The Dog Days Of Summer: Our Favorite Movies About Four-Legged Fuzzballs

By Meghan O'Keefe @megsokay
Published July 29, 2015, 9:00 a.m. ET

As July slows down and August begins to rear its ugly, muggy head, we can officially say that we’ve hit the “Dog Days of Summer.” These are the days soaked in humidity and the nights beaten down by the heat that make us rue the day we ever celebrated that spring was over and have us wishing for the crisp, chilly air of autumn.

But you don’t have to hate the Dog Days of Summer. Rather than lament them, why not celebrate them with a marathon of movies featuring our favorite dogs on film. Maybe you want to revisit the tender romance of Nora Ephron — Hey! There’s a dog in You’ve Got Mail! Maybe you want to cry your eyes out a little — Oh look! There’s Marley and Me! Or maybe you just want to get whisked away to a world of whimsy — Rowlf and the muppets can do that for you.

All 20 of these films is delightful and heartwarming in its own unique way and each features a spectacular canine for you to fall in love with.

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Everett Collection
Turner and Hooch Sometimes man’s best friend starts out as man’s worst nightmare. Turner and Hooch is all about what happens when a fastidious cop has to partner with a slobbery dog to solve a crime. [Where to Stream Turner and Hooch]Everett Collection
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You’ve Got Mail What good is a happy ending kiss if there isn't a dog to get in on the action? Nora Ephron knew this, which is why Baxter gets in on the love at the end of You’ve Got Mail. [Where to Stream You’ve Got Mail]Everett Collection
The Wizard of Oz Yeah, Dorothy showed courage and heroism during her journey to Oz, but she couldn't have faced all the perils in 'The Wizard of Oz' without her faithful companion, Toto. [Where to Stream The Wizard of Oz]Everett Collection
Oliver and Company We know the movie is called Oliver and Company, but Dodger (or as Decider writer Tyler Coates calls him, "Billy Joel dog") was the real star. [Where to Stream Oliver and Company]Everett Collection
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The Muppets Take Manhattan Sorry Kermit, but the coolest muppet of all time is Rowlf the Dog. Who else is content to just chill out and tickle the ivories? [Where to Stream The Muppets Take Manhattan]Everett Collection
Men In Black Frank the Pug became such a popular part of the Men in Black franchise, producers were compelled to make him an actual Man in Black. Well, Pug in Black. [Where to Stream Men In Black]Everett Collection
Lassie Lassie is one of the most popular dogs in film and TV history. He's so cool that even legendary producer Lorne Michaels wanted a photo op with him in the mid 1990s. You can’t yet stream that version, but the 2005 adaptation is on VOD. [Where to Stream Lassie]Everett Collection
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101 Dalmations 101 Dalmations gave us 101 spotted pups to love, but we're especially obsessed with Pongo and his lady love, Perdita. [Where to Stream 101 Dalmations]Everett Collection
Milo and Otis Look, dogs and cats can be friends, as adorable pug Otis proved in Milo and Otis. [Where to Stream Milo and Otis]Everett Collection
Benji Benji! (That's all we have to say about Benji.) [Where to Stream Benji]Everett Collection
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The Artist We can finally all admit that The Artist didn't deserve the Best Picture Oscar and we all just really liked Uggie the Dog, right? [Where to Stream The Artist]Everett Collection
My Dog Skip Skip from My Dog Skip was such a good dog, he dealt with being zipped down a clothes line. [Where to Stream My Dog Skip]Everett Collection
As Good As It Gets Verdell from As Good As It Gets was more than just a a cute doggy pal. He's the one who begins to defrost Melvin Udall's (Jack Nicholson) ice cold heart.
[Where to Stream As Good As It Gets]Everett Collection
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The Thin Man Asta might be the coolest dog of all time. Not only does she help Nick and Nora Charles solve crimes in The Thin Man, but she also keeps up with them in bars. [Where to Stream The Thin Man]Everett Collection
Legally Blonde Elle Woods's secret weapon in Legally Blonde wasn't her blonde hair; it was her pet dog, Bruiser. [Where to Stream Legally Blonde]Everett Collection
Anchorman You know what makes 'Anchorman' Ron Burgundy the best news anchor of all time? His exquisite taste in dogs. Take his main dog, Baxter. [Where to Stream Anchorman]Everett Collection
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The Sandlot One of our favorite cinematic twists is when The Beast in The Sandlot is revealed to be the adorably gentle Hercules. Slobber, slobber, slobber! [Where to Stream The Sandlot]Everett Collection
Beethoven 'Beethoven' is more than just a legendary German composer — he's an adorable drooling St. Bernard! [Where to Stream Beethoven]Everett Collection
Marley and Me Who do you like more? Marley and Me star Jennifer Aniston or the dog from 'Marley and Me'? This is a test and will go down on your permanent record. [Where to Stream Marley and Me]Everett Collection
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Strange Brew Hosehead from Strange Brew is NOT, contrary to popular belief, a skunk. Rather, he's one of the best dogs ever, eh. Free Elsinore beer and sausages for everyone! [Where to Stream Strange Brew]Everett Collection
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