15 Best Christmas Movies With Dogs (& Why You Should Watch Them)

Everyone knows dogs are loyal companions, and Christmas is a special time of year. When you combine those two things in a movie, you often get incredibly touching and feel-good stories.

Dogs play different roles in Christmas movies – sometimes they’re the stars, and other times they provide a bit of lighthearted fun. Here’s a list of 15 of the best Christmas movies featuring dogs, perfect for any dog lover (give your furry friend a kiss!). The movies are ranked based on their IMDb ratings.

15. A Doggone Christmas (2016)

IMDb Rating: 4.1/10

Murphy is a dog with a remarkable secret: he can read minds! This attracts the attention of the CIA, who want to use his abilities for their own purposes. Luckily, Murphy manages to escape and finds a safe haven with a father and his two sons in the peaceful countryside.

The brothers are struggling to adjust with their new friends, made even harder by their father’s recent job loss. Things get worse when federal agents start searching for their puppy, Murphy, and try to take him away. With the help of their friends and the magic of Christmas, the boys do everything they can to save him.

While it might not be the best movie here, it’s definitely worth watching. Kids will likely love it, especially since it features ‘Just Jesse,’ the popular Jack Russell Terrier from YouTube!

14. Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure (2011)

IMDb Rating: 4.3/10

The movie follows Beethoven, a lovable St. Bernard, who must rescue Christmas when a clumsy elf accidentally flies Santa’s sleigh and crashes it. To make matters worse, the elf also loses the bag filled with all of Santa’s presents!

Honestly, it all comes down to Beethoven now! He’s got to locate that stolen bag, get it back from those little thieves who found it, and then rush it – along with the sleigh – back to Santa before it’s too late to save Christmas. I’m really counting on him!

Beethoven is one of the most beloved movie dogs, and this film is unique because it’s the only one in the series centered around Christmas. While it might not be the best Beethoven movie, its holiday theme makes it worth watching.

If you’re a fan of Beethoven – especially his famously serious but sweet personality – you’ll probably love this movie. It’s perfect for a cozy night in with hot cocoa and marshmallows.

13. An All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998)

IMDb Rating: 4.9/10

This charming and humorous animated film follows three brave dogs – Charlie, Itchy, and Sasha – who are determined to save Christmas. They must stop Carface, a wicked spirit, and his partner, Belladonna, a demon who plans to control dogs everywhere and ruin the holiday.

You’re probably familiar with Charles Dickens’ classic story, A Christmas Carol. This movie offers a fun, new take on that tale, featuring dogs as the characters! It includes heartwarming songs and plenty of kid-friendly humor, making it enjoyable for both children and adults.

12. The Search for Santa Paws (2010)

IMDb Rating: 5.3/10

The story centers around Santa Claus, who has lost his memory and forgotten everything – including who he is and the meaning of Christmas! It’s up to five special golden retriever puppies, who can talk, to help Santa regain his memory, rediscover his Christmas spirit, and save the holiday before time runs out.

This Disney Channel movie is made for kids and is rated G, meaning it’s a lighthearted and simple story. It’s a fun adventure featuring the popular ‘Buddies’ pups, but don’t expect a complex plot or award-winning filmmaking.

This movie is fantastic for keeping kids occupied – it’ll easily hold their attention for around ninety minutes, giving you some much-needed time to relax, maybe even catch a nap. Honestly, that’s enough for me to say it’s a winner!

11. The 12 Dogs of Christmas (2005)

IMDb Rating: 5.4/10

This story centers around Emma O’Conner, a young girl with twelve beloved dogs, each with their own personality. During the difficult times of the Great Depression, Emma uses her dogs to show people that the real spirit of Christmas isn’t about gifts or money—it’s about love, friendship, kindness, and understanding one another.

Even though this movie isn’t flashy, it’s worth watching because it offers valuable lessons for everyone, young and old. It’s a heartwarming reminder to focus on the true spirit of Christmas and not get caught up in buying things, and Emma and her puppies deliver that message beautifully.

10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

IMDb Rating: 6.2/10

The story is about the Grinch, a grumpy green creature who lives near the cheerful town of Whoville, which is said to be inside a snowflake. The residents of Whoville love Christmas, but the Grinch despises the holiday and the Whos who celebrate it.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Grinch’s story! He concocted this elaborate scheme to ruin Christmas for everyone, but then something amazing happened. He befriended a sweet little Who girl named Cindy Lou Who, and honestly, that connection really made him think twice right when he was about to go through with it. It was a beautiful turning point!

I was really surprised to see the live-action Grinch movie starring Jim Carrey has a relatively low rating. It’s a Christmas favorite of mine, and knowing the story behind Max, the Grinch’s dog, makes it even better.

The character of Max was actually played by six different rescue dogs, all mixed breeds, from an animal shelter. What’s even better is that after the movie came out, all six of them were adopted into wonderful homes. That heartwarming outcome meant more to me than even the Grinch’s transformation in the story!

9. The Christmas Shepherd (2014)

IMDB Rating: 6.6/10

The story follows Sally Brown after the death of her husband, a veteran. She’s a children’s book author, and they share their life with Buddy, her husband’s dog. After a big storm, Buddy gets lost, but thankfully, a kind single father and his daughter find him and welcome him into their family.

After Sally and Buddy are happily reunited, she begins a new relationship with the kind single father who rescued and cared for Buddy.

I don’t typically enjoy romantic movies, but this one was surprisingly sweet. It wasn’t the usual story of love at first sight; instead, a charming German Shepherd played a key role in bringing two people together and helping them heal from past heartbreak.

