Woof, Woof! August is National Dog Month and do you know what that means? It’s the best time to watch all of your favorite puppy-themed classics.
Dogs are a person’s best friend and what better way to snuggle up with your pooch — if you’re lucky enough to have one — and celebrate them during a binge-watch?
Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video have given viewers a plethora of animal-centric films that are perfect for the whole family — and even ideal for some much-needed solo viewing time.
No matter which dog movie you choose to watch, they’re sure to give you all the feels. Whether they’re heartwarming, funny or sad, make sure you have a box of Kleenex on hand. Keep reading to see some of the furriest films to watch this summer for National Dog Month — or any time of the year, really.
Hotel for Dogs
This family film centers on orphaned sibling pups, played by Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin, who are living in foster care. The pair finds an abandoned hotel where they secretly renovate and house stray dogs. Don Cheadle, Kevin Dillion and Lisa Kudrow also star in this adventurous comedy film.
Where to watch: Netflix
Benji
While this 2018 movie is a reboot of the 1974 adventure drama of the same name, it is still a heartwarming tale that is sure to make anyone shed a tear. When a boy and his sister come into serious danger, a dog comes to their miraculous rescue. The family takes in the puppy, and then he tries to save them by helping them out with their troubles.
Where to watch: Netflix
A Dog’s Purpose
This 2017 film has a spiritual edge to it as the plot surrounds a dog who has been reincarnated several times over the course of the second half of the 20th century. The pooch first forms a friendship with a young boy and helps him out during the toughest times in his life as he grows older. Josh Gad and Dennis Quaid star in the film as well as its 2019 sequel, “A Dog’s Journey.”
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Beethoven & Beethoven 2
The first two installments of the “Beethoven” series are available on Netflix and feature a family as they adopt a wacky but lovable St. Bernard puppy. The fam gave the little pupper the name “Beethoven” when the daughter plays a piece of Ludwig van Beethoven’s famed Fifth Symphony on the piano while the dog barks along with it.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Think Like a Dog
Josh Duhamel and Megan Fox portray a couple whose 12-year-old son develops a telepathic connection with his dog after his middle-school science experiment goes wrong. The kid and his puppy join together to overcome life’s challenges they face along the way.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Dog Days
Eva Longoria, Nina Dobrev and Vanessa Hudgens starred in this Ken Marino-directed romantic comedy. The movie follows the lives of several Los Angeles residents and their pooches as they cross paths.
Where to Watch: Hulu
Scooby-Doo
This live-action comedy flick from 2002 stars dynamic husband-and-wife duo Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Geller. “Scooby-Doo” brings the long-running Hanna-Barbera animated series to life. Combined with some pretty cool CGI for the early aughts, a rocking’ R&B soundtrack headlined by Outkast and an early appearance by Isla Fisher, the movie was a groovy adaptation of the popular cartoon.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
Best in Show
“Best in Show” is not your average puppy film. This 2000 mockumentary-style comedy flick is a spoof of dog shows and follows five contestants as they enter a fancy-schmancy dog show as they interact and compete with each other. Much of the dialogue was improvised and also features the comedic talents of Eugene Levy, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch and Levy’s future “Schitt’s Creek” costar Catherine O’Hara.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
Snow Dogs
Tally ho! Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as a hotshot Hollywood dentist who gets a letter from his dead biological mother, Lucy, who lives in Alaska. Cuba’s character jets off to pseudo-Russia to receive his inheritance — seven Siberian Huskies and a Border Collie. He must learn to get along with them and take care of them.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
Babe
What do a pig and a sheepdog have in common? Well for starters, they both star in 1995’s “Babe.” The dramedy’s premise follows a farm pig who aspires to work as a sheepdog. The tearjerker was a commercial success and even scored seven nominations at the Academy Awards, including best Picture. The film was followed by a sequel, “Babe: Pig in the City,” which was was released in 1998.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
