32 Great Movies With Talking Dogs

As a dog parent, I have often pondered how much easier life would be if canines could speak. I have even gone so far as to give my pets dialogue when recalling funny stories about them.

That is why I have a soft spot for great dog movies that give their furry protagonists the ability to communicate through more than barking. This could mean they can magically talk with humans, can only communicate with other dogs, or even exist in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. I cover them all here, go fetch!

Lady And The Tramp (1955)

One of the most heartwarmingly romantic animated Disney movies centers on the unlikely coupling of a pampered cocker spaniel (voiced by Barbara Luddy) and a stray mutt (voiced by Larry Roberts) in Lady and the Tramp. Ward Greene's 1945 short story "Happy Dan, the Cynical Dog" also inspired a live-action 2019 film, featuring Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux in the title roles, but the power of the original is unmatched.

Strays (2023)

Not every talking dog movie is suitable for family viewing, with the most notable exception being the R-rated comedy, Strays. Will Ferrell voices a Border Terrier named Reggie who, after realizing he has been abandoned by his owner, Doug (Will Forte), teams up with Boston Terrier Bug (Jamie Foxx), Australian Shepherd Maggie (Isla Fisher), and Great Dane Hunter to return home... and bite Doug's "favorite toy" off.

The Secret Life Of Pets (2016)

Illumination's The Secret Life of Pets provides an imagined inside look at what cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals do when their owners are not looking. The story is brought to life through an all-star cast, including Louis C.K. as a Jack Russell Terrier named Max, Eric Stonestreet as a Newfoundland mix named Duke, Jenny Slate as a Pomeranian named Gidget, and more.

Isle Of Dogs (2018)

Some of the best Wes Anderson movies have seen the filmmaker dabble in stop-motion animation, and to wonderful effect, such as with Isle of Dogs. Bryan Cranston leads the star-studded voice cast as a stray living on a trash-littered island inhabited by canines deported from Japan, where young Atari (Koyu Rankin) journeys to find his pet.

All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)

One of legendary animator Don Bluth's most cherished creations is All Dogs Go to Heaven, which stars Burt Reynolds as Charlie, who meets his fate at the paw of Carface Malone (Vic Tayback). However, the street-smart German Shepherd manages to return to Earth as an angel and embarks on an adventure, where he meets a young girl who can speak to animals named Anne-Marie (Judith Barsi).

The Shaggy Dog (1959)

Based on the 1923 novel The Hound of Florence by Felix Salten, The Shaggy Dog is a unique kind of talking dog story in the sense that the gifted animal in question was once a human. The Disney-produced fantasy-comedy stars Tommy Kirk as teenager Wilby Daniels, who accidentally becomes stricken with a curse that periodically transforms him into a sheepdog.

Balto (1995)

Kevin Bacon voices the title role of Balto, which is the tale of a Husky who helped prevent the outbreak of a deadly epidemic in an Alaskan town. The animated film is actually based on a true story of several Huskies credited with this heroic deed, including Togo, who did not get his own movie until 2019.

A Dog’s Purpose (2017)

Director Lasse Hallström's heartwarming adaptation of W. Bruce Cameron's novel, A Dog's Purpose, could not be categorized as a movie in which the dog does not die, as we see multiple adorable pooches pass away throughout the film. However, all of these dogs share the same soul (and voice, provided by Josh Gad) on a decades-long journey to reconnect with its original owner (played as a teen by KJ Apa and as an adult by Dennis Quaid).

