Top Ten

Movie Mutts

10 LASSIE (1943)

The most famous movie dog of all time? Probably. First screen appearance was in Lassie Come Home, where his almost human sensitivity was revealed to the world. The original Lassie was called Pal, and he appeared in six more Lassie films, before TV spin-offs and later movies required the skills of Lassie Junior, Spook, Baby, Mire, and Hey Hey.

9 THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY (1998)

Cameron Diaz’s protector, the hard as nails mutt gets a right pasting trying to protect his owner’s dignity. After jumping through a window trying to ruffle Ben Stiller’s feathers, he then gets drugged and set alight by Matt Dillon. If only White Fang had such spirit.

8 SNATCH (2000)

The unsung hero of Guy Richie's ‘up the apples and pears’ gangster flick, is known simply as 'Dog'. Not to be confused with the Lock, Stock villain of the same name, this loveable mutt swallows a priceless diamond the 'ole of Lahndahn is after. Top poochery.

7 OLIVER! (1968)

Any dog responsible for bringing the downfall of wife-killing scumbag Bill Sykes (Oliver Reed) is a winner with us; bog-eyed terrier Bullseye leading the frightfully posh London bobbies to Fagin’s hideout, where his master is promptly shot trying to swing to freedom.

6 THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)

Being blown away from her comfy home, chased by a mad green witch, and weirded out by some tiny emerald freak with a karaoke machine, would’ve been hell for Dorothy, had it not been for trusty dog Toto. We like the little fella, even when he’s making a mess of the yellow brick road.

5 THE OMEN (1976)

Looking after Satan’s son is no job to be sniffed at, and The Omen’s snarly bruiser not only hypnotises the babysitter to hang herself at Damien’s birthday party, he gets his canine chums to almost rip out the ‘adopted dad’s’ throat during an excavation of Damien’s real mum’s grave. Bless.

4 CUJO (1983)

In the age-long battle between canine and car, one rabies-infected Saint-Bernard is settling a few old scores. When Donna (Dee Wallace Stone) and her young son turn up to visit, Cujo gives their motor – with them trapped inside – a good karmic pasting for dogdom as a whole.

3 ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY (2004)

‘You're so wise,’ says Ron Burgundy to his best pal. ‘You're like a miniature Buddha, covered in hair.’ Nearly as finely groomed as Ron's 'tache, Baxter survives being punted off a bridge to save the award-winning Channel 4 news team from being eaten by bears. Brilliant.

2 DIGBY, THE BIGGEST DOG IN THE WORLD (1973)

This home-grown kids film saw an Old English Sheepdog grow to roughly the size of King Kong. Inevitably, a small boy and a scientist prevented him from scrapping with the military, but he would definitely have chewed up a tank regiment like old slippers if they'd let him.

1 THE MASK (1994)

Out-of-control super heroes need dependable canine sidekicks who aren't afraid to mix it up a bit. Milo makes women go 'ahhh', dons masks of errant gods of mischief, and does mooonlight prison rescues under the noses of sleeping prison guards: ‘No Milo, not the “cheese”... The “keys!"’