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Halloween wouldn't be complete without watching our favorite spooky films. And if you're a dog lover, your watchlist must include Halloween movies with dogs in them!
Don't worry, because we are about to introduce you to a couple of famous (and infamous) dogs in Halloween movies!
Whether you're looking for a straight-up spine-chilling dog horror film or a cute and fun Halloween-themed movie featuring pups, we've got that covered in this article.
So grab your blankies, make some pup-corn, cuddle with your favorite furry little funnmonster on the couch, and enjoy the show!
RELATED: Top 10 Best Dog Movies You Must See
6 Classic Horror Dog Halloween Movies
Of course, nothing beats a classic film where the dogs (or any pet) play a central role in the story.
Check out this list of some of the fan-favorite dogs in Halloween movies of all time!
Cujo (1983)
![Cujo [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51X3qkrKKdL._SL160_.jpg "Cujo [Blu-ray]")
A classic hair-raising story from the King of Horror himself, Stephen King, Cujo is the 1983 movie adaptation of the novel of the same name.
It follows the story of a gentle St. Bernard who, after getting rabies from a rabid bat, causes horror and terror in a small American town.
Cujo is one of the most well-known dogs in horror filmography, but this story could also be a heartbreaker, too, as much as it is scary, especially for St. Bernard owners.
Curious yet? Watch the trailer below:
You can purchase a Multi-format version of Cujo on Amazon for $13.66 or watch it on Prime Video for $3.79 to $6.99.
Man's Best Friend (1993)
Science experiment, gone wrong—we've all seen this plot. But this 1993 comedy-horror film, Man's Best Friend, is still quite different.
This is about a genetically-modified dog named Max who looks like your regular Tibetan Mastiff but is secretly made to be a killing machine.
Despite the exceptional bond he has created with his rescuer, Max still can't escape his science-made nature that'll, later on, kill humans and animals alike.
Check out Man's Best Friend's official trailer below:
This is available on Amazon Prime Video for rent ($3.99) or purchase ($10.49).
The Pack (1977)
Based on the novel by David Fischer, The Pack centers around the story of the residents of a famous vacation spot, Seal Island, as a pack of dogs terrorizes them.
Now, these dogs aren't your typical strays or rabid canines.
They are, in fact, the remnants of former pets abandoned by vacationers on the island itself.
The Pack shows a classic story of how inhumanity and animal cruelty can come back around to terrorize humans.
Watch this movie's trailer below:
The Pack (1977) is still available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video, priced from $3.99 to $10.99.
There's another nature horror movie also titled “The Pack” released in late 2015 in Australia and 2016 in the US, about a young Australian family terrorized by a pack of wild dogs.
Although both films are not related to each other, it's still a great Halloween flick you can add to your watchlist! You can find more details about this movie on this link.
I am Legend (2007)
Set in dystopian New York City, I am Legend follows the story of scientist Robert Neville, the sole survivor of a virus-ridden world that turned most of the population into vampire-like creatures called Darkseekers.
Together with his faithful German Shepherd sidekick, Samantha, they tries to find the cure for the virus.
I am Legend proves just how loyal dogs can get when everything—and everybody—has changed.
A fair warning: this movie can also be quite heartbreaking! Watch its trailer below:
You can rent this movie on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99 or buy it for unlimited access for $14.99.
Also, don't miss out on the one with the alternate ending!
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
A classic Sherlock Holmes story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it's no wonder The Hound of Baskervilles has had several renditions throughout the years.
In this story, Holmes and his trusty friend Dr. John Watson investigate the property of a rich heir who claimed that his estate is under a family curse and is haunted by a ghostly hound.
Check out the trailer for this movie below:
You can watch this film for free with an Amazon Prime subscription, or rent/buy it for only $3.79 to $12.99.
The Breed (2006)
What could be a dream vacation turned out to be their biggest nightmare.
In this 2006 film, a group of college friends goes to a house on a deserted island (inherited by one of them) for a weekend getaway, unaware that the island was once controlled by a special canine research unit that was shut down due to a rabies outbreak.
You can already guess what comes after… the question is, did they survive?
Watch The Breed‘s trailer below:
This film is also available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
7 Animated and Light Halloween Films with Dogs
If you're not a hardcore scary movie kind of pal or gal, you can still enjoy your spooky movie night featuring these beloved dogs in Halloween movies!
Scooby Doo The Movie (2002)
Well, who would pass up watching (or re-watching!) the whole gang of Mystery, Inc. in Scooby-Doo The Movie?
In this movie, Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, and Fred were summoned individually to Spooky Island to investigate a series of paranormal incidents.
Of course, true to the Scooby fashion, you'd be more entertained than spooked by this movie!
Watch Scooby-Doo: The Movie here on Amazon Prime for $3.99 to $14.99.
Frankenweenie (2012)
If you love Halloween, we're guessing one of your favorite filmmakers is Tim Burton.
He's very well-known for his gothic fantasy, thriller films after all. And one of the many Tim Burton creations is Frankenweenie!
Whether you opt for the original 1984 version or the recreated version in 2012, Frankenweenie will surely tug at your heartstrings with the occasional jump-scare.
Not to give any spoilers, but… what dog owner wouldn't want to keep their pet for as long as possible, right?
There was a 1984 version, but currently, you can stream the 2012 version of Frankenweenie on Amazon Prime.
Spooky Buddies (2011)
A Disney Buddies franchise great for Halloween viewing is the 2011 film Spooky Buddies!
The paw-ties of B-Dawg, Budderball, Mudbud, Rosebud, and Buddha are back to overcome the ghost of the Halloween hound inside Warwick the Warlock's Manor in the town of Fernfield.
Nothing can get cuter than a pack of pups running around to save the day!
