Kids' and Family Movies for Dog Lovers

Based on the book by Lois Duncan, kids love Hotel for Dogs both because of the dogs and the because of the "kids save the day" plot. When their new guardians forbid 16-year-old Andi (Emma Roberts) and her younger brother, Bruce (Jake T. Austin) to have a pet, they have to find a new home for their beloved dog, Friday. Having learned to be resourceful from their time in foster care, the kids use their street smarts and talents to turn an abandoned hotel into the ultimate doggy destination for Friday, and many others. Despite the risk to their own tentative situation, the kids' love of dogs won't let them abandon their furry friends.(PG)

Marmaduke, the iconic comic strip dog, bounded onto the big screen in 2010 in a live action family comedy. In the movie, the teenage Great Dane moves with his human family to Orange County, CA. Adjusting to life in a new place is hard for any teenager, but Marmaduke handles is with a certain flair. (Rated PG)

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (rated PG) is a live-action movie starring Drew Barrymore (as the voice of Chihuahua, Chloe), Piper Perabo, Manolo Cardona, Jamie Lee Curtis, and many more big names. The story follows Chloe's adventure as she is lost in Mexico and struggles to find her way home. Kids will enjoy the countless number of canines in the movie, and little girls will especially enjoy all of Chloe's little designer outfits. Disney has also released two more direct-to-DVD movies in the franchise, Beverly Hlls Chihuahua 2 and Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta.

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Playing on the stereotypical clash of cats and dogs, this animal action movie finds the dogs -- man's best friend -- trying to save humankind from a meniacal cat plan to take over the world. Then along came the 2010 sequel, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. The sequel goes even further down the road of a canine/feline action flick with a James Bond style film that finds cats and dogs forced to work together to thwart the crazy Kitty Galore. Both movies are rated PG.

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Air Buddies is just one DVD in the Air Bud DVD series. The DVDs follow the famous sports dog Air Bud and his lovable pups, the Buddies. The DVDs are great for kids who love dogs and sports, and the adorable Air Buddies will capture the heart of both boys and girls. Other Buddies DVDs are also available: Snow Buddies, another story in the saga of the adventurous pups in which they get to mush with an Alaskan husky; Space Buddies, which follows the Buddies on a trip to the moon; and Santa Buddies, a Christmas Buddies special. A spinoff movie of the Christmas special, The Search for Santa Paws, was later released. Air Buddieso is rated PG; the other Buddies movies are rated G.

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Based on the "world's worst dog" from the original drama Marley & Me (not a kids' movie), The Puppy Years is a kid-friendly spin-off comedy about a summer adventure the talking puppy Marley has while staying with a family member, Bodie, and his grandpa. Bodie tries to prove he is responsible caring for Marley in the hopes that his mom will let him get a dog of his own. While staing with Grandpa, Bodie enters Marley and a coule of doggy pals into a dog show. The movie conveys an overall lesson about responsibility and sportsmanship. (Rated PG)

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Three members of a scientific expedition: Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker), his best friend, Cooper (Jason Biggs), and a rugged American geologist (Bruce Greenwood), are forced to leave behind their team of beloved sled dogs due to a sudden accident and perilous weather conditions in Antarctica. The dogs are left to survive on their own for over 6 months in the harsh frozen wilderness. The film is inspired by the events of a 1958 Japanese Antarctic Expedition, which also inspired the Japanese film Nankyoku Monogatari (1983) a.k.a. Antarctica. The fact that the film is inspired by a true story makes it that much more interesting for kids. Rated PG, for some peril and brief mild language.