Christmas is a time for family and one of the best ways to stir up warm, fuzzy holiday feelings is to gather with family ‘round the fireplace, snack on popcorn or hot chocolate and enjoy a good Christmas movie. And since almost everyone loves a good, heartwarming dog story, the following Christmas dog movies can be a good choice for holiday movie night.
Lady and the Tramp is a cute Disney animation classic from 1955. Lady, a Cocker Spaniel, begins life as a Christmas present in a classy, refined family. When attention shifts from her to a new baby, Lady is sad and the neighborhood stray convinces her that his “footloose and collar-free” life is more exciting. Through a year of adventures together, they fall in love and the next Christmas finds them both back at Lady’s home with their own family of puppies.
The Dog Who Saved Christmas is a funny movie, rated PG, from 2009 in which Zeus, a former police dog, has lost his bark and ends up at the pound. He gets adopted by a family at Christmas as a watch dog, but the mother is skeptical and thinks a security system would be better. It’s almost decided that Zeus will go back to the pound but when the family leaves for Christmas and burglars target the home, Zeus comes up with some clever ways to save Christmas for his family.
The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation is a 2010 sequel to The Dog Who Saved Christmas. It is said to involve a family winter vacation to a mountain cabin, the kidnapping of a glamorous Poodle with which Zeus, former police dog, is smitten, and a tear jerking, happy ending. It is rated PG for rude humor and brief language.
The 12 Dogs of Christmas, from 2004, is another heartwarming dog Christmas movie in which a 12 year old girl fights a “no dog law” by arranging a beautiful holiday pageant with school friends, adults, and a variety of lovable dogs. And it’s rated G.
A Dog Named Christmas is a touching film for all dog lovers. In this 2009 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, a family fosters a dog from the local shelter during the holidays and finds that the yellow dog is not only a great thing for the developmentally challenged son but brings about psychological healing for the father as well. The movie has 100% five star customer ratings at Amazon.
I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown has all the charm of other Charlie Brown animations and makes a great Christmas tradition for the whole family.
Some families plan one or two nights per week during the month of December for Christmas movie night. Others choose a movie to watch each night in the days leading up to Christmas. Whether new release or classic, television or DVD, Christmas movies make a great holiday tradition and create lasting holiday memories.
Related Reading:
Keeping the Christmas Tree and the Dog Safe
Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Dog
Unique Christmas Gift Ideas for the Dog Lover
Joy Butler - Writer, retired lab tech, mom, and animal lover with over 20 years' experience rescuing, kenneling, training and showing dogs.
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