The best dogs in movies are the pooches that touch our hearts and endear us to the story. Whether they talk or just wag their tail and bark, dogs are instantly likable in most movies (except maybe the ones from “Ghostbusters” which totally creeped me out). So, in honor of Thursday being National dog day, we’re going to talk about five of the goodest boys in movies.
Air Bud from the “Air Bud” Franchise
Okay to be fair this one is pretty obvious. The dog has talent! Air Bud started a career with his basketball playing but has since gone on to play every sport except golf. Wait … *Googles Air Bud movies* … yeah, that’s right, he still hasn’t done golf. However, the dog doesn’t just hog the glory. In addition to the insane number of “Air Buddies” films that share his spotlight, Bud also shows off his teamwork skills in each of his movies, making him a really good boy.
Lady from “Lady and the Tramp”
Don’t worry; these aren’t all going to be Disney classics. But I think this one is worth mentioning. While the Tramp is a total runaway that disregards humankind as a tool, Lady is a good dog. She is also the main character of the film with a strong personality. Although I personally love the Tramp’s rough and tumble style, it is Lady who makes the film an ultimate classic. And no, I am not talking about the egregiously boring live-action remake. Go choke on a meatball for that one Disney+.
Daisy from “John Wick”
Now we enter the sad category of dogs that don’t complete their film’s runtime. Daisy is a darling puppy who helps her owner grieve the loss of his wife. During her time with Wick, she snuggles him, tries to sleep on his bed, and licks his face to wake him up. She then becomes the ultimate definition of a good film dog when she endears us so much to the story that her death justifies all of John Wick’s murder. This is perhaps my favorite puppy on the list. RIP Daisy.
Flaik from “Umberto D.”
This is a weird one for the mainstream Hollywood audience. “Umberto D.” is the ultimate example of a loyal dog movie. While his master begs for money, Flaik helps him garner sympathy along the way. If you haven’t yet checked it out, please pick up a copy from The Criterion Collection. It’s every dog lover’s dream and every capitalists nightmare.
Hercules/The Beast from “The Sandlot
The Beast starts as a legendary monster that the kids run away from. But in truth, he just wants to play ball! In “The Sandlot,” Hercules is a good boy to his master played by James Earl Jones. While he acts as the antagonist throughout the movie, it is the ending in which he turns out to be just a silly dog that helps endear us to the other character. He is an iconic good dog and worthy of recognition.
There you have it folks! Those were my five picks for Best in Sho-I mean, good boys in film. Maybe next year we can come back and do it all over again!
