A Dog’s Perfect Christmas is the latest dog movie from Cathryn Michon, and while it is cute, that isn’t enough to sustain it.
Director: Cathryn Michon
Genre: Holiday Movie, Comedy, Drama
Run Time: 109′
Rated: TV-14
Release Date: November 4, 2026 (global)
Where to Watch: Netflix
There’s nothing quite as cozy as snuggling with a dog under the glow of the Christmas lights. Cathryn Michon understands that and leans into it with her new Netflix film, A Dog’s Perfect Christmas. Between too many storylines to adequately engage with any of the characters and a dog that doesn’t play any real role in the story, the good vibes aren’t quite enough to make this worth your time.
It has been two years since Sander (Dennis Quaid, of The Substance) lost his wife, and he is struggling. The main thing keeping him going is his basset hound, Winstead (voiced by Thomas Haden Church, of Wake Up Dead Man). He lives with his son, Hunter (Milo Ventimiglia), who is having a difficult time with his wife, Juliana (Kathleen Rose Perkins), and their daughter, Ello (Brooke Lena Johnson). Hunter and Juliana are on the brink of divorce when she comes down with an infection that becomes serious, leaving her hospitalized.
While Hunter is trying to figure out how to take care of his ailing wife and please his new boss, Nina (Cathryn Michon), Sander and Ello are in charge of the holiday plans. As Sander and Ello work to make Christmas something to help take their mind off of Juliana’s illness, Sander opens up to Claire (Mary Steenburgen, of A Man on the Inside), finding love again after a profound loss.
One of the most disappointing aspects of A Dog’s Perfect Christmas is the role of the dog. Winstead is precious, and Church does a perfectly fine job voicing him, but he plays almost no active role in any of the events that happen in the film. Instead, he feels more like an audience avatar, but in a film that doesn’t have anything going on that really requires much explanation. Michon even throws in a second dog, Ruby, for good measure, but she too is just window dressing without any real purpose. For a movie that is ostensibly about a dog, it’s disappointing that the dog didn’t play a more active role.
The other issue that the film has is that it is absolutely stuffed with storylines. We have the depressed grandfather and his forays into romance. We have the couple that is struggling, only for the wife to fall gravely ill. And we have a surly teen who can only really find joy when she’s ice skating. But with only an hour and forty minutes, it’s just a lot to get through, and as a result, we don’t really get to drill down into any of these characters at all. By the end of the film, everything has worked out, and that is apparently supposed to be enough to make A Dog’s Perfect Christmas satisfying, but it just feels hollow.
That isn’t to say that there are no redeeming qualities in this film. The various romances that develop over the course of the movie are all sweet and cozy. And even though Winstead and Ruby play no active role in A Dog’s Perfect Christmas, they are still absolutely adorable, and I will always credit a film that uses live animals, knowing how difficult that can be. Bonnie Judd deserves her flowers for doing an excellent job with the two dogs in the movie.
There is something nice, especially around the holidays, about watching a low-stakes, sweet melodrama. Throw in some cute puppies, and it doesn’t have to be a cinematic masterpiece to be entertaining. I’m sure there will be plenty who watch A Dog’s Perfect Christmas and be perfectly content with the adorable dogs and a happy ending. But it will need something more than that to make it perfect.
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas (Netflix): Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
Christmas is a struggle this year for Winstead the Basset Hound’s family. With Sander still struggling with the death of his wife, Hunter and Juliana are dealing with a major health issue, and Ello is unsure what her future holds. Can he help them find the Christmas spirit?
Pros:
- The dogs are adorable
- It has a happy ending
Cons:
- Too many stories going on to actually flesh out any characters
- The dogs play no important role in the actual events
Beyond the Review
Who plays the basset hound in A Dog’s Perfect Christmas?
Winstead, the dog in A Dog’s Perfect Christmas, is played by two basset hounds: Candy and Jenkins.
Is A Dog’s Perfect Christmas based on a book?
Yes, A Dog’s Perfect Christmas was based on W. Bruce Cameron’s 2020 novel of the same name. Cameron, the director’s husband, also co-wrote the screenplay for the movie.
Does the dog die in A Dog’s Perfect Christmas?
No, the dog doesn’t die in A Dog’s Perfect Christmas, as confirmed by director Cathryn Michon in a social media post. The movie is rated TV-14 for language and mature themes.
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas is now available to stream globally on Netflix.