Anyone who has ever lived with a dog on a day-to-day basis knows intuitively that they have souls. There's that sparkle in their eyes, that bounce in their gait, and the eager anticipation they display as they move through the world. Dogs are warm-blooded and warm-hearted beings. They are also loyal, curious, and courageous. It's no wonder that dogs show up so often in books and films.

Over the years we've seen many movies about dogs with soul. Here are some of our favorites, listed alphabetically by title. Click on the title to read a full review.

  • Antarctica, based on a true story, pays tribute to the survival instincts of several huskies who were left behind when a Japanese expedition were evacuated in 1958.
  • As Good As It Gets depicts how a little dog softens the heart of a man who keeps people at a distance.
  • Balto is an animated film about a half-husky half-wolf who undertakes a heroic journey filled with mystical moments.
  • Because of Winn-Dixie centers around a stray dog who actually smiles and has the spiritual gift of bringing lonely humans together into community.
  • Benji the Hunted is about an adorable pooch who is a four-pawed Good Samaritan.
  • Best in Show depicts a dog show and the truth of Charles F. Duran's observation that "Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog."

  • A Boy and His Dog is a cult sci-fi film about a resourceful survivor and his telepathic talking dog.
  • Cape of Good Hope is a winsome film about the folks who work at a South African animal shelter for dogs.
  • Dog is a heart-warming story about how a difficult dog and a damaged war veteran transform each other.
  • A Dog's Way Home is a touching story about the emotional life of a dog who is separated from her family.
  • Eight Below is an American film inspired by Antarctica about a dog pack working together to survive a season on their own in a frozen wilderness.
  • Fluke is an oddball movie about a man who dies in a car crash and whose soul then migrates into a dog.
  • Hachi: A Dog's Tale is an immensely appealing drama about the extraordinary devotion of a dog for his beloved human companion.

  • Hotel for Dogs is a fetching and funny family film with special appeal to lovers of rescued dogs.
  • Lady and the Tramp is a classic animated film about the relationship between a pampered cocker spaniel and a roguish mutt.

  • Marley & Me is a comedy about a wild, rambunctious, and playful dog who is a spiritual teacher par excellence of how to live in the present moment.
  • My Dog Skip, based on Willie Morris's memoir, is a heart-affecting boy and his dog drama set in the 1940s in Yazoo City, Mississippi.
  • My Dog Tulip is a funny, charming, and witty animated feature based on J. R. Ackerley's masterful memoir about his loving relationship with his dog.
  • Shiloh celebrates an 11-year-old boy's love for a dog and his need to stand up for what he believes in.
  • The Triplets of Belleville is an inventive French animated feature where a heroic figure is Bruno, a large barking dog with a keen sense of smell.
  • Zeus and Roxanne is a family film about the friendship that develops between a dog and a dolphin.