Who amongst us hasn’t looked at adorable puppy videos and made heart eyes while scrolling through social media?! Those little balls of fur melt our hearts. Cute Pomeranians, golden labradors, or monochrome dalmatians are the reason they are termed man’s best friend. Irrespective of whether you own a dog or not, if you are reading this article, you are a fervent dog lover just like us.
Maybe your little cousins have come to visit, and you want to put on a movie to entertain them, or it’s one of those days when the world has been too much, and you want to curl up on the couch with a cuddly movie and some cocoa. Regardless, read on to check out a list of some of the best dog movies in animation form and take your pick.
21 Of the Best Dog Animation Movies
21. Marley and Me
- Director: David Frankel
- Cast: Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston
- IMDB Rating: 7/10
- Where to watch: Disney+, Prime Video, HBO Max
Based on the best-selling children’s book of the same name by John Grogan, Marley and Me is one of the most well-known dog movies from the 2000s. An unruly Labrador is adopted by a couple, who finally learn to love and live with him. The numerous milestones the dog reaches are used to follow the dog’s life. It is a lovely children’s film about a dog that features comedy, drama, and deep lessons about love and sadness. This one will definitely make you cry, so be sure to have some Kleenex on hand.
20. Bolt (2008)
- Director: Chris Williams and Byron Howard
- Cast: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Mark Walton, Susie Essman
- IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
- Where to watch: Hulu plus, google play, Vudu
Disney Studios released this film about a white swiss shepherd dog, Bolt, and a 12-year-old girl Penny who had adopted him. In the movie, the girl and the dog are a part of a famous television show about a super dog. But the catch is that Bolt believes the tv show to be real life and thinks he has superpowers. One day he believes his Penny is in Trouble and escapes to save her, only to get lost.
He meets other characters like street-smart orphaned kitten Mittens, and gradually their friendship develops. The movie got relatively favorable reviews when released in the US, but the box office collection was not that good.
19. Isle of Dogs (2018)
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Cast: Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, Edward Norton
- IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
- Where to watch: Disney plus
This Wes Anderson film is set in a fictional Japanese city. Due to a canine flu outbreak, the town’s mayor sent all dogs to Trash Island, which was later known as Isle of Dogs. Now one of the dogs called Spots Kobayashi was the bodyguard of an orphan, Atari Kobayashi. The film revolves around how Atari rescues his dog. The film got rave reviews for its fun and eccentric portrayal.
18. The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
- Director: Chris Renaud
- Cast: Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper, Lousis CK
- IMDB Rating: 6.5/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
This American animated film is about Max, a Jack Russell Terrier who lives with his owner Katie. He is friends with other pets in his society, like a tabby cat, a pug, a dachshund, and a pet budgerigar bird. One day Katie brings home a mongrel called Duke, which sparks jealousy in Max. Their animosity toward each other leads to one thing and another, resulting finally Animal Control catching them thinking they are strays. The movie follows their journey of becoming friends and returning home.
17. The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)
- Director: Chris Renaud
- Cast: Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper, Lousis CK
- IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
In the sequel, the owner Katie has a son Liam of whom Max gets overprotective. He starts having behavioral problems and is given a dog cone to reduce the symptoms. They go on a road trip to a farm where Max and the others go on a slew of adventures. This movie is fun for its worth, but fans prefer the first part.
16. Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)
- Director: Jim Stenstrom
- Cast: Scott Ines, Billy West
- IMDB Rating: 5.2/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
This movie had all the supernatural elements, and it was not just bad people in disguise. This is one of the best new scooby doo movies and had a darker tone than the rest. It had the characteristic humor of scooby dooby doo and the heart connection. It is a good pick for old as well as new fans. In the movie, the gang reunites for Daphne’s birthday and decides to go to a haunted location to shoot an episode for Daphne’s new show.
🌬 ~ Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) pic.twitter.com/nyj2lCFotY
— Spooky Scenes (@SpookyScenes) October 25, 2019
15. The Fox and the Hound (1981)
- Director: Ted Berman, Richard Rich
- Cast: Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell
- IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
- Where to watch: amazon instant video, Vudu, google play
It is one of those films bound to bring you to tears. This Disney classic story was based on a novel by DP Mannix. It tells the story of a young hound dog, Copper, and a young red fox Tod who by nature should be enemies but are unlikely friends. But once they grow up, their respective duties to their individual natures pit them against each other. Give a watch to this beautiful story of friendship if not watched it yet.
