Pet Forum

With the upcoming Walt Disney movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua coming, I was wondering what other dog movies were made by Disney. It took a bit of searching, by I found a nice list of all the classical Disney dog stories to share. How many of these Disney dog films have you seen already? We have watched 11.

If I left any off, please let me know. Here is the list of 20 classic Disney dog movies:

1- The Ugly Dachshund: When a Great Dane puppy is raised with a litter of Dachshunds, it naturally thinks it's a Dachshund too--even when it grows to 10 times the size. Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette star as the hapless couple who took in the galumphing dog, which wreaks havoc on their house and home. The Ugly Dachshund is mostly a series of spectacular disasters (the doggy demolition of Jones's art studio will delight kids and reduce adults to nervous wrecks), but it's held together by the convincing domestic banter of Jones and Pleshette (who was quite a dish in 1965); the pair went on to star in a couple of other Disney live-action flicks, Bluebeard's Ghost and The Shaggy D.A.. Despite some racial and gender stereotypes, it's a good-natured and amusing movie in the Disney mold. Also featuring classic character actor Charlie Ruggles (Bringing Up Baby, The Parent Trap).

2- My Dog, The Thief: Join all the fun as Dwayne Hickman and Mary Ann Mobley star in Disney's hilarious canine caper that will steal your heart. As ratings for Jack Crandall's (Hickman) lifeless airborne traffic reports plummet, a super-size St. Bernard on the lam stows away in his chopper. Crandall's new co-pilot helps send ratings sky-high, but the canine's chronic kleptomania generates girl trouble, jewel thievery, and loads of laughs. Also featuring favorites Elsa Lanchester, Joe Flynn, and Roger C. Carmel, your whole family will howl as the big dog learns some clever new tricks.

3- Three On The Run/ Race For Survival: This video has 2 separate adventure episodes from "The Wonderful World of Disney" television show that played on Sunday nights from 1953 to 1983. The first is "Three on the Run", originally aired in 1978. Shot on location in Washington state using quite a bit of local talent. Two teenage brothers are convinced to enter the Icicle Valley Annual Sled Dog Race, and continue the legacy of their father. The long-time champ is making it hard though. Fun family fare. This next episode was first aired in 1978 as well. "Race for Survival" is a story about an African Game Warden who crashes his small spotting airplane in the African Plains. While he survives, he is trapped in the plane and sends his dog "Smoky" for help with a note that shows where the plane crashed. While the greyhound dog runs for help some tribesmen stumble across the plane and nurse the warden back to health in their village. When the dog returns and his master is gone, he frantically searches for him.

4- Big Red: Disney has always done right by the classic "boy and his dog" adventure, and Big Red, adapted from the popular novel by Jim Kjelgarrd, is no exception. Wealthy sportsman Walter Pidgeon buys a beautiful Irish setter to turn into a champion show dog and hires spunky young Gilles Payant, a French-speaking country boy teaching himself English, to care for the dog. But boys will be boys and as Gilles and the setter run through forests, chasing critters and rolling down hills, Red loses all interest in show business discipline as he bonds with the kid. Pidgeon makes a gentle and understanding paternal father figure who grows to love the uneducated but hard-working lad, who grows from impulsive adolescent to courageous young man, but apart from a shattering accident that leaves Red near death, there's little real excitement to the lolling tale. Disney house director Norman Tokar proves more adept in filming the stately wilderness landscape than developing the dramatic possibilities of the script, but there's a charm to the innocent scenes of the boy and his dog at play in the great outdoors. It's a nostalgic world of blue skies, green meadows, rushing rivers of blue and white water, and mountain peaks shooting into the sky. What more could a boy and his dog ask for?

5- Smoke: Since 1960, Ron Howard has proved his talent before and behind the camera. This post "Andy Griffith Show" vehicle showed that young Mr. Howard could move beyond the role of Opie Taylor, and do so with finess. Most child actors peeter out in their teens, Ronnie didn't, because, like our beloved astronaunts, he had the "right stuff." The sceens between him and Earl Holliman are well written and portrayed, giving a fine hint of things to come. His character showed that he could take on responsibility, could show just what he had in him, which was a lot of good stuff. It was this role, and his role in another Disney flick, "The Wild Country", plus his fine portrayal of the son in the short lived "ABC" program "The Smith Family" that paved the way for the "Happy Days" to come.