8. Marley & Me (2008)

IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

Okay, so this movie is about my kind of people – a newly married couple, John and Jennifer Grogan, who move to Florida. They decide to get a Labrador puppy, Marley, thinking it’ll be good practice before having kids. Let me tell you, Marley is not your average pup. She’s a complete chaos agent – seriously, she destroys everything! But she’s also unbelievably cute, like, ridiculously adorable. It’s a hilarious and heartwarming story about a family and their totally wild dog.

Marley continued to teach the Grogan family valuable life lessons, even after they had children, and everyone grew and changed alongside her as she aged.

Be warned: this movie is incredibly sad, and it might leave you emotionally shaken for a while! While it’s not a traditional Christmas film, it was released on Christmas Day in 2008 and features a Christmas connection – Marley was a gift given at Christmas. Plus, it includes plenty of heartwarming Christmas scenes.

7. Lady and the Tramp (1955)

IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

Lady and the Tramp is a sweet love story about two dogs from very different worlds. Lady is a pampered cocker spaniel enjoying a comfortable life, while Tramp is a street-smart mutt who has to scavenge for food.

Lady and the Tramp is a beloved Disney classic and a favorite among dog lovers. While you might not think of it as a Christmas movie, the film’s central romance actually begins on Christmas Day! Lady and the Tramp first meet and begin their relationship on Christmas, and they solidify their love exactly one year later – also on Christmas.

6. Gremlins (1984)

IMDb: 7.3/10

Billy gets a cute, furry pet named Gizmo, but there are strict rules: don’t get him wet, don’t feed him after midnight, and keep him away from bright lights. When these rules are ignored, the adorable Gizmo transforms into a mischievous and destructive creature – a Gremlin – and soon the town is overrun with them, causing chaos everywhere.

Gremlins is a classic film from Steven Spielberg that quickly became a fan favorite. One of the most touching parts of the movie is the adorable friendship between Gizmo and the family dog, Barney.

While it’s not a traditional Christmas movie, it does take place during Christmastime in a small town, and it’s a horror film. Plus, the Gremlins singing carols is an amazing Christmas scene – if you don’t think so, you should definitely rewatch the movie!

5. A Christmas Story (1983)

IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

The story follows Ralphie Parker, a boy growing up in the 1940s, and his single-minded quest to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. He tries every trick he can think of to persuade his family, teachers, and Santa Claus that it’s the perfect gift.

Okay, so ‘A Christmas Story’ is a total holiday classic, we all know that. But honestly, I hadn’t thought about the dogs until recently! That scene where the neighborhood pups make off with the Parker family’s entire Christmas turkey? It’s legitimately one of the most memorable moments in the whole film. It’s enough to make me want to watch it again this year, and I’m saying that as someone who’s seen it a bunch of times!

4. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

The story follows Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, a world where each holiday has its own dedicated realm. Jack is tired of the same old spooky routine and, after stumbling upon Christmas Town, becomes fascinated. He decides he wants to bring Christmas to Halloween Town and take on the role of Santa Claus, delivering presents himself.

As you can imagine, it goes horrifyingly wrong…

I watch Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas every Halloween and Christmas – it’s a truly amazing stop-motion animated film, and one of the best animated movies ever made, in my opinion.

You might not think of this as a movie about dogs, but what about Zero? He’s Jack’s ghostly dog and guides the Pumpkin King through the night with his glowing red nose after Jack steals Santa’s sleigh. Zero is way cooler than Rudolph!

3. Project: Puppies for Christmas (2019)

IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

This story follows a curmudgeonly old man who despises Christmas. Two kind-hearted girls try to rekindle his Christmas spirit, hoping Santa will grant their wish for puppies as a reward.

This movie isn’t well-known – it didn’t get a lot of publicity – but it’s a really sweet story, and the puppies are unbelievably cute! I initially planned to watch it with my nephew, but he fell asleep, so I ended up enjoying it by myself. It’s become a bit of a secret enjoyment for me.

2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

Rudolph is a small reindeer who lives with Santa Claus and the other reindeer at the North Pole. Sadly, the other reindeer exclude him because of his bright, red nose. But when a particularly foggy Christmas Eve threatens to cancel the holiday, and a group of unique toys needs rescuing, Rudolph’s special nose might just be the key to saving Christmas!

Honestly, even though it has the same rating as the movie before it, I had to put Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at number two. It’s just so much more famous – I really think it’s a true classic, and everyone knows it!

What I loved most about the movie was Yukon Cornelius and his sled dogs! They weren’t the usual husky breed you’d expect. Instead, his team was made up of a really funny mix of dogs – a dachshund, a border collie, a St. Bernard, a cocker spaniel, and even a poodle!

You’ve probably heard many Rudolph stories, but this one is extra special – especially because of the adorable puppies! It’s definitely my favorite.

1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

IMDb Rating: 8.3/10

The story centers around the Grinch, a grumpy and unpleasant hermit who despises Christmas and the cheerful people of Whoville. He comes up with a plan to ruin Christmas for everyone by dressing up as Santa Claus and using his dog, Max, to help him steal all the presents and decorations, leaving Whoville sad and without any Christmas spirit.

Everyone knows the story of the Grinch, but this classic animated movie is widely considered the best adaptation. Similar to the live-action film starring Jim Carrey, the character of Max is a definite highlight!

The Grinch’s story truly captures the spirit of Christmas – it’s about loving someone even when they’re difficult. If you haven’t read the original book, I highly recommend it – it’s a wonderful way to make this holiday season special.

2025-12-22 11:49