Top Five Movie Dogs

There is nothing more entertaining than watching a puppy trying to catch his own tail or rolling all over three other puppies as they play. It's only natural that dogs would eventually find their way into mainstream Hollywood entertainment. Some animals have become so famous that simply mentioning their movie names brings instant recognition. Others play bit parts that simply entertain us for the duration of the movie. Here is my top five list of the most entertaining and noble canine movie stars.

1) Lassie

Let's get the obvious ones out of the way. Who doesn't remember watching a Lassie movie or television episode as a child? Time after time this dog rescued her owners and their progeny from countless dangers. She caught the bad guys, she saved the baby, and all the while remaining the ever-lovely, Lassie. Lassie is indeed the iconic American family companion.

2) White Fang

Ok, so technically he isn't a dog, he's a wolf but we think he deserves some recognition. Several movies have been made based on the 1906 book by Jack London the earliest in 1925 and the most recent one an animated version made in 1997. Perhaps the most popular version was the 1991 movies starring Ethan Hawke. Any canine that rescues a human from a hungry bear certainly deserves recognition. This movie also did an excellent job showing the bond that can form between man and dog.

3) The Beast - The Sandlot

The Beast was a giant slobbering, ball eating, imposing dog that in the end turned out to be little more than a territorial but old and friendly animal. James Earl Jones also makes for an imposing character in the movie but he also is simply an old friendly character. Really makes you wonder if dogs look like their owner... or vice versa...

4) Chance - Homeward Bound

If you haven't seen this movie, you really should. The three main characters are all animals. There's Change the goofy American Bulldog, Shadow the stoic and wise golden retriever, and Sassy the sassy feline. Some of Chance's appeal may be in the fact that he is voiced by the ever comedic Michael J. Fox. You can't help but laugh when Chance gets pricked by a porcupine and exclaims "Ahhh! He bit me with his butt!" This cast of characters makes for some serious laughs and yet by the end of the movie is quite endearing.

5) Milo - The Mask

Now I realize that The Mask is not the greatest piece of cinematic artwork but the dog in this movie is not only adorable, he's very funny. With an uncanny knack for finding his owner's (Jim Carrey's) lost keys and then capriciously refusing to return them, this Jack Russell terrier was the perfect counterpart for Jim Carrey onscreen. This dog went beyond the simple find and return routines, he was also a very vocal actor; growling, whining, barking at all the appropriate moments. Who can forget the moment when Jim Carrey instructs him to get the jail keepers keys and instead he returns with the jail keepers cheese.

Certainly there are many more movie animals that deserve to be recognized. Garnering an honorable mention include: Benji, Hooch from Turner and Hooch, Toto from the Wizard of Oz, Scooby-Doo, Wishbone, Max from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Frank the talking pug from Men in Black, and the drug sniffing Chihuahua from A Man Apart.