Hallmark Dog & Pet Movies
40 movies · Updated 2026-06
Some Hallmark movies know exactly who the real star is, and it has four legs. Hallmark dog and pet movies put a rescue pup, a matchmaking dog, or a meddling stray cat at the center of the romance, and the leads are usually smart enough to realize they are being upstaged. I have ranked these by IMDb rating, highest first.
Fair warning, because honesty matters on a list like this: Hallmark tags a film as having a pet pretty generously. So this mixes movies where the dog drives the whole plot with ones where a pup is a charming sidekick, plus a handful of Signed, Sealed, Delivered mysteries where the animal is barely more than a cameo. I have leaned each note into the animal angle wherever the movie earns it, and told you plainly when the dog is more background than co-lead. The dedicated ones, where a shelter, a guide dog, or a runaway pet runs the story, are the real heart of the genre.
My weakness is the matchmaker animal. Two humans who would never otherwise speak, shoved together because their pets have already decided the matter. Expect wet noses, expect a rescue, and expect the romance to work out, because the animal always knew first. Use the list to find your next cozy, tail-wagging watch.
Ranked by IMDb average rating. Includes films tagged with a pet, from dog-centered stories to romances with a memorable animal sidekick.
- 1
New Year's Wish
2015 · 85 min★ 8.4The top-rated film here at 8.4, a Hope Valley New Year's celebration where Elizabeth and Jack work through a jealousy spat. The pet angle is a fan-favorite detail: her dog Rip is treated as genuinely, comically jealous of the new romance. Be clear-eyed, though, this is a When Calls the Heart ensemble piece, not a dog movie, so Rip is a beloved supporting player rather than the lead. A warm, busy ensemble with a four-legged scene-stealer in the margins.
- 2
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You
2016 · 84 min★ 8.0Rated 8 with over 1,100 votes, and a real dog-lover's pick. The POstables chase down a bucket list found in a prop mailbox, and a retired military search-and-rescue dog turns out to be central to the rescue itself. Eric Mabius and Kristin Booth lead the gentle, faith-tinged detective work. Unlike most of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered films here, the animal genuinely matters to the plot rather than just padding the household. Cozy, kind, and quietly thrilling.
- 3
When Calls the Heart
2014 · 43 min★ 7.9The original When Calls the Heart pilot, rated 7.9 with nearly 16,000 votes, the most-rated film on this list. A wealthy schoolteacher swaps the city for a rough coal-mining town out West, with Mountie Jack Thornton unsure what to make of her. Straight talk: the pet presence is light, and this is really the front door to Hope Valley and all its animals to come. Start here if you have never met the town, but not for the dog specifically.
- 4
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Impossible Dream
2015 · 84 min★ 7.8Rated 7.8 with over 1,200 votes. The POstables head to Washington for a postal pageant and stumble onto a coded letter that could prove a missing soldier is still alive, with a dog's birthday turning out to be part of the code. It is a patriotic, high-stakes Signed, Sealed, Delivered outing with the team's signature warmth. The dog is a clever plot device rather than a star, so manage expectations, but the cozy detective work holds up well.
- 5
Guiding Emily
2023 · 84 min★ 7.8A standout for dog people, rated 7.8. After losing her sight in a climbing accident, high-achiever Emily (Sarah Drew) rebuilds her independence while a spirited puppy named Garth trains to become her guide dog, and the film hands Garth his own first-person inner monologue throughout. It is a sincere, emotional story about partnership and resilience, with the human-and-service-dog bond squarely at its core. If you want a film where the dog truly co-leads, this is one of the best here.
- 6
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth Be Told
2015 · 84 min★ 7.7Rated 7.7 with over 1,200 votes. The POstables work to deliver a soldier's letter from Afghanistan to a bullied teenager, while Oliver faces a shocking revelation from his estranged father. It is one of the more emotionally weighty Signed, Sealed, Delivered entries. The pet presence is light here, so the real draw is the layered father-son story and the team's steady kindness, not anything four-legged. Warm and substantial, just not a dog showcase.
