Most movies that revolve around dogs can get viewers emotional as seeing the lifelong man’s best friend playing a role onscreen so perfectly is something to be proud of. On the other hand, when it is a sad dog movie, the emotions take another turn. These sad dog movies can get you tearing up even if you are not a dog lover. There are a lot of emotional moments and many lessons to learn from them too. Thus, if you feel like you can withstand the sadness or don’t mind tearing up, you can binge on the following sad dog movies.
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1. Fluke (1995)
The movie revolves around a dog who used to be a man. Tom, who was portrayed by actor Matthew Modine, reincarnates as a dog named Fluke after he was killed. When Fluke realizes he used to be a human businessman, he tries to reunite with his family – wife, and kids and also goes after his killer.
2. Marley & Me (2008)
If you are looking for a real tear-jerker, try this one. Marley & Me is based on the autobiographical book by John Grogan with Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson playing the Grogans, a new couple. After their wedding, the Grogans adopt a Labrador to see if they are ready to become parents and the end was heartbreaking as every dog lover would relate.
3. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2010)
One of the saddest dog movies you can find, Hachi: A Dog’s Tale is a 2010 masterpiece about an Akita Inu’s bond with its human owner. Even more emotional is the fact that the movie is based on a true story of a dog that travels to the train station to wait for its owner everyday and when a day came that the owner didn’t return as usual because he died on his way home, Hachi, the dog, continued to visit the station everyday for the next ten years. This is definitely a very emotional one for both dog lovers and movie buffs. The movie also portrays loyalty on a whole new level.
4. My Dog Skip (2000)
This is another sad dog movie based on a true story from the memoirs of a writer named Willie Morris. Willie’s lonely childhood is the focus of the story. Set in the 1940s in Mississippi, Willie is gifted with a Jack Russell Terrier (Skip) for his ninth birthday. Willie learned some life lessons from Skip and those lessons followed him into adulthood.
5. All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)
This is an animated movie with a touch of darkness. A German Shepherd mix ditches heaven to return to earth in order to get revenge on his doggy pal who murdered him. Charlie B. (the dog) then encounters a young girl who would make him reconsider his plans and get a new outlook on life.
6. Eight Below (2006)
The movie is based on a true story about three American geologists who get saved by their sled dogs but had to leave them behind to save their own lives. The dogs struggle to survive under the harsh weather condition of the Antarctic but the owners later go back to rescue the dogs. Loyalty and adventure form the theme of the movie.
7. Old Yeller (1957)
When it comes to sad dog movies that will make you an emotional bunch, Old Yeller takes the cake. On a Texas farm in the 60s, Travis meets an Old Yeller but didn’t like the dog at first until it saves his brother’s life during a vicious bear attack. Travis and Old Yeller become best buddies but the end was tragic.
8. Where the Red Fern Grows (1974)
One of the most difficult sad dog movies to watch, Where the Red Fern Grows chronicles the efforts of a 12-year-old boy to get his own dog for hunting. Billy only wants to go hunting with his own dog and he saves money to adopt two pooches. The trio made the most of their time together, going on adventures until death came calling.
9. Red Dog (2011)
Red Dog is a true story about a red cattle dog that became a Western Australian icon as written by Louis de Bernières. This sad dog movie chronicles the journey of the Australian cattle dog in search of his lost master. He unites the community on his way and meets new owners. Also known as ‘The Pilbara Wanderer’, Red Dog now has a statue erected in his memory in 1979. The statue can be found in the city of Dampier where the dog often visited.
10. A Dog’s Purpose (2017)
Based on a novel of the same title, A Dog’s Purpose portrays the possibility of reincarnation in dogs. In the movie, a dog named Josh Gad reincarnates five times and through those lifetimes in search of life’s purpose, it encounters different human owners that shape the basis of its conclusions about life. Needless to say that some owners were good to the dog while some were nasty but it didn’t give up on its mission to find life’s true purpose on earth.