A Goofy Movie (1995)

Classic Disney character Goofy has been described by longtime voice actor Bill Farmer (via Roger Ebert's review) as the missing link between dog and man, which explains how an anthropomorphic canine like him can exist in the same world as Mickey Mouse's pet, Pluto. Every character in the beloved A Goofy Movie is an anthropomorphic canine, including Goofy's teen son, Max (Jason Marsden), who reluctantly joins his father on an unforgettable road trip.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

Based on Sheila Burnford's 1961 novel, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is the story of a bulldog named Chance (voiced by Michael J. Fox), an aging Golden Retriever named Shadow (voiced by Don Ameche in one of his final roles), and a cat named Sassy (voiced by Sally Field), who brave harsh terrain in hopes of reuniting with their loving owners. The Disney classic spawned a sequel called, Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco, in which the trio of pets struggle to survive the urban jungle.

Up (2009)

The beloved Pixar movie Up features a dog given the ability to talk with a special collar that translates his inner thoughts into English. The canine's name is Dug (voiced by animator Bob Peterson), who would become the star of his own Disney+ series, Dug Days.

Scooby-Doo (2002)

One of the most famous talking dogs in pop culture history is the titular Great Dane from Hanna-Barbera's beloved animated series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, who is able to pronounced English words through his barks, but only if they start with the letter "R." He and his human companions from Mystery Inc. – Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (Linda Cardellini), and Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) – were brought to life in a live-action film taking place at a trouble island resort.

One Hundred And One Dalmatians (1961)

For as much as I enjoy the 1996 live-action adaptation movie, 101 Dalmatians, for Glenn Close's pitch-perfect performance as Cruella de Vil, none of the titular spotted canines speak in that film. For that, you will have to revisit Disney's original animated adaptation of Dodie Smith's 1956 novel, which stars Rod Taylor as the voice of Pongo and both Cate Bauer and Lisa Daniels as his mate, Perdita.

Babe (1995)

Babe is adapted from Dick King-Smith's novel, The Sheep Pig, which follows the titular swine (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) struggles to be accepted among his fellow farm animals. He becomes friends with a Border Collie named Fly (voiced by Miriam Margolyes) and surprises Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) with his ability to take over her position of herding sheep.

Fluke (1995)

Have you ever wondered if your dog was a human in a past life? That topic is explored in the film Fluke, which stars Matthew Modine as a deceased man given the chance to reunite with his wife and son when he is reincarnated as the eponymous dog breed, which also becomes his name.

The Voices (2014)

The horror-comedy movie, The Voices, is an interesting example of a talking dog movie since none of the animal characters are genuinely talking. Bathtub factory worker Jerry (Ryan Reynolds) hears his kindly dog Bosco and evil cat Mr. Whiskers (both also voiced by Reynolds) speak to him as a symptom of his schizophrenia.

Sing 2 (2021)

There are very few major canine characters in the first installment of Illumination's Sing franchise from 2016, but that changes in the sequel. Chelsea Peretti voices a Saluki dog named Suki Lane, who works as talent scout for the shady Arctic wolf, Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale).

Doctor Dolittle (1998)

Some talking dog movies involve animals speaking to one another and others feature one or more animals that can secretly speak aloud to other humans. However, in Doctor Dolittle, the only human who can communicate with the animals is the title character, played by Eddie Murphy, who first rediscovers his ability when he meets a dog named Lucky (voiced by Norm Macdonald), who also serves as the film's narrator.

Bolt (2008)

The titular White Swiss Shepherd puppy from Disney's Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is introduced as a heroic canine with special superpowers. Little does he know that his special abilities are a fallacy and that he is the star of a TV show, which he only becomes aware of after running away to rescue his owner, Penny (Miley Cyrus), whom he believes has been kidnapped.

A Dog's Journey (2019)

The sequel to A Dog's Purpose is A Dog's Journey, which follows the continued adventures of the reincarnated soul of a dog (voiced by Josh Gad). After awakening in the new body of a female Beagle named Molly, who accepts the responsibility of looking after CJ, who is the granddaughter of Ethan (Dennis Quaid).

PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021)

Fans of movies in which a dog saves the day are not going to want to miss out on PAW Patrol: The Movie. Spun off from the popular children's TV show, it follows a group of heroic puppies, led by young human Ryder (Will Brisbin), who are tasked with rescuing their home of Adventure City from the corrupt Mayor Humdinger.