- 7
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Home Again
2017 · 87 min★ 7.7Rated 7.7 with over 1,100 votes. The POstables find a vase with a hidden letter and a tangled, decades-spanning question of who it rightfully belongs to. Barry Bostwick and Colleen Camp join the guest cast. The pet here is a minor note, to be honest, but the restitution-and-reunion story is one of the team's richer outings. For fans who like their cozy mystery with real moral weight rather than for the animal angle.
- 8
My Christmas Family Tree
2021 · 84 min★ 7.6Rated 7.6. Social worker Vanessa (Aimee Teegarden) takes a DNA test and lands at a family Christmas full of specific Norwegian traditions, with a charming local named Kris (Andrew W. Walker). A family dog rounds out the homey setting. The pet is a sweet background presence rather than the plot, but the belonging-and-identity story is warm and well-cast. A cozy holiday watch where the dog adds texture without stealing focus.
- 9
Home for Christmas
2019 · 90 min★ 7.6Rated 7.6. Christmas in Hope Valley, with Elizabeth preparing for little Jack's first holiday while Lucas throws a festival to impress her. Worth flagging that the pet here is a horse rather than a dog, fitting the frontier setting. It is a When Calls the Heart ensemble holiday piece all about the town choosing home again. Familiar, warm, and reliable, though firmly an ensemble film rather than an animal story.
- 10
Three Wise Men and a Baby
2022 · 84 min★ 7.5A breakout at 7.5 with over 4,000 votes. Three estranged brothers (Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, Andrew W. Walker) suddenly care for a baby left at a fire station before Christmas, dog included in the household chaos. It is a rare and very funny male-led Hallmark comedy with terrific chemistry. The pet is part of the domestic mayhem rather than the focus, but the whole thing is a delight regardless of why you came. Very rewatchable.
- 11
November Christmas
2010 · 96 min★ 7.5Rated 7.5 and more dramatic than most. The town of Sullivan moves the holidays up for a seriously ill little girl, with the whole community pitching in. A family dog is part of the warm domestic picture. Sam Elliott and John Corbett lead a strong cast in a genuinely moving story about a town rallying together. The pet is a gentle background presence; the heart is enormous. Come for the story, not the dog, and have tissues ready.
- 12
A Dog Named Christmas
2009 · 95 min★ 7.4One of the most dog-centered films on the list, rated 7.4. On a Kansas farm, a young man with a developmental disability convinces his skeptical father and whole town to adopt shelter dogs for Christmas, bonding closely with one he names Christmas. Bruce Greenwood leads. It is a tender, sincere story about empathy and a father healing old wounds, with the human-dog bond right at its center. If you want a real dog movie, this is one of the best.
- 13
To All a Good Night
2023 · 90 min★ 7.4Rated 7.4. Photographer Ceci (Kimberley Sustad) saves a mysterious crash victim who may be circling her family's parkland. The dog steals scenes as a kleptomaniac pup named Max who pinches boots and toys all film long. A cozy save-the-tradition Christmas romance with a touch of mystery and a genuinely funny canine subplot. Easygoing and warm, and the dog earns its billing here more than in most of the list.
- 14
Love Comes Softly
2003 · 88 min★ 7.3Rated 7.3 with over 7,000 votes, a beloved frontier classic and the first Love Comes Softly film. A young widow (Katherine Heigl) on the 1800s frontier enters a marriage of convenience with a grieving widower (Dale Midkiff) and his daughter. A family dog is part of homestead life. The pet is incidental here, in full honesty, but the slow-burn romance and pioneer setting are deeply comforting. A foundational Hallmark title rather than a dog story.
- 15
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
2008 · 88 min★ 7.3Rated 7.3 with over 5,000 votes. Corporate single mom Jennifer (Brooke Burns) runs Christmas like a project plan until her uncle (Henry Winkler) brings home a charming drifter who teaches her to loosen up. It is a warm, funny holiday classic with a great cast. The pet presence is light, so this is a family-meddling comedy and a rediscover-the-magic story before it is anything to do with an animal. Cozy and perennially rewatched.
- 16
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise
2015 · 86 min★ 7.3Rated 7.3 with nearly 4,200 votes, and notably darker than typical Hallmark. Tom Selleck returns as world-weary police chief Jesse Stone, investigating a serial-killer cold case, and his genuinely touching relationship with his dog is a fixture of the whole series. This is moody crime drama, not a feel-good pet movie, so go in knowing that. But the man-and-dog bond is real and quietly affecting. For viewers who like their mysteries somber and their leads weathered.
