Halloween month is the best month of the year, with its haunted houses, cornfield mazes, cozy sweaters, pumpkin patches, and scary movies. What’s not to love? Unfortunately, you can’t always take your favorite canine companion with you on Halloween adventures. So, how can you celebrate the holiday with your dog?
Why not pull up a few Halloween dog movies to watch with your pup and settle in for a movie night? You’d be surprised how many Halloween dog movies there are, ranging from family-friendly to downright spooky. Here are 10 Halloween dog movies that are perfect to watch with your pup!
The 10 Halloween Dog Movies
1. Frankenweenie
| Release Date: | 2012 |
| Rating: | PG |
| Film Length: | 1 hr 27 min |
If you’re looking for a fun and sweet Halloween dog movie for the whole family, look no further than Frankenweenie! This 2012 film by Tim Burton is actually a remake of a 1984 film. Though the original was live-action and featured a real canine, Burton’s remake is stop-motion animation.
Frankenweenie tells the story of a young boy named Victor Frankenstein who is determined to resurrect his beloved and recently deceased pup, Sparky. Sure enough, he achieves his goal, but is it wise to bring back the dead? This family-friendly film is sure to delight humans and dogs alike!
2. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
| Release Date: | 1966 |
| Rating: | G |
| Film Length: | 25 min |
Is there any Halloween dog movie that’s more of a classic than It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown? And what better dog to watch for Halloween than America’s favorite canine, Snoopy? In this animated film, Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and their friends have a grand adventure as they search for the mysterious entity known as the Great Pumpkin.
With plenty of classic Charlie Brown-style antics and lots of canine action, this family-friendly film is one your dog will love to watch with you!
3. Poltergeist
| Release Date: | 1982 |
| Rating: | PG |
| Film Length: | 2 hrs |
While Poltergeist is rated PG, it is definitely not a film for the little ones. However, as it features a loyal golden retriever, it makes a fantastic Halloween dog movie to watch with your pup. This genre classic tells the story of a family who recently moved into a home where odd things begin to happen. Soon enough, they’re in a fight for their lives, but will they survive?
If you love ghosts and seeing dogs doing some of their favorite dog things (digging up things, fetching balls, and eating scraps), then you’ll surely love Poltergeist. It delivers the thrills and chills in equal measure!
4. Scooby Doo
| Release Date: | 2002 |
| Rating: | PG |
| Film Length: | 1 hr 26 min |
While any version of Scooby-Doo makes for excellent Halloween viewing with your pup, the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo is the perfect dog-friendly Halloween flick. This quirky film features a line-up of the biggest stars of the early ‘aughts, as well as a spooky mystery. It’s silly and fun and, of course, stars one of the most loved cartoon canines ever.
Your dog will love cuddling up on the sofa to watch Scooby and the gang figure out the mysteries of Spooky Island! And if they love watching this film with you, there’s not only a sequel but tons of Scooby-Doo cartoons you can follow up with.
5. Spooky Buddies
| Release Date: | 2011 |
| Rating: | G |
| Film Length: | 1 hr 28 min |
You might remember the Buddies series, which featured lots of adorable talking Golden Retriever puppies. If not, you’re in for a treat! This Halloween edition of the Buddies sees these pups going through a haunted mansion on a super spooky adventure. Best of all, these pups wear Halloween costumes!
Not only is this a film that’s perfect for you and your dog to watch together, but it might also give you some idea of what to dress your dog up as for Halloween.
6. The Dog Who Saved Halloween
| Release Date: | 2011 |
| Rating: | PG |
| Film Length: | 1 hr 25 min |
Here’s another family-friendly Halloween dog movie you can watch with your pup and the whole fam! In The Dog Who Saved Halloween, talking canine Zeus and his family move into a new home that turns out to be right next to a haunted house. Strange sounds abound, and odd lights are a constant, so what’s going on? Zeus and his family decide to investigate to find out what the deal is and find themselves on a creepy adventure.
The Dog Who Saved Halloween is part of a series that includes The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation, The Dog Who Saved the Holidays, and The Dog Who Saved Christmas.
7. The Lost Boys
| Release Date: | 1987 |
| Rating: | R |
| Film Length: | 1 hr 38 min |
If you’re Gen X, you’ve definitely seen this film! The Lost Boys is a campy classic featuring a ton of “It” actors of the 80s, such as Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, and Kiefer Sutherland. It’s a ridiculous (yet amazing) film about two brothers who discover their town is full of vampires. Best of all is Nanook, the Alaskan Malamute, who is able to detect vampires and helps protect his person from them. He’s definitely the hero of this flick!
This is why this is a perfect Halloween dog movie to watch with your favorite four-legged friend. It is not for the kiddos, though!
8. The Nightmare Before Christmas
| Release Date: | 1993 |
| Rating: | PG |
| Film Length: | 1 hr 15 min |
Yep, we have another Tim Burton classic on the list! The Nightmare Before Christmas is a 1993 stop-motion animation all about Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who becomes bored with Halloween, discovers Christmas Town, and cooks up a plan to take Christmas Town over. By his side is his ghost dog, Zero, who is a very helpful and very good boy!
This film has everything from fantastic musical numbers like “This is Halloween” to a love story to action and adventure. It’s an amazing film to watch with your pup during Halloween month!
9. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
| Release Date: | 2010 |
| Rating: | R |
| Film Length: | 1 hr 26 min |
Enjoy your Halloween fun with a side of comedy? Then Tucker & Dale vs. Evil might be the perfect Halloween film to watch with your dog. This hilarious horror-comedy features a couple of hillbillies who are headed to vacation at their cabin when they run into a bunch of annoying and obnoxious college kids. The kids mistakenly get the impression that the hillbillies are out to murder them, and from there, misunderstandings and mishaps abound. It’s great fun (but also a bit gory at times).
Of course, the best character in the film is Jangers, the one-eyed American Bulldog, who hangs with the hillbillies and manages to keep his cool throughout all the murderous mayhem. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is the perfect scary yet hysterical film to watch with your pup!
10. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
| Release Date: | 2005 |
| Rating: | G |
| Film Length: | 1 hr 25 min |
If you’re a fan of the classic monster movies or Hammer horror, you’ll likely love Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Featuring the British stop-motion animation characters of Wallace and Gromit, who have been around since the late 1980s, this fun film is fantastic for watching with your favorite canine pal (and the rest of your family)! Wallace is an inventor who has a trusty sidekick in his beagle, Gromit. In this flick, they discover a were-rabbit is stealing the town’s produce and set out to stop them. Will they succeed? Who will be the hero of the day? (Hint: it’s Gromit!)
This fun and only slightly frightening flick is sure to be a hit with pups, kids, and adults alike!
In Conclusion
Halloween dog movies are relatively abundant (we didn’t even cover the ones with dogs being scary!), so if you’re looking for a Halloween flick to share with your pup, you won’t have a lack of options. Whether you want a family-friendly film that everyone can watch or something a bit more frightening that’s for adults and canines only, you’ll find what you need with this list. So, make some popcorn and cuddle up with your dog for a good scare (and some laughs!) this Halloween!
- Related Read: Halloween Safety Tips for Dogs (Vet Approved)
Featured Image Credit: yousafbhutta, Pixabay
The 10 Halloween Dog Movies