6- Greyfriars Bobby: Released in 1961--the same year as The Absent-Minded Professor and The Parent Trap--Greyfriars Bobby epitomizes the heart-on-its-sleeve sentimentality that was the special preserve of the Disney Studio. Based on a true story, the film follows the adventures of a wee Skye terrier who refuses to be separated from his master, even in death. Bobby sleeps on the old man's grave in the cemetery of Greyfriars church; he won't be driven away by Mr. Brown, the groundskeeper (Donald Crisp), or adopted by Mr. Trail (Laurence Naismith), the kindly restaurant owner. Bobby wins over both men, as well as the children in the neighborhood tenements. When a priggish policeman charges Mr. Trail with harboring an unlicensed stray, the case becomes a tempest in a dog dish. Greyfriars Bobby offers handsome vistas of Edinburgh; however, even at 91 minutes the pace is meandering. Crisp and Naismith offer engaging performances as the reluctant friends (and rivals for Bobby's affection), but everyone speaks with such thick Scottish burrs it's like attending Groundskeeper Willie's family reunion. Suitable for all ages.

7- Love Leads The Way: When an insurance salesman is blinded in a boxing accident, his world is turned upside down as he has trouble functioning in his sightless world. All seem hopeless until he learns of an innovative European project that trains dogs as guides for the blind. He explores the idea and decides to train for a dog. He eventually gets a guide dog, but soon learns that he is barred from taking his needed companion into transit vehicles and public buildings and businesses. With a newfound friend, he must fight to make the country recognize that those rules are unfair to him and his guide.

8- Nikki Wild Dog Of The North: This story, based on the novel Nomads of the North by James Oliver Curwood, is about the adventures of a malamute dog named Nikki. Nikki and his kind master, Andre Dupas, are traveling via canoe through the Canadian Rockies. When Nikki encounters Neewa, a bear cub that's lost its mother, Andre ties the two animals together, plops them in the canoe, and heads for the rapids. When the two animals become separated from Andre, the unlikely pair must learn to survive in the wilderness. What is initially a relationship of hate and incompatibility transforms into one of compromise and friendship between species. Encounters with timber wolves, lynx, wolverines, and many other wild animals are vividly photographed and give viewers a real sense of life in the wild . When Neewa begins his long winter hibernation, Nikki sets off alone on a desperate hunt for food. Man's scent leads him not to the friendly Andre Dupas, but to an angry trader who attempts to trap and poison him, eventually capturing him and training him as a fighting dog. This 73-minute feature has absolutely breathtaking animal and nature photography and the action is plentiful and absorbing. Especially forward-thinking for its time (1961) are its declaration that Indians don't deserve to be treated as slaves, but as equals in the quest to trap animals, and its assertion that dog fights are "cruel, savage, not human, and bloodthirsty." Nonetheless, animal-rights activists and sensitive children alike will find disturbing the shots of steel traps in use, the incident in which Neewa and Nikki almost choke one another with the line that joins them, and the gruesome dog fight scene.

9- Run Appaloosa Run: This video has 2 separate adventure episodes from "The Wonderful World of Disney" television show that played on Sunday nights from 1953 to 1983. These are two of my favorite episodes, both are very thrilling adventure tales. The first is "Run, Appaloosa, Run", originally aired on the TV show in 1967 (season 14, episode 7) after serving as a theatrical featurette in July 29, 1966 along with the Main Feature at the time, "Lt Robin Crusoe". First release to video was in 1986. It's a story of Mary Blackfeather, a Native American girl of the Nez Pierce tribe who trains horses and performs as a trick rider. The Nez Perce are known for developing the spotted horses. Mary adopts a motherless colt that is rescued from a mountain lion by the family's herd dog "Silver", raises her and names her "Holy Smoke". Mary is eventually separated from her horse when she is forced to sell it at an auction to help her tribe raise money as horse sales are the basis of the tribe's economy in the film. The horse passes from one unworthy owner to another before he and Mary are reunited. They find each other again at a rodeo, and then land up joining in the historic annual "Suicide Relay Race", at Hells Mountain during the Omak Stampede. This is known as the roughest horse race in North America, dreamed up originally by the Nez Perce, consisting of a two horse per team relay of very rough terrain including jumping and swimming elements. Worse yet there are no rules and riders try to knock other riders off their horse. This film is unique because it also features the famous rodeo clown Wilbur Plaugher playing himself. The movie was credited by Time Magazine at the time for a surge in popularity for Appaloosa horses. The Official Disney Encyclopedia Disney A to Z, on page 478 incorrectly lists the colt as "Sky Dancer", and in all fairness it is rare to see mistakes in that book.


