Best Animated Dog Movies To Watch This Season

December 13, 2021

It’s the Holiday Season and everybody is in a festive mood and looking forward to the celebrations. You’ve got the food and refreshments planned and the gifts all bought and wrapped, but what movie are you going to watch this Christmas?

Movietime is a big part of the after-dinner celebrations and streaming makes it easier than ever. It’s a great way to entertain the kids and keep them occupied for a while.

So what kind of movie does this joyous time of year call for? You want to watch a heartfelt movie with a happy ending that the whole family can enjoy.

Too many dog movies end in tragedy. So we’ve narrowed down our list to only include feel-good, full-length, feature cartoons about dogs.

101 Dalmatians (1961)

101 Dalmatians is such an enchanting movie with unforgettable characters that you’ll be drawn in immediately. From the dastardly Cruella to the Badduns and the many dogs we meet along the way, such as Danny the Great Dane, Old Towser the bloodhound and Colonel the Sheepdog, this movie shows us how a dog’s loyalty and fierce determination can win the day. The original 1961 movie is a classic and a must-see.

Bolt (2008)

If you’re looking for a movie with more action and Super Hero adventure, then check out Bolt. A working dog from Hollywood, who mistakes his real identity with his television character, Bolt is a delightfully deluded character. When he escapes from the movie lot, he’s in for a rude awakening, though, as his sheltered life has not prepared him for the real world.

Lots of laughs and giggles in this movie and some adorable sidekicks in Bolt’s buddies Rhino, an adventure-seeking hamster and Mittens, an alley cat with a bad attitude. Available on Disney+, as well as other streaming channels.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

From the brilliant collaboration of Academy Award winning Nick Park and Aardman Animations, Wallace and Gromit (the dog) are a delightful pair of claymation characters who always manage to get themselves into trouble (much to the delight of their viewers). No matter how often Wallace messes up, Gromit always stays by his side and helps him clean up.

If you like this style of animation, check out their other movies Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep.

Wallace and Gromit also appear in a bunch of other short films:

A Grand Day Out (1989)
The Wrong Trousers (1993)
A Close Shave (1995)
A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008)

Rock Dog (2016)

Based on the graphic novel by Zheng Jun called Tibetan Rock Dog, this movie follows Bodi from the Tibetan Snow Village to the big city of Rock and Roll. As he pursues his dream, Bodi meets all sorts of funny and eccentric characters, such as the feline rock legend Angus Scattergood (played by the British comedian Eddie Izzard) and the wise elder Fleetwood Yak (played by the legendary Sam Elliott).

Lots of fun and antics as well as some good rock songs and a great voice cast, this movie (in the style of Toy Story) is a thrilling ride from start to finish.

The Peanuts Movie (2015)

You can’t have Christmas without that famous beagle Snoopy heading the bill and this movie is a winner.

Drawing from the imagination of creator Charles Schultz, The 2015 Peanuts Movie tells the story of the underdog Charlie Brown and his loyal companion Snoopy. The bumbling and accident-prone Charlie Brown tries to win the affections of the new kid next door, failing at every turn. But Snoopy is always there to help him and fix his woes. That’s the best kind of friend to have.

For those of you who love the 1965 classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas, you’ll enjoy the revamped and remastered graphics of The Peanuts Movie. It features the whole Peanuts gang and the same feel-good and lighthearted sentiment as the original.