seymour Cassel, James Remar, and Susan Hogan.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 65%
- IMDB: 6.7/10
- Platform: Disney+ Hotstar and Netflix.
- Year Of Release: 1991
About White Fang:
Jack London’s White Fang has undergone numerous revisions, much like The Call of the Wild. However, the 1991 film adaptation with Ethan Hawke has a unique place in our hearts as ’90s kids. You’ll get a great adventure narrative about a Yukon gold seeker and his unexpected connection with a wolf-dog regardless of which one you choose to watch.
In the novel White Fang, a wolf-dog is saved from its cruel owner and slowly domesticated by its new owner, Weedon Scott, thanks to his kindness and patience. In the end, White Fang protects Scott’s father from an assault by an escaped prisoner.
7. A Goofy Movie
- Director: Kevin Lima
- Writer: Jymn Magon, Chris Matheson, and Brian Pimental.
- Cast: Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden, Jim Cummings, Kellie Martin, Rob Paulsen, Wallace Shawn, and Jenna Von Oy.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 61%
- IMDB: 6.9/10
- Platform: Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Vudu, and Disney+ Hotstar.
- Year Of Release: 1995
When you think about Mickey and the crew, Pluto comes to mind as the group’s dog. Because of the way they are animated and anthropomorphized differently, it is simple to forget that Goofy is a dog. But our silly friend and his son Max resemble a stylized dog in specific ways.
A Goofy Movie Review:
A Goofy Movie, which examines the strained connection between father and son, Goofy and Max take center stage. It’s a great family comedy with some heartwarming scenes that helped Max become one of the most well-known Disney characters. You might not immediately think of Disney dog films, but Disney+ now has a terrific film that you can watch.
6. Oliver and Company
- Director: George Scribner
- Writer: James Mangold, Tim Disney, and Jim Cox.
- Cast: Joey Lawrence, Billy Joel, Natalie Gregory, Cheech Marin, Bette Midler, Robert Loggia, Richard Mulligan, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
- IMDB: 7.2/10
- Platform: Disney+
- Year Of Release: 1988
If you enjoy the timeless tale of Oliver Twist, which has been adapted in the form of dogs in this film, you will enjoy this Disney dog animated film.
Oliver and Company Plot:
It centers on an abandoned orange tabby cat who befriends a street dog who eventually becomes his canine friend. In New York City, they get into all kinds of mischief that would only be imaginable in an animated animal film!
5. The Fox and the Hound
- Director: Ted Berman, Richard Rich, and Art Stevens.
- Writer: Daniel P. Mannix
- Cast: Mickey Rooney, Pearl Bailey, Kurt Russell, Jack Albertson, Jeanette Nolan, Pat Buttram, John Fiedler, John Mclntire, Dick Bakalyan, Paul Winchell, Keith Mitchell, Corey Feldman.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 70%
- IMDB: 7.2/10
- Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
- Year Of Release: 1981
Everyone should watch The Fox and the Hound, a 1981 Disney dog movie that is so adorable. Despite being somewhat dated, it never quite attained the classic reputation that the other Disney dog films of the era did. But after watching it, you’ll be curious as to why!
The Fox and the Hound Plot:
The story of the fox and the hound centers on the unlikely friendship between the fox Tod and the hunting dog hound Copper, who promise to put aside their disagreements and always be their best friends. You can see this very touching movie on Disney+ that will leave you in awe at the end. Tod, the fox, gets adopted by the gentle Widow Tweed after his mother is killed.
✨🎵 Best of Friends 🎵✨ #foxandthehound #disney pic.twitter.com/y12SfjJS9Y
— its Sophie! ⚡💙💛 @ WALES COMIC CON (@foxleapstudio) July 10, 2019
4. Snow Dogs
- Director: Brian Levant
- Writer: Michael Goldberg, Philip Halprin, Mark Gibson, Tommy Swerdlow, and Jim Kouf.
- Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr., Joanna Bacalso, James Coburn, Nichelle Nicols, Sisqo, M. Emmet Walsh, and Brian Doyle Murray.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 25%
- IMDB: 5.2/10
- Platform: Prime Video, Disney Plus, Redbox., Vudu Movie, Apple TV, & TV Store or VUDU on your Roku device.
- Year Of Release: 2002
About Snow Dogs:
A Miami dentist, portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr., travels to Alaska to claim his legacy, which turned out to be seven Siberian huskies and just a border collie, in the humorous family comedy Snow Dogs as he battles to learn to drive to retain the dogs in the family, observe as he transforms from a clueless fool as from Sunshine State to a genuine Alaskan mountain man.
Snow Dog, a fantastic Disney dog movie for the entire family accessible on Disney+, is full of gorgeous and humorous dogs. After learning that he is mentioned in a will, Miami dentist Ted Brooks makes the trip to Alaska to collect his wealth. But when he gets there, his hopes are dashed because he finds a mischievous troop of sled dogs who are out to get him.
3. The Shaggy Dog
- Director: Charles Barton
- Writer: Bill Walsh, Lillie Hayward, and Felix Salten.
- Cast: Fred McMurray, Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Tim Considine, Jean Hagen, Kevin Corcoran, Alexander Scourby, and Roberta Shore.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 68%
- IMDB: 6.4/10
- Platform: Amazon Instant Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Vudu and iTunes.
- Year Of Release: 2006
About The Shaggy Dog:
The Shaggy Dog, a 1959 black-and-white comedy from Disney, chronicles the funny antics of Wilby Daniels, who uses a magic ring to change into a sheepdog. It’s worth watching because it’s one of the many enduring Disney dog films on Disney+.
The 2006 adaptation starring Tim Allen is not currently accessible to stream on Disney+. However, it is still a fantastic dog movie to see. The prequel, The Shaggy D.A., is. Workaholic deputy district attorney Dave Douglas (Tim Allen) prioritizes his career over his family.
2. Beverly Hills Chihuahua
- Director: Raja Gosnell
- Writer: Jeffrey Bushell and Analisa LaBianco.
- Cast: George Lopez, Drew Barrymore, Piper Perabo, Odette Anable, Jamie Lee Curtis, Andy Garcia, and Loretta Davine.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 45%
- IMDB: 6/10
- Platform: Netflix and Disney+
- Year Of Release: 2008
About Beverly Hills Chihuahua:
Beverly Hills Chihuahua, which came out in 2008, is among the funniest Disney dog films ever. Beverly Hills Chihuahua is a must-watch for all dog lovers, thanks to some fantastic voice acting and acting. The movie features Jamie Lee Curtis & Drew Barrymore, and some tremendous writing with funny one-liners and phrases you’ll be appropriating as your own.
1. Homeward Bound The Incredible Journey
- Director: Duwayne Dunham
- Writer: Caroline Thompson, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton.
- Cast: Kevin Chavalia, Sally Field, Don Ameche, Michael J. Fox, Benj Thall, Kim Greist, Robert Hays, and Jean Smart.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
- IMDB: 7/10
- Platform: Netflix and Disney+
- Year Of Release: 1993
Homeward Bound The Incredible Journey Plot:
In this enjoyable family movie, follow Sassy, the Himalayan cat, Chance, the naughty American bulldog, and Shadow, the devoted golden retriever, as they search for their owners through the Sierra Nevada desert. The movie Homeward Bound The Incredible Journey examines the concepts of friendship, family, and loyalty, as well as the importance of standing up for what you believe in.
Homeward Bound, one of the all-time best Disney classic dog films for dog lovers, is a Disney+ exclusive that will make you smile and cry as you watch this terrific trio.
Why are you holding out? All of these dog movies are suitable for family movie nights. Choose what suits the situation and your preferences. Nothing makes you feel better on movie night like a good cry while seeing a touching film about a cute dog!
