Recently in dog movies Category

We'll post more about this as the broadcast approaches, but one of my favorite dog rescue groups -- BorderColliesInNeed.org (my dogs Cowboy & Tess were both adopted from BC's In Need) -- is among the many sponsors of the National Pet Fostering Program insipired by a book and a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie that will air on Nov. 29.

"A Dog Named Christmas" will be shown on CBS and will direct viewers to Petfinder.com to find shelters and rescue groups in their areas that are participating in "Foster a Lonely Pet" program.

The film, based on the best-selling book by Greg Kincaid, is about Todd McCray, a developmentally challenged young man living on his parents' Kansas farm. When he hears that a local animal shelter seeks temporary homes for its dogs during the holidays leading up to Christmas, Todd asks his parents for a dog that he names Christmas.

From there, Todd uses his gifts of persuasion to encourage his hometown to participate in the "Adopt a Dog for Christmas," with lessons in kindness and goodwill flowing abundantly from there.

If you're interested in participating in this program, and can welcome a dog into your home for two months during the holidays, check with BorderColliesInNeed (email them at Rescue@BorderColliesInNeed.org).

And stay tuned for more information about the project as we get it. Maybe we can even feature some of you who decide to bring a shelter or rescue dog home for the holidays.

The award-winning documentary Wiener Takes All will be shown at 2:30 p.m. Sunday (6/14) at San Pedro's Warner Grand Theatre, 478 W. Sixth St.

The Canadian-made movie, which has won numerous film festival awards, looks at the wacky world of dachshund racing.

Come early, at 2 p.m., and you can see some of the "stars" strutting their stuff on the theater's red carpet.

Tickets are $10 each ($7 for senior citizens and students).

Or buy tickets beforehand in person by showing up tomorrow at San Pedro's outdoor Farmers Market (9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday). Volunteers from Pedro Pet Pals -- a group that supports the Harbor Animal Care, the L.A. city-run animal shelter in San Pedro -- will be out there selling tickets. Wearing funky wiener dog hats, I'm told, so you can't really miss them. The weekly market is set up in the street along the 400 block of West Sixth Street.

Part of the movie ticket proceeds will go to Pedro Pet Pals.

Online tickets can be purchased also through the Warner Grand Theatre. 

Here it is, the antidote to Marley & Me:   Hotel for Dogs  (because no dogs die).

The film opens Friday (Jan. 16) and is the story of two foster kids trying to hide a dog.

The theme? Unconditional love, mainly.

I never read the book Marley & Me.

Oh, I was tempted, alright. There it was, its cute cover staring out at me every time I entered a bookstore.

My cousin Bill bought it and loved it -- he has a yellow Lab, Maggie, who looks exactly like Marley. Maggie has been known to be a handful, just like her celebrity counterpart Marley. And Bill's last name is Marley. So how could he resist? 

After he read it, I pressed him for details. Yep, sure enough, just as I suspected. There was a buzzkill ending. 

When I found out the dog dies in the end, I decided to stay clear of the book.

Same goes with the movie.

  Marley & Me (the movie) is getting pretty good reviews. The trailers are adorable. I'd read in one of my favorite magazines that one of the nice things about the film is that it features a very positive portrayal of a lasting, committed marriage (rare these days).

The main characters are reporters, another draw for me to see it. It clearly has lots of very funny moments.

My good friend Kathy (who grew up with dogs but by her own admission isn't really a hard-core "animal" person) saw the movie this past week with her two 20- something daughters and said it was great.

Oh, and Marley is SO incredibly cute.   

But no thanks.