10- Old Yeller: There's nothing hip about this vintage Disney film that begins and ends with a corny song about the "best doggone dog in the West." But that's the beauty of Old Yeller, originally released in 1957. The simple, heart-warming story of a boy who bonds with a feisty stray dog in 1860s Texas is full of 1950s sensibilities: A Donna Reed-style perfect "Momma" (Dorothy McGuire) who knows best, a couple of brothers who quarrel in the best sitcom tradition, and a father (Fess Parker, in a small role) who goes off to provide for his family, leaving his older boy (Tommy Kirk) in charge and his incredibly cute younger one (Kevin Corcoran) to steal as many scenes in the movie as he possibly can. With Old Yeller at his side, Kirk becomes a little man, who in the end must make a decision so heart-breaking that it's one of filmdom's most memorable moments.

11- Savage Sam: Sam is no ordinary dog. He is the son of Yeller, the four-legged hero who won your heart in Walt Disney's classic adventure, OLD YELLER. With his two young masters Travis and Arliss Coates (Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran), gentle Sam faces even greater dangers than Yeller did. From the ferocious attacks of wolves and wildcats to the hostile actions of renegade Indians, Savage Sam presents a heartwarming story of love, devotion, and trust set in the sprawling pioneering days of the untamed West.

12- Biscuit Eater: Lonnie (Johnny Whitaker) has a dog he wants to train as a bird-dog, but his father Harve (Earl Holliman) thinks the dog is not trainable and gives it away. Lonnie teams up with his best friend Text (George Spell) to get the dog back in this straightforward Disney film. They name it Moreover and before long, they've managed to teach it a thing or two--enough to make it a serious challenger to Harve's own dog in a local bird-dog competition. Then a misunderstood joke leads to trouble, and the boys have to choose between loyalty to family and their love for their dog. The Biscuit Eater isn't one of Disney's top films; by contemporary standards it's slow, and the emphasis on hunting birds may upset young viewers. However, others may find its tale of determination and racial harmony appealing.

13- Where The Red Fern Grows: Based on Wilson Rawls's 1961 novel of the same name, Where the Red Fern Grows is the touching story of a 12-year-old, Ozark mountain boy (Joseph Ashton) who wants a dog so badly he performs odd jobs for months and saves enough to get two hunting hounds. Just as he hoped, the dogs usher in a period of golden adventure and happiness. Moreover, the pets prove profitable at awards shows and courageous while fending off danger from wild animals. No story about a farm boy and his best four-legged pals is complete, however, without sacrifice and ensuing wisdom; Where the Red Fern Grows has plenty of both. This 2003 feature is co-directed by the original 1974 film's producer and screenwriter, Lyman Dayton, and while it is both efficient and emotionally effective, one might have expected this second go-round to be a bit more deeply felt. Supporting performances by Dabney Coleman and Kris Kristofferson are commendable, while Dave Matthews (yes, that Dave Matthews) has a sweet presence as the hero's kind father.

14- Shaggy D.A.: In this sequel to The Shaggy Dog, Wilby Daniels (Dean Jones) has grown up and married Suzanne Pleshette, and has a young son. When the family comes home to find the house cleaned out by "movers"--who Daniels knows are protected by the corrupt District Attorney John Slade (Keenan Wynn)--he decides to run against Slade in the next election. Meanwhile, hoodlums connected to the same crime syndicate get hold of the mystical ring that turns poor Daniels (via mid-'70s special effects) into Elwood, the dog owned by the local ice-cream vendor (Tim Conway). Lots of chase scenes, a little roller derby action, and some cherry pie throwing complicate both Daniels's bid for office and his quest to remain a human being. Kids will enjoy the last half of this 91-minute movie the most as Daniels spends most of the time in his dog persona and because his son becomes part of the plot to undo the bad guys. This G-rated feature is safe for all ages, but kids probably won't sit through it until age 4 or 5.

