5 Best Dog Movies Ever Made, Ranked

Dogs. They're man's best friend. They're loyal companions who wait patiently for you to come home from work everyday but would also sell you out for a strip of bacon if given the chance. Dogs have also been the source of much dramatic tension throughout film history. Things just seem more dire when a lovable pup is in danger. 

Listen, any number of humans can lose their lives in a movie, and we won't really care. It's par the course, but if anything happens to the dog, especially in dog-centered horror movies, then all bets are off. But there's something to be said about a quintessential "dog movie." 

That's a far different thing from merely saying that a movie happens to have a dog in it. The best dog movies are the ones where a pup is front and center, and the entire film is about what it's like being a dog or having one as a friend. And yes, sometimes these films touch on what it's like to have to say goodbye to our fuzzy compatriots. For our ranking, we looked at critical reviews as well as the general consensus from audiences. After watching these great dog movies, you'll want to make sure you give plenty of treats and scratches to your special friend immediately afterward.

When it comes to the greatest cinematic doggos of all time, there's really no beating Lassie. Different dogs have assumed the "Lassie" mantle, which is a necessity considering Lassie films date back to the 1940s. Lassie was such a popular franchise that at one point, a young Elizabeth Taylor made less money on a Lassie film than the dog. And if you want the perfect encapsulation as to what made Lassie such an iconic dog, you need to watch the 2005 film "Lassie."

It's a beautiful modern reimagining of Lassie where a family is forced to sell their beloved Collie named Lassie to the Duke of Rudling. The only problem is that Lassie keeps escaping, and at one point, she goes on a harrowing odyssey to make it back to the family that truly loves her. Unlike a lot of other family films, "Lassie" doesn't pull any punches. The titular dog is constantly in danger, and while Lassie is (thankfully) all right, the same can't be said for other pooches. 

It's the kind of family film that isn't made purely for kids. It's the kind of story parents should watch with their children and get wrapped up in the drama themselves. Plus, "Lassie" has some truly stunning shots of the British isles. That's not even getting into the human performances from the likes of Peter O'Toole, Samantha Morton, and Peter Dinklage. A Lassie movie easily could've just shown a cute dog and left it at that. But 2005's "Lassie" tells both a heartwarming and heart-wrenching story to show the lengths our dogs will go to in order to make us happy. 

Great dog movies aren't necessarily always about the dogs themselves but the people who love them. And there's something so chaotically joyous about the dog owners featured in "Best in Show." The mockumentary follows in the same style as director Christopher Guest's other films. They're a largely improvisational structure to the proceedings, and we're mostly following a bunch of weirdos all vying to win the top prize at the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show.

A comedy about dog shows and obsessive dog owners has the potential to be very mean-spirited. After all, the owners all have their various quirks and eccentricities. But where the film excels is being able to humanize these characters. They're not a source of scorn; instead, they're represented as being deeply human. They just so happen to care deeply about dogs and all want to win a trophy for showing them off. 

"Best in Show" has a very subdued sense of humor. Much of the comedy comes from the recurring gags, like Cookie Fleck (Catherine O'Hara) constantly talking about past lovers, much to the dismay of her current husband. And that's not even getting into Fred Willard's performance as a clueless commentator who has no idea what's going on. It's a hilarious comedy that just so happened to influence "Predator: Killer of Killers" in case you needed some odd trivia for today. 

Wes Anderson's eclectic style was proven to work exceptionally well within the medium of stop motion animation with "The Fantastic Mr. Fox." Years later, he followed that up with another project that's also considered one of the greatest stop-motion animated movies of all time — "Isle of Dogs."

The film looks absolutely gorgeous with superb attention-to-detail on the dogs' fur. Various close-up shots display the pure artistry on display to make the various dogs recognizable while also stylistic enough to display emotion. As for the story itself, all dogs have been banished from the city of Megasaki to Trash Island as a result of government propaganda against a so-called canine flu. This even includes the mayor's nephew, Atari (Koyu Rankin), losing his dog, Spots (Liev Schreiber). And Atari will go to any lengths to rescue him.

"Isle of Dogs" isn't just a heartwarming tale of a boy trying to save his dog. On a macro scale, the film's about government scapegoating. "Isle of Dogs" wants us to question why those in power would look for an easy solution, like dumping all dogs on an island, to complicated problems. It's a stellar dog movie that offers a bit more to chew on than other animal tales.

"Old Yeller" infamously has one of the saddest endings in cinematic history. We don't blame you if you're only able to watch it once (or zero times if you already know what happens). At the same time, "Old Yeller" captures a devastatingly real aspect of dog ownership, and when you decide to get a pup of your very own, you're basically signing up to experience your own "Old Yeller" ending at some point.

The Coates family takes in a stray dog they name Old Yeller. Teenage son Travis (Tommy Kirk) isn't too pleased, but the dog soon wins Travis and the entire family over with his loyalty and protection. Sadly, Old Yeller's life gets cut short when attacked by a rabies-infected wolf. It's here that Travis makes a decision no dog owner ever wants to make. 

One of the cruelest realities is that dogs usually only live for about 10 to 15 years, assuming they don't meet some kind of tragedy like Old Yeller. That's typically a lot shorter than most of us will live, so getting a dog means accepting one of the worst heartbreaks there is. But the beauty is that you can only feel such sadness if there was once great joy. 

It's tough trying to pin down the best dog movie of all time. It should be something joyful that shows what a blessing pooches are in our lives. It should be glorious to behold and something that has withstood the test of time. "Old Yeller" is simply far too sad to earn the top spot. That means there's no better dog movie than the original "101 Dalmatians."

The animation is absolutely breathtaking. The film pioneered Xerox animation, which allowed drawings to be transferred over effortlessly with fewer details lost. Then there's the story itself where a pack of Dalmatians, led by Pongo (Rod Taylor) and Perdita (Cate Bauer/Lisa Daniels), must save others from being turned into coats by the evil Cruella de Vil (Betty Lou Gerson). 

Of course, the dogs are active participants in their story, with both Pongo and Perdita being competent leads in heading the charge against Cruella. But their humans also feel like fully rounded-out characters. Roger (Ben Wright) and Anita (Lisa Davis) aren't royalty; they're average people with flaws and a burning desire to ensure their pets are safe. Then there's Cruella herself, whom all these decades later remains one of Disney's most iconic villains. "101 Dalmatians" perfectly encapsulates the immense bond between dog and human, and while having a dog isn't always the easiest thing in the world, there's truly nothing else like it.