- 17
Our House
2006 · 90 min★ 7.3Rated 7.3. A lonely widow (Doris Roberts) opens her mansion to a group of homeless people after a young woman among them saves her life, forming an unconventional found family. A dog is part of the household, and one character is even nicknamed Milkbone after the dog treats. It is a heartfelt, occasionally bittersweet story about home and dignity. More social-conscience drama than pet movie, but warm and big-hearted, with the animal woven into the family it builds.
- 18
The Nine Lives of Christmas
2014 · 86 min★ 7.2Rated 7.2 with nearly 4,900 votes, and the purest matchmaker-pet film on the list. Commitment-phobic firefighter Zachary (Brandon Routh) finds his life rearranged when a stray cat named Ambrose essentially adopts him and steers him toward a vet student (Kimberley Sustad). The cat drives the entire plot, no exaggeration. A cozy, funny holiday romance where the animal is unmistakably in charge of everyone's love life. Perfect for cat people who want a feel-good watch, and proof the matchmaker trope works.
- 19
Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas
2021 · 84 min★ 7.2Rated 7.2 with over 2,000 votes. After a car accident in Maine leaves her with amnesia, a woman (Jessy Schram) takes a road trip with a kind nurse (Brendan Penny) to track down the only clue to her identity, with a dog along for the journey. The pet is part of the warm road-trip texture rather than the focus, so do not expect a dog story, but the mystery-of-self premise gives it a nice pull. A gentle, slightly bittersweet holiday romance that is easy to like.
- 20
North to Home
2022 · 84 min★ 7.2Rated 7.2 with over 1,200 votes. Three sisters who were adopted together return to their Alaskan hometown for their mother's birthday, each wrestling with private struggles, with a family dog part of the homecoming. The pet is a background presence here; the heart is the sisterly bond and old family trauma. A warm, emotionally honest family-reunion drama. More feelings than fluff, and all the better for it, but not one to pick for the dog.
- 21
The Good Witch
2008 · 89 min★ 7.1Rated 7.1 with over 5,000 votes, the original Good Witch movie that started the whole franchise. A mysterious woman (Catherine Bell) moves into a supposedly haunted house and wins over a wary small town. The animal here is a cat rather than a dog, and it is a background presence in the gentle-magic atmosphere rather than the plot. A foundational, cozy watch. Start here for the series, but not for an animal story.
- 22
It Was Always You
2021 · 86 min★ 7.1Rated 7.1 with over 2,600 votes. A meticulous dentist (Erin Krakow) has her tidy engagement upended when her fiance's free-spirited brother (Tyler Hynes) comes to town and makes her rethink the safe life she planned. There is a dog in the mix, but it is a sidekick rather than a co-lead, so manage expectations. The real draw is the warm, slightly bittersweet self-discovery arc and the lead chemistry. Charming, just not a dog movie.
- 23
Christmas by Starlight
2020 · 84 min★ 7.1Rated 7.1 with over 2,600 votes. To save her family's beloved cafe from demolition, an attorney (Kimberley Sustad) strikes a fake-counsel deal with the company heir (Paul Campbell). A dog is part of the cozy cafe-and-Christmas setting rather than the focus. The real pull is the save-the-business romance and the easy lead rapport. A warm, reliable holiday watch. The pet adds texture without driving anything here.
- 24
The Good Witch's Garden
2009 · 86 min★ 7.1Rated 7.1 with over 2,600 votes, the second Good Witch film. Cassie (Catherine Bell) fights off a stranger claiming to be the rightful heir to Grey House just as the town gears up for its bicentennial. The animal is a cat and a gentle background presence, not the plot. A cozy, low-stakes sequel for fans of Middleton's quiet magic. Watch it for the small-town charm, not for a four-legged co-star.
