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Movie night isn’t just for the two-legged. For pet parents who feel like snuggling down on the sofa with their dogs and catching a great film, there are some of the best dog movies available for streaming right this moment!
Below, we’ve rounded up the cream of the canine crop, from family-friendly classics, dramas and even some documentaries. The best part is that all of these best dog movies will be available for streaming on Amazon Video for a while, so if you already have Amazon Membership then get the popcorn and the dog treats ready.
Whether you're sitting down with the kids or looking for an educational experience, there's a movie on this list for you. I've compiled this list to include everything from heartwarming cartoon classics to tales that will leave you in tears.
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13 Best Dog Movies Available for Streaming Right Now
Family films with dogs
1 Turner and Hooch
This 1989 classic comedy features a young Tom Hanks as Turner, a cop just days away from transferring to a more exciting job until a local junk-yard owner, Amos Reed, is killed. Turner realizes that Amos’ dog Hooch, a happy silly French Mastiff, is the only witness, and they team up to solve the case.
Rated PG-13
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2 Beethoven
Another comedy that’s family-friendly is Beethoven. The dog takes the starring role as a lovable, clumsy, slobbery St. Bernard who bounces into the lives of the Newton family and changes it forever. At the center of the story is an evil veterinarian’s plot to capture Beethoven to use for his nefarious experiments.
Beethoven was written by the definitive screenwriter of the eighties, John Hughes, who penned The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, under the pseudonym Edmond Dantès. This movie is available to rent or buy through Amazon Video. It’s also free to watch on Amazon with a Starz subscription.
Rated PG
3 Homeward Bound
Based on Sheila Burford's book The Incredible Journey, this is one of the best dog movies available for streaming. This 1993 family-friendly movie is a heartwarming tale that shows the incredible capacity of our pets to persevere and their unerring loyalty to those they love.
When their owners go on vacation and leave them behind on a ranch, three pets, a bulldog named Chance, a Himalayan cat named Sassy, and a golden retriever named Shadow must brave the wilderness in order to find their family again. Michael J. Fox voices the narrator, Chance, and Sally Field voices Sassy.
Rated G
4 The Fox and the Hound
A beautifully animated Walt Disney classic that keeps it simple. This movie is at its core, the story of a friendship and yet it has a depth; it explores the roles we have to play in life.
A fox named Tod and a fox hunting hound dog called Copper discover that they are supposed to be enemies. They find that the pressure to live up to their roles pushes their friendship to its breaking point. Mickey Rooney voices Tod and Kurt Russell plays Copper.
Rated G
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5 My Dog Skip
Based on the book by Willie Morris, My Dog Skip is set in 1940's Mississippi and stars Frankie Muniz as Willie. It chronicles the life and friendship of a lonely boy and the little dog who changed his life.
On his ninth birthday, Willie is gifted Skip, an adorable Jack Russel terrier who makes friends with everyone in town, regardless of their race or status. Skip helps Willie overcome bullies and make friends. The film also stars Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane.
Rated PG
6 Lady and the Tramp
Another gorgeous Disney work, this movie takes the star-crossed lovers from different worlds trope and adds paws. Lady is a well to-do, pretty and mannerly spaniel who’s brushed and bow-ed to perfection, while Tramp is a scruffy street mutt who quips out of the side of his mouth.
But the two become great friends and discover that perhaps they aren’t so different after all. Can love conquer all? Find out in this family-friendly classic.
Rated G
7 Max
This 2015 movie is the story of Max, a beautiful Belgian Malinois who served as a military dog with his handler Kyle in Afghanistan. Max returns to the U.S. traumatized by his experience of the war, and is set to be put down because of his erratic behavior.
However, Max shows signs of recovery when he meets Kyle’s brother, Justin, and becomes a part of the family when he protects Justin and his family from local cartel gangsters. Children and adults alike will be enthralled with this heartwarming story.
Rated G
Documentaries about Dogs
8 Glory Hounds
A documentary film originally aired on Animal Planet, Glory Hounds uses real-time footage of K-9 handlers and their service dogs to create a movie that is eye-opening, heartwarming, and heartrending all at once and really reveals the truth behind the saying that dogs are man’s best friend.
Rated TV-PG
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9 Through a Dog’s Eyes
This touching PBS documentary looks at Canine Assistants, a Georgia-based organization who pair people with support dogs. It chronicles the challenges and benefits that come during the search for the perfect match.
Through A Dog's Eyes places a lot of emphasis on the dogs and their individual personalities, and we see the compassion and love that only a dog can have for his owner. It’s narrated by Neil Patrick Harris and based on the New York Times’ bestselling book by Jennifer Arnold. This movie is free to watch with a Prime membership.
Rated TV-G
Drama films with dogs
10 Marley & Me
Marley and Me is the quintessential modern dog movie, starring Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson and the most adorable Labrador retriever in the titular Marley – nicknamed the worst dog in the world for his mischievous capers. It's definitely one of the best dog movies available for streaming right now.
When the Grogans adopt little Marley, they had no idea what they were signing up for. Marley is so rambunctious and irrepressible that he even inspires a weekly column on his antics! But the Grogans love Marley just the way he is, and we soon see how much he has enriched the couple’s life.
Rated PG
11 Hachi: A Dog’s Tale
Hachi stars a magnificent Japanese Akita and is based on the true story of Hachiko, the Akita whose loyalty to his master was so incredible that he even has a golden statue in his honor. Hachi is taken in by Professor Parker, played by Richard Gere, and one day escapes to follow Parker to the train station on his daily commute to the university.
This soon becomes a regular part of their day, until Parker passes away at the university and never makes the return trip. Hachi’s loyalty is unwavering, and he never forgets his beloved owner and friend, waiting for him in their usual meeting place every day for the next nine years.
The movie’s strength is in its portrayal of Hachi as the true protagonist of the tale. Heartwarming, tragic and beautiful, Hachi: A Dog’s Tale truly demonstrates the power of the bond between dog and owner. Of course, this is a sad one so it’s recommended for teens and up. Available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, or free to watch with an Amazon Prime subscription.
Rated G
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12 All Dogs Go to Heaven
A classic Don Bluth animation, All Dogs Go to Heaven is the story of a casino owning German Shepherd, Charlie, who’s killed by gangster Carface and ends up in heaven, since that’s where dogs rightfully belong. Charlie, however, isn’t content to let sleeping dogs lie, and sneakily makes his way back to earth to get back at Carface.
Charlie meets an orphan girl, Anne-Marie, who teaches him the values of love and forgiveness. Though this movie begins in a dark way, it truly is a lot of fun with lots of grown up jokes and references for the adults to enjoy too.
Rated G
13 Lassie (2005)
The classic Lassie story has had many iterations, but this 2005 version is the top pick. It sets the classic ‘Lassie come home’ story in Yorkshire during the war. A struggling family has no choice but to sell their beloved Rough Collie to a wealthy Scotsman.
Lassie, of course, sets out on her journey home with dogged loyalty and determination, travelling hundreds of miles against a stunning but bleak backdrop of British tors and valleys. Much grittier than most Lassie films, this movie is all the more heartwarming and realistic for it.
It stars Peter O’Toole, Samantha Morton and Peter Dinklage. The real star though is the gorgeous and expressive Rough collie, Mason, who is even a direct descendant of Pal, the original Lassie! Lassie is available to rent or buy on Amazon, and free to watch with a Prime subscription. It does contain some sad moments and lots of Lassie peril, so may not be ideal for very young children.
Rated PG