In these troubled times, I'm glad we can all agree that the true hero in Disney's The Fox and the Hound (1981) is the shy gay porcupine who just wanted a nice fox boyfriend, worked up the courage to ask him out, and had one magical night together before losing him forever. pic.twitter.com/2qLSrBATcB
— Tofte | Christopher Polt 🏳️🌈 (@CBPolt) December 11, 2020
14. Peabody and Sherman (2014)
- Director: Rob Minkoff
- Cast: ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel winter
- IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
This funny animated film is about an anthropomorphized dog Mr. Peabody who lives with his adopted son of seven years, Sherman. This is a fun twist from the kids being pet owners to a dog being the adoptive parent of a kid. You will love it if you love television series with the same characters.
13. Cats and Dogs (2001)
- Director: Lawrence Guterman
- Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Elizabeth Perkins, Tobey Maguire
- IMDB Rating: 5.1/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
This film is an animal lover’s delight as it not only includes dogs but cats as well. This spy-comedy film is set in a world where both cats and dogs are brilliant and tech-savvy creatures who have spies and special agents among them.
Sneak peak for The Don Vito Friday Night Movie Fest.
The kiddos have been wanting to see my Hero, Mr. Tinkles.
Movie is Cats and Dogs, 2001 😸 pic.twitter.com/BRCyN44TvH— Vito Catleone AKA “The Cat Father” (@VitoCatleon) August 17, 2022
12. Cats and Dogs 3: Paws Unite! (2020)
- Director: Sean McNamara
- Cast: Melissa Rauch, Max Greenfield
- IMDB Rating: 3.7/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
The third sequel of this series focuses mainly on canine companions. It does not have continuation issues as it is a standalone movie. It was not released in theatres but played on ott platforms. This one is a fun watch but did not garner much fan popularity.
11. All Dogs go to Heaven (1989)
- Director: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman
- Cast: Burt Reynolds, Vic Tayback
- IMDB Rating: 3.7/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
This animated dog film was a musical that showcased the story of a German Shepherd. But one day, a dog he thought of as a friend betrayed him and got him killed. Then our protagonist reached Heaven. He decided to return from Heaven to take revenge but became friends with a young orphan Anne-Marie. This old movie preaches the importance of love, friendship and kindness beautifully.
10. 101 Dalmatians (1961)
- Director: Hamilton Luske
- Cast: Rod Taylor, Cate Bauer
- IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
- Where to watch: Disney plus
This Disney classic has been remade several times, the recent one being an origin story for the villain Cruella DeVille. But this 1961 version remains the oldest animated rendition of the 1956 novel by Dodie Smith. The original version is always a little bit more special than any remakes that come after. If you haven’t seen it yet, give this pet lovers’ delight a watch ASAP.
scenes from 101 Dalmatians (1961) pic.twitter.com/8in2Dhbtbf
— Rebecca🦋 (@voguevivant) November 22, 2020
9. Lady and the Tramp (2019)
- Director: Charlie Bean
- Cast: Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux
- IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
- Where to watch: Disney plus
Another American musical from the Disney studios. This dog animation movie is a remake of the 1955 version of this same film. It is about a puppy of an American cocker spaniel named Lady who befriends a street dog called Tramp. The happy family also adopts Tramp. A vicious dog catcher Elliott catches them and takes them to the pound. It has a lot of misunderstandings thrown in the midst, but don’t worry. It has a happy ending as Lady gets back with her owners.
8. Balto (1995)
- Director: Simon Wells
- Cast: Kevin Bacon, Bridget Fonda, Jim Cummings
- IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
- Where to watch: Hulu
This dog animation movie became quite popular as it was one of the only three animated feature films produced by Steven Spielberg. This film is based on a real-life story about how sled dogs were used to transport Diptheria antitoxin in Alaska in 1925. It was known as the Great Race of Mercy or the Serum Run. The movie is about Balto, a young wolfdog, who is shunned and mocked by other dogs for his part-wolf heritage. He is the one sled dog who brings the life-saving medicine to save the children, especially a little girl named Rosy.
What if we 👉👈 built a blanket fort and watched Balto (1995) on VHS pic.twitter.com/izerLwu8aS
— Michael, hitting ⌘G in RX10 (@mcmorrise) September 26, 2021
7. Space Dogs (2010)
- Director: Svyatoslav Ushakov and Inna Evlannikova
- Cast: Elena Yakovleva, Anna Bolshova, Yevgeny Mironov
- IMDB Rating: 5.1/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
This film is a Russian dog animation film about two dogs – Belka and Strelka. It was made to honor the first animal to go to space beside Man and survive an orbital space trip. In the movie, a stray dog narrates this story to the pets of President Kennedy in the USA. If you want a different film flavor, you can go for this one set in Moscow.
6. Trouble (2019)
- Director: Kevin Johnson
- Cast: Sean Anderson, Lucy Hale, Betty White
- IMDB Rating: 5.8/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
This film is also known as Dog Gone Trouble. This computer dog animation movie is about a pampered pet of a wealthy family, Trouble, who finds himself in a sticky mess after his owner dies. He gets lost and then befriends other strays. Throw some evil deceased relatives in the mix, and you have a perfect animated animal movie for the entire family on movie night! Another reason you might want to watch this film besides its cuteness quotient is that it is the last role that the legendary Betty White played before her demise in 2021.