- 25
Holly & Ivy
2020 · 85 min★ 7.1Rated 7.1 with over 1,600 votes. A librarian (Janel Parrish) buys a fixer-upper and finds herself racing to renovate it so she can become guardian to her terminally ill neighbor's two daughters, with a contractor (Jeremy Jordan) helping. A dog is part of the warm domestic picture. The pet is a background presence; the heart is the found-family and guardianship story. Genuinely moving, with tissues advised. Not a dog showcase, but big-hearted.
- 26
The Presence of Love
2022 · 84 min★ 7.1Rated 7.1 with over 1,500 votes. A burned-out literature professor (Eloise Mumford) travels to her late mother's childhood farm in Cornwall and bonds with a single father (Julian Morris) and his daughter. A farm dog is part of the rural setting rather than the focus. The pet is gentle background; the draw is the scenery and the find-your-passion arc. Warm and pretty. Watch it for the Cornwall charm, not the dog.
- 27
All of My Heart: The Wedding
2018 · 85 min★ 7.1Rated 7.1 with over 1,500 votes. In this All of My Heart sequel, Jenny and Brian (Lacey Chabert, Brennan Elliott) scramble to keep their country inn when a long-lost relative claims a share of it, leaning on Jenny's growing baking business. The animal here is a pet rather than a dog, and very much background. The real story is the save-the-inn stakes and the wedding plans. Sweet and cozy. Not an animal film.
- 28
My Christmas Guide
2023 · 84 min★ 7.1One of the most dog-centered films on the list, rated 7.1 with over 1,200 votes. A literature professor (Ben Mehl) who recently lost his sight regains his confidence with the help of a loyal Lab named Max and a dedicated guide-dog trainer (Amber Marshall). The human-and-service-dog bond is squarely at the core here, not a sidekick. A sincere, warm story about independence and partnership. If you want a real guide-dog movie, this is one of the best.
- 29
Follow the Stars Home
2001 · 103 min★ 7.1Rated 7.1 with over 1,200 votes. A mother (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) and child face down serious adversity in this earnest, drama-leaning entry. A dog is part of the family picture rather than the plot, so do not come expecting a dog showcase. The real weight is the emotional family story and the love that carries them through hardship. A heartfelt, old-school tearjerker. Pet-adjacent, but moving on its own terms.
- 30
Love's Enduring Promise
2004 · 120 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 3,800 votes, the second Love Comes Softly film. As Missie (Erica Durance) is courted by a wealthy suitor, a life-threatening accident and a mysterious stranger reshape the family's future. Fitting the frontier setting, the animal here is a horse rather than a dog. The pull is the slow-burn romance and pioneer drama, not the pet. A warm, faith-tinged saga continuation. Animal-adjacent, but a satisfying watch.
- 31
Journey Back to Christmas
2016 · 84 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 3,500 votes. A 1945 nurse (Candace Cameron Bure) is swept forward to 2016 by a rare Christmas comet and taken in by a kind police officer (Oliver Hudson). A dog is part of the warm modern household she lands in. The pet is a background presence; the real draw is the time-travel premise and the gentle culture-shock comedy. Cozy and a little magical. Not a dog story, but a nice holiday watch.
- 32
Next Stop, Christmas
2021 · 84 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 3,200 votes. A lonely neurosurgeon (Lyndsy Fonseca) boards a mysterious commuter train and is carried back ten years to revisit the Christmas where her life forked, with Christopher Lloyd along for the ride. A dog is part of the cozy hometown picture rather than the focus. The pull is the second-chances time-travel premise and the family-healing arc. Warm and a touch nostalgic. Pet-adjacent, not a dog showcase.
- 33
Bottled with Love
2019 · 84 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 3,000 votes. A career-driven analyst (Bethany Joy Lenz) tosses a heartfelt message in a bottle into the sea, and it is found by the adventurous son (Andrew W. Walker) of her own CEO, who strikes up an anonymous email romance with her. A dog is part of the warm texture rather than the plot. The real draw is the mistaken-identity office romance. Charming and easy. Pet-adjacent, but a fun watch.
- 34
A Veteran's Christmas
2018 · 84 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 2,500 votes. A newly discharged Marine captain (Eloise Mumford) crashes her car in a charming town weeks before Christmas and is taken in by the local judge (Sean Faris). A dog is part of the warm small-town picture rather than the focus. The pull is the cozy stranded-for-the-holidays romance and the community welcome. Sweet and gentle. Pet-adjacent, not a dog movie, but a likable holiday entry.