Check out the Spooky Buddies trailer below:
If you don't have an Amazon Prime subscription yet, you can rent or purchase this movie for $3.99 or $17.99.
It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
Nothing can get more classic than this Halloween special animated based on the comics Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.
This follows the gang preparing for Halloween as they carve a Jack-o'-Lantern, prepare costumes, and go trick-or-treating!
Of course, our good boy Snoopy got his most iconic sequence of flying his own doghouse!
Watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown official trailer below:
Starting in 2020, Apple TV+ became the home of all Peanuts specials.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Another Tim Burton masterpiece, The Nightmare Before Christmas, follows the story of Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween Town himself, as he plots to take over “Christmas Town.”
Santa may have his red-nosed reindeer, but Jack has his ever-faithful sidekick, Zero the ghost dog, whose light-up nose helps save the holiday!
Zero may be made out of white sheets typical in a ghost fashion, but based on his elongated snout, floppy ears, and slender body, he could be a Halloweenie, a.k.a. Dachshund!
You can rent The Nightmare Before Christmas on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99 or buy it for $17.99, complete with bonus features!
Isle of Dogs (2018)
This stop-motion animated film may not be your typical Halloween movie. However, it's still goosebumps-worthy with how the dogs were animated and how humans can turn into monsters in misunderstood situations.
The Isle of Dogs is set in the fictitious city of Megasaki in Japan, where an outbreak of canine flu happened that led to the banishment of all dogs in the town to Trash Island.
Also, this is a Wes Anderson film, so you're sure to get your mind blown when you watch this film!
Isle of Dogs is also available on Amazon Prime Video for rent ($3.79) or purchase ($14.99).
The Dog Who Saved Halloween (2011)
The second sequel to The Dog Who Saved Christmas in 2009, The Dog Who Saved Halloween still follows the story of former police dog Zeus and his adoptive family, the Bannisters.
Here, they moved to their new home in time for Halloween when the strange neighbor's house piqued the interest of our hero, Labrador Retriever.
You can watch The Dog Who Saved Halloween's trailer below:
You can also add this film to your Amazon Prime Video watchlist!
10 Dogs in Horror Films
Apart from the movies we have listed above, there are still tons of dog horror films you can watch.
Just a heads up though, listed below may be some of the evilest dogs in Halloween movies (‘coz you know, they can't be nice all the time!)
- Zoltan… Hound of Dracula (1977) – a.k.a. Dracula's Dog features a Doberman Pinscher named Zoltan who turned into a vampire. Who says Dracula can't have a dog best friend, right?
- Dawn of the Dead (2014) – Chips, the friendly dog, did a lot of work to keep the protagonists safe from the zombies.
- Halloween (1978) – In this slasher film, German Shepherd Lester tries to warn and protect his owner from serial killer Michael Myers.
- Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) – Toby the Border Collie journeyed with the rest of the cast as they tried to evade Jason Voorhees in New York City.
- Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)– Binnie the Poodle played the punk-rock dog Gonk (short for Algonquin), whom Elvira inherited from her Aunt.
- Dog Soldiers (2002) – In this action-horror film where werewolves were the antagonists, Sam, the protagonist's Border Collie, remained at his owner's side during the whole ordeal.
- The Lost Boys (1987) – Nanook the dog protects his owner, Sam, from being turned into a vampire.
- The Hills Have Eyes (1977) – Beast, a German Shepherd dog, along with some of the family members, survives the attack of mutant cannibals in this classic suspense film.
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) – Jason, Roland Kincaid's dog, was also haunted in his dreams by Freddie Krueger, along with his owner.
- The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – A Bichon Frise played a character named Darla, who's had quite an impressive acting career!
Other Scary Dog Characters in Halloween Movies
- The anti-hero dog Zowie in Pet Sematary II (1992)
- Hellhounds in The Omen (1976)
- Dicky, the seeing-eye dog in The Beyond (1981)
- Cerberus and all the zombie dogs in Resident Evil movies
- American Bulldog Jangers in Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)
- The highly intelligent Bark Lee in John Dies at the End (2012)
- The cute family dog, Bugsy, in The Babadook (2014)
- Sugar the Terrier mix in Crawl (2019)
FAQs on Dogs in Halloween Movies
What is the scariest dog ever?
There are a lot of menacing-looking dog breeds, but none of them rose from the dead or were genetically modified, unlike some of the dogs listed above, so don't worry!
Some of the scariest-looking dogs that are enough to make the burglars run are:
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- Akita
- Rottweiler
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shepherd
- Great Pyrenees
- Great Dane
- Cane Corso
- Dogue de Bordeaux
- Doggo Argentino
- Boerboel Mastiff
- English Mastiff
- Perro de Presa Canario
- Caucasian Shepherd Dog
What dog breed is Cerberus?
Cerberus, the three-headed dog in Greek Mythology tasked to guard the souls against escaping the Underworld, is mostly portrayed as a Bulldog.
However, if we are going to base it on Ancient Greece, Cerberus could be either a Laconian Dog or a Molossian Dog.
Who is the most famous fictional dog in movies?
Lassie is widely considered the most famous fictional dog in movies and TV.
She starred in multiple films starting in the 1940s and became a cultural icon known for her bravery and loyalty.
What is the most popular dog in movies?
Dogs in Halloween Movies: Before You Go…
Nothing can make binge-watching more fun this spooky season than seeing different dogs in Halloween movies, especially if you're doing it with your own furry cuddle buddy!
Whether you prefer to get spooked and laugh with the lighter Halloween movie options or you don't mind the hair-raising experience from scary dogs in horror films, you're surely in for a ride this Halloween season.
Are you looking for other ideas on how to spend Halloween with your dog? Check out our recommended articles below!