5. Pets United (2019)
- Director: Reinhard Klooss
- Cast: Natalie Dormer, Eddie Marsan, Juff Burrell
- IMDB Rating: 3.7/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
This is a Netflix original movie with cute animal characters and their crazy adventure. The movie is about a stray, abandoned dog and how all other animals in a robotic town shun him. Everything is perfect and symmetrical. This could not pacify the critics much, but young viewers might not be so nitpicky. It is a good choice for animated movies night in.
4. Snoopy Come Home (1972)
- Director: Bill Melendez
- Cast: Bill Melendez, Chad Webber, Robin Kohn
- IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Vudu movie
This is another American musical dog animation movie about a dog Snoopy and his owner Charlie Brown. It is adapted from the very famous Peanuts comic strip. This is the first time the character of Woodstock (also played by Bill Mendelez) appeared in the film; he made his appearance in the comic strip just in 1967.
One of Bill Littlejohn's masterpiece scenes was the boxing match in "Snoopy Come Home" (1972). You can tell Bill Melendez gave his animators more room to stretch in the Peanuts features (thanks to better budgets). Choreography is so well planned out here. pic.twitter.com/kXsjbyxdAi
— tiny crow (@tinybirbsakuga) October 13, 2021
3. Arctic Dogs (2019)
- Director: Aaron Woodley, Dimos Vrysellas
- Cast: Jeremy Renner, Heidi Klum, James Franco, Alec Baldwin
- IMDB Rating: 4.7/10
- Where to watch: TUBI TV, Prime Video
Also called the Polar Squad, this animated dog movie revolves around an Arctic fox instead of a dog. Swifty, the main character voiced by Renner, becomes one of the star husky couriers while working in the mail room of a delivery service in the Arctic. If nothing else, this talented voice cast must pull you to try this one!
Little known fact: The reason there is a dog in a Santa hat on the poster for Hawkeye is a subtle reference to the fact that the shows star, Jeremy Renner, really needed a paycheck one week and decided to voice the lead role in 2019 box office smash Arctic Dogs. pic.twitter.com/dNuVuEWf0C
— Watchtower Zetabase (@dcauwatchtower) November 25, 2021
2. Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021)
- Director: Walt Becker
- Cast: jack Whitehall, Darby Camp, Tony Hale
- IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
- Where to watch: Prime Video
This one is a bit of a cheat entry in this list as it is an American live-action film where only the dog is computerized. But bear with me. This movie has been adapted recently from the children’s novel series of the same name. If the cute and totes adorbs lovable giant Clifford in this movie is not enough to melt your heart, don’t worry! You can switch to the 2004 version of Clifford’s Big Movie, which is entirely in animation.
my favorite part of Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) pic.twitter.com/JiGrYC8smW
— Nick Smith (@yonicksmith) August 13, 2022
1. Oliver and Company (1988)
- Director: George Scribner
- Cast: Joey Lawrence, Billy Joel, Natalie Gregory
- IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
- Where to watch: Disney plus, prime video, Redbox
This Disney dog animation movie will delight you if you like the classic story of Oliver Twist, which has been incorporated into dogs in this movie. It revolves around an orphan orange tabby cat who makes friends with a streetside mongrel who becomes his canine companion. They get up to all kinds of shenanigans in New York City, the type that is possible only in an animated animal movie!
Was watching Oliver and company(1988) earlier this morning. pic.twitter.com/t5KKguOZl3
— 🍺DrUnK K🎄BaYaShI🇺🇸🏳️🌈🐵🦃 (@DrUnKoBaYaShI64) June 4, 2022
What are you waiting for? These are all films you can sit and watch on family movie nights. Take your pick according to the occasion and your liking. Nothing like a good cry while watching an emotional movie about a lovable canine to lift your spirits on movie night!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What are some of the dog films on Netflix?
Ans: The dog films on Netflix Rescued by Ruby, White Fang, Benji, June & Kopi, My Dog Skip, Vicky, and Her Mystery among many more. Every once in a while a dog movie comes out; it may be adventurous or a family drama, but all of these movies prove how amazing dogs can be and show us the reason why dogs are known to be “a man’s best friend”.
Q2: What are the best dog movies for kids?
Ans: The best dog movies for kids are 101 Dalmatians, The Adventures of Milo and Otis, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Bolt, Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts, Benji, and Balto among many more. Whether they’re in an animated adventure, a touching live-action drama, or a bark-out-loud comedy, these doggos will be your kid’s best friend in no time.