The Shaggy D.A. (1976)

The sequel to Disney's original The Shaggy Dog, The Shaggy D.A., sees Dean Jones take over the role of Wilby Jones, who is now a grown man with a family, a law career, and a promising campaign for his community's district attorney. Unfortunately, the dishonorable opposing candidate uncovers Wilby's curse and uses it against him, causing Wilby to fall back into the problem and transforming into his furry alter ego at the worst possible moment.

Absolutely Anything (2015)

Some movies depict a dog's ability to speak as a sudden, magical development, such as in co-writer and director Terry Jones' sci-fi comedy Absolutely Anything. Simon Pegg stars as an average man who, as a test to determine if the human race is worthy of saving, is given absolute power by an extraterrestrial race, which he uses to make his dog, Dennis (voiced by Robin Williams), able to speak English.

Good Boy! (2003)

The family comedy Good Boy! offers an unusual explanation for why dogs exists, being that they are an extra-terrestrial race that originally came to Earth centuries earlier with the intention of dominating the planet. A boy named Owen Baker (Liam Aiken) learns this after discovering that his new Border Terrier, Hubble (voiced by Matthew Broderick), has been sent to make sure his canine brethren carry out his species' original mission.

Ferdinand (2017)

Based on Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson's 1936 children's book, Ferdinand is the story of a kindhearted bull (voiced by John Cena) determined to reunite with his family after being unfairly taken away from them. One of Ferdinand's best friends is a hilariously cynical, elderly Bearded Collie named Paco (voiced by Jerrod Carmichael).

Air Buddies (2006)

One of the most desirable dogs in movie history, Buddy from Disney's classic '90s kids sports movie Air Bud, does not speak in the film, nor in any of the sequels in which he branches out beyond basketball. However, in the spin-off, Air Buddies (which spawned a separate franchise of its own), the Golden Retriever does have a voice (provided by Tom Everett Scott), as do his five puppies who are tasked with rescuing him and their mother, Molly (voiced by Molly Shannon) after they are dognapped.

Underdog (2007)

The classic animated series, Underdog, about a Beagle who fights crime with his super powers, was given the live-action movie treatment. Jason Lee voices the titular superhero, also known as Shoeshine, who becomes able to fly, speak, and other abilities after a lab accident.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)

In Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Drew Barrymore voices Chloe, who is a pampered pooch who becomes lost in Mexico City and relies on the help of a German Shepherd named Delgado (voiced by Andy Garcia) to help her survive.

Rover Dangerfield (1991)

Some of Rodney Dangerfield's funniest one-liners come from the film Rover Dangerfield. He lends his voice and signature brand of humor to the animated family film as a Las Vegas Bassett Hound whose luxurious life is interrupted when he is accidentally brought to a farm.

Cats & Dogs (2001)

Fusing spy movies with talking dog movies is Cats & Dogs, which exaggerates the natural rivalry between canines and felines as a centuries-long war over world domination. Tobey Maguire voices Lou, a Beagle reluctantly recruited by veteran secret agent Butch, Anatolian Shepherd (voiced by Alec Baldwin), to help stop the evil Mr. Tinkles (voiced by Sean Hayes).

Marmaduke (2022)

Pete Davidson lends his voice to the title role of Netflix's animated film based on the long-running comic strip, Marmaduke, which was comparatively better received than the 2010 live-action adaptation starring Owen Wilson as the lovable, troublesome Great Dane.

Look Who’s Talking Now (1993)

Look Who's Talking and Look Who's Talking Too gave audiences an inside look into the inner thoughts of babies and toddlers. The hit comedy franchise's third installment shifted its focus to dogs, as told from the perspective of James (John Travolta) and Mollie's (Kirstie Alley) two new pets, Rocks (voiced by Danny DeVito) and Daphne (voiced by Diane Keaton).