Man’s best friend has been captured on the Hollywood silver screen countless times and because June 20th is Take Your Dog To Work Day, we’re highlighting the 10 greatest dog movies that feature our furry four-legged friend, from Beethoven to Lassie.
101 Dalmatians
Who can ever forget watching the animated version of Disney’s 101 Dalmatians! The original 1961 film introduced us to the 101 loveable creations of Pongo and Perdita, and their efforts to thwart the evil Cruella de Vil’s plans to turn the defenseless pups into a dog-fur coat.
Air Bud
He shoots. He scores and also sits and rolls over. We’re talking about one of the most athletic golden retrievers in the world Buddy. This four-legged creature has tricks we wish most dogs could master and skills that a NBA player could only dream of.
Beethoven
He steals your food, creates enough drool to form the sixth Great Lake and can put the fear of God into your childhood bully; we’re talking about the world’s most loveable St. Bernard Beethoven.
Benji
Before miniature purse dogs became all the rage there was Benji, the tiny but lovable mixed-breed dog who had a knack for being in the right place at the right time. The little guy appeared on the screen in 1974 and became a box office hit, grossing $45 million worldwide.
Cujo
If there was an alternate universe and Beethoven had an evil counterpart, then it would be Cujo. Thanks to horror author Stephen King and a rabid bat we’ll never think of man’s best friend quite the same again.
K-9
If Benji was the ultimate crime fighting dog then German Shepherd Jerry Lee is his complete opposite. Alongside his human partner James Belushi the two take on drug dealers to help clean up the mean streets of San Diego.
Lassie
There have so many movies over the years based on the legendary collie dog that it’s difficult to pin down our favourite one. However, the 1994 film of the iconic dog and his human Matt had us wishing we could start our own sheep farm, minus the treacherous next-door neighbour.
Marley and Me
The cuter the dog the more havoc it can wreck on your home, such as the case of the 2008 comedy-drama Marley & Me starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Anniston. The two play a young couple who go through the motions in life with their yellow Labrador Marley, which was played by 22 different dogs.
Scooby Doo
Our favourite talking dog has been around since the 1960s and continues to be popular with kids to this day. In 2002, Hollywood turned Scooby Doo into a motion picture which starred Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar. The film grossed $153 million in the U.S. but received negative reviews from critiques.
Turner & Hooch
The second cop and dog movie on our list is the 1989 comedy Turner & Hooch starring a pre-Forest Gump Tom Hanks and a very large Dogue de Bordeaux, known as Hooch, who sleeps in beds, hates taking bathes and will eat everything from car upholstery to a beer.