15- 101 Dalmations: Unleashing every ounce of Disney magic and the biggest and cutest collection of puppies every brought to film, 101 DALMATIANS thrilled audiences of all ages with fast-paced adventure and comedy when this all-time classic puppy tale came to life as a worldwide box office sensation, starring Glenn Close as the diabolical dognapping Cruella De Vil. DISC TWO: In this brand-new, hilarious adventure, the audacious Oddball, the spotless Dalmatian puppy on a search for her rightful spots, and Waddlesworth, the wisecracking, delusional macaw who thinks he's a Rottweiler, lead a posse of puppies on a mission to outfox the wildly wicked ever-scheming Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close).


16- Lady & The Tramp: It's still one of the sweetest kisses onscreen, up there with Bergman and Grant, Bogey and Bacall: the moment when pampered purebred Lady and streetwise mongrel Tramp, sharing a moonlit plate of spaghetti in an alley behind an Italian café, unknowingly slurp the same strand, and suddenly find their mouths meeting in surprise and tenderness. Ah, puppy love. Lady and the Tramp is a delight of animation and surprisingly deep character development, given that the stars are all dogs. Lady, an adorable Cocker Spaniel, feels neglected when her owners become distracted by the pending birth of a baby. But the last straw is clueless Aunt Sarah's appearance with her conniving Siamese cats (among Disney's most creatively evil villains), who wreak havoc on Lady's blissful home life. Soon Lady is off on an adventure in the streets, where the savvy Tramp takes her under his paw. The lessons of friendship and loyalty, of integrity--not to mention trusting in the kindness of strangers--ring true to delighted children and adults alike. And unlike many Disney films, there's no real violence, only challenges that smart dogs (including a tough-talking vamp named Peg, voiced sublimely by Peggy Lee, who also wrote the songs), banding together, can tackle. The animation is terrific; the scene where we first meet Tramp shows him rinsing off under a pipe, and his subsequent shaking-off of the water follows the detailed rippling up and down his back that any dog lover will recognize. And is there any song more romantic than "Bella Notte"? Bellissima!


17- Lady & The Tramp II: One of the remarkable things about making an animated sequel is that actors don't age. It took Disney 46 years to make a sequel to its 1955 hit Lady and the Tramp, yet the events of this made-for-video sequel take place only six months later. Lady and Tramp are getting along fine with their human family, the Darlings, and they have four new puppies. The three girl puppies take after mom, the boy, Scamp, has a lot of dad in him. Scamp dreams of "being a real dog," and that means living on the street as a member of the Junkyard Dogs. Despite his dad's warnings, Scamp (voiced by Scott Wolf) runs off and goes through the trials of a mutt, including run-ins with Junkyard leader Buster (Chazz Palminteri); the dog catcher (Don Knotts); and a fellow stray, Angel (Alyssa Milano). The formula here is the same as other Disney direct-to-video sequels The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, and the justification to return to a classic movie is flimsy at best. To its credit, Disney has made a quality effort in the animation department, adapting sets and characters from the original with great success. But the story is never engaging, the songs are forgettable, and the impact unsustainable (and at 62 minutes, quite trite). Nevertheless, a Disney kid should dig Scamp's rough-and-tumble adventures and the cute tale of puppy love (Scamp and Angel even revisit the Italian diner). The purist: beware.


18- Oliver & Company: A timeless classic inspired by Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist," OLIVER & COMPANY is a fun-filled, action-packed musical adventure voiced and sung by one of the most talented casts in Disney history! And now you can own this Disney masterpiece on DVD! The film artfully blends lovable characters, cool songs, and action-packed adventure into a contemporary classic that's "charming, funny, musical, and thrilling!" (ABC-TV) Disney's hip, high-energy tale begins in the concrete canyons of New York City, where Oliver, an adorable orphaned kitten, is befriended by Dodger, a carefree mutt with a certain street savoir faire. The mischievous little cat is welcomed by Dodger's pack of pickpocket pooches, including dim-witted Einstein, ravishing Rita, and live-wire Tito. This ragtag family of misfits runs into trouble when the evil mastermind Sykes -- aided by his two daunting dobermans -- schemes to kidnap the lonely little rich girl who just adopted Oliver! It's up to the brave kitten and his newfound friends to race to the rescue in an electrifying chase through the city's subway system. Boasting five outstanding original songs and the musical talents of Billy Joel, Bette Midler, and Huey Lewis -- and overflowing with brilliant animation, OLIVER & COMPANY is a modern masterpiece.

