Top 15 Dog Breeds That Steal the Spotlight in Movies

As dog lovers, we are excited to see a dog in a movie, and it gets even better when the dog is a main or lead character. Dogs have proven they make great casts and are here to stay in the industry. We present this list based on Pet Palace Resort’s ranking to celebrate the breeds that have appeared the most in films.

German Shepherd

Since the early 1900s, German shepherds have been in films. In 1922, the dog Strongheart made his film debut in The Silent Call, and the next year, it was Rin Tin Tin on The Man from Hell’s River. With features in over 500 films, they are the kings of dogs in the industry.

Bulldog

Only the Bulldogs come close to German Shepherds when it comes to film appearances. From the Pooch and the Pauper to Saving the British Bulldog, Bulldogs have shown that they deserve a spot in the industry. If you want to watch more of them, there are over 200 films featuring them.

Poodle

Poodles are old in the industry, too. They’ve made their way into over 200 films and shared the screen with stars. We can see a black poodle in Seven Days from Now, a 1957 film, and a white one in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? from the same year.

Doberman

In the 1990s film The Mouth of Madness, six Dobermans are used to scare some people. Resident Evil shows Alice cornered by Dobermans, too. Maybe they are used because they are among the most intelligent and trainable dogs; maybe not, but they have been in over 100 films.

Chihuahua

What is not to love about the tiny, cute Chihuahua? Filmmakers seem to share this love and have cast them in over 100 motion pictures. A chihuahua plays the titular role in Ping! where he thinks he’s a cat but shows bravery when thieves attempt to steal from his adopters.

Rottweiler

Rottweilers have shared films with superstars like Mel Gibson (in Lethal Weapon 3) and Dave Chappelle (in Half Baked). Horror lovers will enjoy their performances in Dogs of Hell. With over 100 films featuring this breed, its lovers can expect to keep finding them as they watch more movies.

Great Dane

The greatness of Great Danes isn’t just in their size but in their ability to lead a film, as proven by one of them in the 2010 effort, Marmaduke. Blondie in Society shows us another Great Dane called Chin-Up, a gift that wins a $500 prize! There are over 100 films with this breed in them.

Golden Retriever

If you want to see a golden in a film, there are over 100 opportunities for you! They include Air Bud, For The Love of a Dog, and Golden Winter. We see a Golden take the lead role in The Art of Racing in the Rain, where he reincarnates into a human with golden hair.

Dachshund

Do you know the movie “Wiener-Dog” is named after this breed? That’s another name for it. This movie and over a hundred films have Dashunds in them. Among them is the oldie Grand Hotel, where we see a baron who enjoys spending time with his dachshund.

Saint Bernard

Saint Bernards are not left behind in films. They have also made over a hundred appearances, but we must give a big shout-out to Beethoven. Here’s a fact that may blow your mind: Over 100 St Benard puppies were involved in making the Beethoven film series.

Pug

Want to see a pug in an action film? Men in Black is here for you! How about in a political film? There’s The Campaign. More than 100 other films have pugs in them. A much older film, The Adventures of Milo and Otis, has a pug as one of the lead characters.

Bloodhound

Both Cats & Dogs and the sequel, The Revenge of Kitty Galore, feature bloodhounds. The first part features an ambushed bloodhound named Buddy, and the second features a bloodhound in Germany called Rex. With appearances in over 100 films, the breed can claim a successful film career.

Dalmatian

Dalmatians may just be the easiest dogs to spot in and out of films. Their white backdrop and the black or brown spots they rock make them stand out among dogs. Among their 90-plus movies is the high-grossing comedy 101 Dalmatians, where a fashion designer needs them for a coat.

Beagle

More than 80 films have featured beagles. We can start counting from Underdog, a 2007 film, where a beagle called Leo plays the titular role, go on to Shiloh, where a mistreated beagle finds someone who cares about it, and end with Rusty: a dog’s tale, where a beagle is a titular character.

Basset hound

Basset hounds may have short legs, but the number of movies they’ve been in is not so small. Kit gets herself a Basset Hound in the well-rated comedy-drama Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. Besides this movie, bassets have appeared in about 80 films, if not more.