Tom’s Guide Verdict: ‘A Dog’s Perfect Christmas’
- Rating: 2.5/5 stars
- Verdict: “Netflix’s first new holiday movie of 2026, ‘A Dog’s Perfect Christmas,’ goes through the motions, with a cookie-cutter approach to celebrating the holiday season. It’s as original as a pre-written message in a store-bought seasonal card. But even if it’s generic to its core, the two adorable pooches at its heart will win you over instantly.”
- Where to watch: “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas’ is on Netflix now
Netflix’s holiday movie slate for 2026 begins its rollout this week, starting with “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas,” a streaming original that so rigidly sticks to the genre conventions that it is as predictable as unwrapping a Christmas present from that one relative who always gets you an Axe body spray gift set. Within seconds, you know exactly what you’re getting.
All the trappings of a family-focused festive-themed comedy-drama are here. By the end, everything is wrapped up in a neat bow, all to send viewers into the credits with a warm fuzzy feeling. It’s a safe holiday movie created in a tinsel-laden laboratory, where artistic merit is not the end goal. Instead, the objective is to create a product palatable for all ages.
But if “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas” proves anything, it’s that throwing a couple of cute canine companions into the mix can make even a Christmas movie this flavorless at least tolerable. Which isn’t to say it has any original musings on the special connection between household pets and their owners. It doesn’t even break from the weary formula established in other dog movies like “A Dog’s Purpose” and “A Dog’s Journey.”
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However, the dogs were lovable enough to thaw out even my cynical soul. It might not be a future Christmas classic — the likes of “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Elf” will not fear their place in any family’s annual seasonal watchlist being pinched by this new Netflix movie — but dog lovers everywhere will probably find this film cozy enough to watch, if only once.
What is ‘A Dog’s Perfect Christmas’ about?
Based on the novel by W. Bruce Cameron, author of “A Dog’s Purpose,” this movie focuses on the Goss family. Their holiday festivities are already off to a rocky start, with grandpa Sander (Dennis Quaid) grieving the loss of his wife two years prior, husband Hunter (Milo Ventimiglia) putting work first, and mother Juliana (Kathleen Rose Perkins) struggling to find common ground with her moody teenage daughter, Ello (Brooke Lena Johnson).
Things take a further turn when a medical emergency throws the family into turmoil and threatens to bring a swift end to any lingering holiday cheer. It’s up to the Goss’ wise old dog, a basset hound named Winstead (voiced by Thomas Haden Church), and an energetic new arrival, a Corgi puppy named Ruby (Sadie Hatch), to bring the humans back together.
Netflix’s new holiday flick is no classic, but it’s cozy (and cheesy)
I really cannot overstate just how generic “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas” is. All its narrative beats have been seen in countless other holiday movies, and it has no desire to rework the genre trappings. But whether you demand, or particularly look for, originality in your holiday watchlist is a matter of personal preference. If you want a cozy family comedy, it’s a suitable way to spend 100 minutes, and it’ll probably make for great background noise while putting up your own seasonal decorations, if that’s your thing.
It’s been suggested that Netflix has a mandate that its movies need to reiterate key plot points for viewers only half-watching, and while the streamer denies this, ‘A Dog’s Perfect Christmas’ is evidence to the contrary.
Perhaps it was a case of lowered expectations — I can’t say I expect cinematic brilliance from Netflix’s holiday original — but I found the whole thing pleasant. Well, for the most part. In fact, one key dramatic moment verged on touching, even if I was never truly invested in any of the cookie-cutter characters. Where it comes up short is the romance quality; there are two simple love stories within, one for Quaid’s Sander, the other for Lena Johnson’s Ello. Both romances have all the spark of a set of Christmas lights in need of new batteries.
Another notable area where “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas” comes up short is in its insistence on over-explaining. It’s been suggested that Netflix has a mandate that its movies need to reiterate key plot points for viewers only half-watching, and while the streamer denies this, “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas” is evidence to the contrary. Characters often speak unnaturally, regurgitating facts as if they know a third party is watching their holiday season unfold and might need a reminder (or three) to follow along.
But even if “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas” will no doubt be forgotten long before you take down your tree and household decorations for another year, in the moment, it’s by no means offensively bad. It’s just bland. But above all, the two dogs at the heart of the holiday crowd-pleaser are very cute and given enough screen time to make their presence felt.
“A Dog’s Perfect Christmas” celebrates family, especially these four-legged members of our homes who are just as important to the unit as any human. That’s a message that dog owners everywhere will relate to, and it gives this Netflix movie a crowd-pleasing quality. I guess it really does prove that the inclusion of a dog (or two) can make anything watchable.
Watch “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas” on Netflix now
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