19- The Fox And The Hound: The Fox and the Hound marked the last collaboration between Disney's older artists, including three of the "Nine Old Men" (Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, and Woolie Reitherman), and the young animators who would make the record-breaking films of the '90s. Based on a book by Daniel P. Mannix, the film tells the story of a bloodhound puppy and a fox kit who begin as friends but are forced to become enemies. Tod and Copper barely establish their friendship before Copper begins his training as hunting dog. Unfortunately, neither character develops much of a personality, which makes it difficult to care about them. The screen comes alive near end of the film, when Tod and Copper have to join forces to fight off an enormous bear. It had been years since Disney produced a sequence with this kind of feral power--and years would pass before they surpassed it. The Fox and the Hound ranks as one of the studio's lesser efforts, but it suggests that better films were soon to follow.

20- My Dog The Thief: This kind of fun filled family movie is really hard to find anymore. Right from the fun opening song and opening credits, this animal comedy caper movie starts with a laugh and never stops. It is the story of a St. Bernard named Barabbas (after the biblical thief) that has been through 8 owners, all who give him up since he escapes from home to steal stuff. Barabbas spends a lot of time running from the dog catcher. He takes lunchbags, gloves, and the other things that interest a dog out for a stroll and he usually drops it somewhere when it doesn't interest him anymore. But he meets the helicopter pilot (Dwayne Hickman) for a radio station whose traffic reporting puts people to sleep and they hit it off - and together on the air they turn the sagging ratings around. During an unscheduled stop for a dogy break, the dog steals a lunchbox from some real thieves, and it has a million dollar necklace inside. The pilot, his new girl Mary Ann Mobley), and the dog are in danger from the desperate thieves when the dog is kidnapped. And all of this is occuring while the pilot tries to keep his horse-sized dog hidden from his landlady. If you like dogs, you will really connect with this movie.

I've seen all or most of those films. There's one bit I've been looking for, and can't for the life of me remember the film it's from. It shows a Great Dane, chained to his doghouse (this is important!) who starts off on a galloping chase after something. He plows through shrubs, over fences, swims pools, interupts a party (I think) and all while his house is bouncing along behind him, eventually turning into a pile of splinters. In the end there's only the front of the doghouse (with the door) left, still clattering away after the bounding dog.
I forgot what starts off the chase, it may be a cat or some other animal. I also saw it on the old tv show The Mouse Factory, where Professor Ludwig von Drake invents a bone-throwing machine, setting the whole thing into motion. As a short in this context, it's hysterically funny.
I don't think it's from The Ugly Dachshund but not sure, haven't seen that one in a while. I do know that one has Brutus disrupting the party with the Chinese lanterns.
Anyone else recall this?

Hey Panda! Welcome to the forum!

That's a tough one. Between my husband and I, we could almost be Disney movie pros.

Hmmm... I swear I think the scene you are talking about comes from The Ugly Dachshund. I am 75% positive that's the movie.

But... I need to make sure. It's been ages since I've seen that one myself. I'm going to watch it after work tonight and I will come back here to tell you if that is the one or not. I hope it is or this is really going to drive me crazy!! lol

Here's a pic I found from The Ugly Dachshund:

Thank you for sharing. I like watching dog movies. I will download some of the movies I haven't seen yet. Do you guys have a downloaded copies of these movies?

Wha??!!

There are a lot of dog movies and I haven't seen most of them..

I have a problem watching dog movies because I'm a real crybaby and I don't like seeing the dog sad or hurt.

You know the movie Eight Below? That was so sad... I want to watch movies with dogs but if it's like that I'd rather not. That's just my opinion though