- 35
Winter Love Story
2019 · 84 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 2,100 votes. A first-time author (Jen Lilley) is paired with a best-selling fantasy novelist (Kevin McGarry) for a snowy New England book tour, and his dog Bungee tags along for the trip. The pet is a charming road companion rather than the plot, but he is a genuine fixture of their travels. The real draw is the bickering-writers romance. Warm and a little bookish. The dog is a nice bonus here.
- 36
Miracle in Bethlehem, PA
2023 · 90 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 1,600 votes. A high-powered lawyer (Laura Vandervoort) adopts a newborn just before Christmas, then gets stranded by a blizzard in Bethlehem, PA, sharing a home with a former rock star turned mechanic (Benjamin Ayres). A dog is part of the warm household rather than the focus. The pull is the stranded-together romance and the new-parent stakes. Cozy and faith-tinged. Pet-adjacent, not a dog story.
- 37
Love to the Rescue
2019 · 84 min★ 7.0One of the most dog-centered films on the list, rated 7.0 with over 1,500 votes. Two single parents (Nikki DeLoach, Michael Rady) both try to adopt the same shelter dog, Bruce, and settle on a month of shared custody to decide who keeps him. The rescue pup drives the entire plot here, no exaggeration. A warm matchmaker-dog romance about two families becoming one. If you want a real dog movie, this is exactly that.
- 38
Fallen Angel
2003 · 120 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 1,500 votes, and darker than typical Hallmark. A high-powered L.A. lawyer (Gary Sinise) returns to his estranged father's Maine home and uncovers a decades-old secret. A dog is part of the somber coastal setting rather than the plot. This is a moody mystery-drama, not a feel-good pet movie, so go in knowing that. For viewers who like their Hallmark serious and atmospheric. Pet-adjacent, but weighty and well-acted.
- 39
Sweet Revenge: A Hannah Swensen Mystery
2021 · 84 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 1,000 votes, a Hannah Swensen mystery. Baker-sleuth Hannah (Alison Sweeney) finds a body in a gym hot tub and investigates while juggling wedding planning with her detective fiance (Cameron Mathison). A dog is part of Hannah's home life rather than the case. The real draw is the cozy whodunit and the cookie-fueled charm, not the pet. A pleasant mystery for cozy-crime fans. Pet-adjacent, not a dog story.
- 40
All I Need for Christmas
2024 · 84 min★ 7.0Rated 7.0 with over 700 votes. A struggling singer-songwriter (Mallory Jansen) returns to her parents' Christmas tree farm and crosses paths with a tech entrepreneur (Dan Jeannotte) hiding from a strange family inheritance contest. The animal here is a farm pet rather than a dog, and a background presence. The pull is the opposites-attract music romance and the farm setting, complete with a dad who names every possum Ronnie. Charming, not a dog movie.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Hallmark dog movie?
By IMDb rating, New Year's Wish (8.4) and Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You (8) score highest, the latter featuring a search-and-rescue dog central to the case. For a film where a dog truly leads, Guiding Emily (7.8) and A Dog Named Christmas (7.4) are the standouts.
How many Hallmark dog and pet movies are there?
This guide ranks 40 Hallmark films tagged with a pet, from dog-centered stories to romances with a memorable animal sidekick. We write detailed notes on the top 20.
Are there Hallmark movies about guide dogs or rescue dogs?
Yes. Guiding Emily follows a guide-dog partnership, A Dog Named Christmas centers on a shelter-adoption drive, and The Nine Lives of Christmas is built entirely around a stray cat. Several films make the animal central to the plot rather than a passing sidekick.
Do pets really play matchmaker in Hallmark movies?
Often, yes. The Nine Lives of Christmas is the clearest example here, where a stray cat named Ambrose essentially adopts a firefighter and steers him toward the woman he is meant for. The matchmaking pet is a beloved recurring device in the genre.
Where can I watch Hallmark dog movies?
Most air on the Hallmark Channel and stream on Hallmark+. Availability rotates by season and region, so check each film's page for current details.