[2]It’s that time of year again. Not just hot but HOT! Incredibly, nasty, dangerously hot! The kind of hot we get, oh, well, not every 5 or 10 years or even every other year here in Houston. No, we seem to get it every year.
These days are called “dog days” of summer. The term comes from a time when Sirius, the Dog Star – and the brightest star in the Canis Major constellation -- appeared to rise about the same time as the sun during the summer, thus adding to the heat of the sun.
When you look into the night sky, you can find Sirius at the bottom left of the Orion constellation. As a kid, I read a story about Orion being a great hunter in Greek mythology. Upon his death, the gods placed Orion in the heavens, and his most loyal companion, his dog Sirius, was put at his heels. I think of that story every summer, when the dog days come around. And, of course, the idea of Orion always having his favorite dog with him reminds me of the dogs I’ve owned and the wonderful company they were.
It’s only natural that storytellers of all kinds would write about their own pets. Books, movies, TV shows, and songs have all been used to relay stories of dogs and what they mean to us. Whether they work with us or just provide companionship, the relationship between people and dogs is one that is constant and comforting.
I’ve listed several movies below, dividing them into general themes of Best Friends, Adventure, and Fun. The divisions aren’t hard and fast. There’s give and take among the categories and a mixture of comedy, drama, and fantasy. The movies themselves might make you laugh out loud or warm your heart – or make you cry. But overall, they’ll probably make you appreciate those friends who were always at your side.
Best Friends
-
All Dogs Go to Heaven [3]
-
Because of Winn-Dixie [4]
-
Big Red [5]
-
The Biscuit Eater [6]
-
The Call of the Wild [7]
-
A Dog of Flanders [8]
-
Firehouse Dog [9]
-
Greyfriars Bobby [10]
-
Hachi: a Dog’s Tale [11]
-
Lassie [12]
-
Marley & Me [13]
-
My Dog Skip [2]
-
Old Yeller [14]
-
Shiloh [15]
-
Sounder [16]
-
Station Jim [17]
-
White Fang [18]
Adventure
-
Ace of Hearts [19]
-
The Adventures of Milo and Otis [20]
-
Balto [21]
-
Benji [22]
-
Beverly Hills Chihuahua [23]
-
Bolt [24]
-
Eight Below [25]
-
Homeward Bound [26]
-
The Incredible Journey [27]
-
K-9 [28]
-
Kavik the Wolf Dog [29]
-
Lady and the Tramp [30]
-
101 Dalmatians [31]
-
Snow Dogs [32]
-
Turner & Hooch [33]
- Underdog [34]
Just for Fun
-
Air Bud [35]
-
Beethoven [36]
-
Hotel for Dogs [37]
-
Marmaduke [38]
-
Olive, the Other Reindeer [39]
-
The Retrievers [40]
-
Scooby-Doo [41]
-
The Shaggy Dog [42]
-
Soccer Dog [43]
-
The Ugly Dachshund [44]
-
Wishbone [45]
-
Zeus and Roxanne [46]
So during this extra-hot dog days of summer, stay indoors and watch a great movie about our best friend. I especially recommend the films set in cold places.
- dog films [47]
- dog movies [48]
- Movies [49]
