5 Movies Where The Dog Doesn't Die

Which is honestly the best kind, IMO

Who decided it was a good idea to make you fall in love with a dog in a movie and then kill it in the end?

As a sub-genre seemingly dedicated solely to emotional manipulation, I feel like these films are probably only worth watching if you’ve forgotten how to ugly cry and need a refresher. I mean, why kill the dog in a silly comedy like TURNER AND F’ING HOOCH?! Not necessary!

These movies basically invented the concept of trigger warnings, spawning the incredibly useful website Does The Dog Die? which now goes well beyond gratuitous dog death and covers all sorts of sensitive subjects.¹

My first encounter with this sub-genre was in book form, having been forced to read Where The Red Fern Grows² in the fifth grade. It totally destroyed me, and I wasn’t even a dog person yet. I knew then and there that stories about beloved pets dying were not for me and I’ve actively avoided them as best I could since (hence the Turner and Hooch RAGE - who would have thought the dog would die in an 80’s Tom Hanks comedy!!!).

So, at this time I would like to advocate for the non-dying dog movie. Picture it: a movie with a dog… and it doesn’t die! It’s just awesome and amazing and we love them the end.

There already have been a few pioneers exploring this concept and here are 5 that I have truly enjoyed.

1. Dog

Don’t let the trailer fool you, this is no cheesy Disney movie with lots of lessons, some silly slapstick and a saccharine ending. It’s about PTSD and having to find your place in the world all over again after things don’t work out as planned. Uncovering meaning and purpose and connection and asking the question of why are we even doing any of this… yes, this Channing Tatum movie called Dog really is that deep. It’s also very funny and the dog is adorable and I definitely cried in parts.

2. Strays

This is just goofy fun. The guy who directed this, Josh Greenbaum, is, in my opinion, on his way to becoming a big name in the film world. He directed Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar, which is perfection itself, and also the acclaimed documentary Will & Harper. Not all the jokes land in this movie, but when they do, you will never laugh harder. It’s rated R, so if you don’t like swearing and poop jokes, maybe not for you. Will Ferrell channels the innocence of Buddy the Elf and the dog casting is top notch. Jamie Foxx as a Boston Terrier? Genius.

3. Isle of Dogs

This movie is very special. It’s tough because when it came out there was a lot of discussion about cultural appropriation and honestly I totally get those complaints. I mean, Wes Anderson is not Japanese and this film is very much about Japanese aesthetics, society, mythology, etc. So, what do I do with the fact that I also think it is brilliant and accurately depicts what I would imagine the soul of a dog to be? I don’t know. I suppose it can be both.

4. Best in Show

Very different vibe from the previous movies on this list, but still so much fun. I mean, all of Christopher Guest’s movies are just a good time and this one is no different. Here, the dogs are mirrors of their owners in a way that provides amusing insight into their psyches as well as their relationships.

5. Oh Heavenly Dog

A controversial pick, to be sure. But damn did I love this movie as a kid. As I’ve mentioned before, we were an SNL / Chevy Chase household and no movie by a cast member went unseen. The dog actor in this is apparently Benji’s daughter. THE Benji. I have no idea if this holds up - I’m guessing not as I skim reviews - but I bet it’s harmless fun and sometimes that’s all you need.

1. All of this said, I have to admit that dog death is featured in the horror movie I wrote/directed for Shudder, Shook, but it truly was done in the context of, “what’s the creepiest thing I can imagine for a scary movie?” not as a way to force the audience to collapse into a puddle of tears.

2. I initially mis-remembered the name of this book as Between Two Ferns, and almost left it like that, BTW.