Movies Like More Than Puppy Love

If you liked More Than Puppy Love (2000), a family movie directed by Tom Whitus, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Thunderstruck (2012)
★ 6.2/10Also family
After NBA star Kevin Durant switches talent with 16 year old Brian, the teenager becomes the star of his high school team, but Durant starts struggling and eventually learns an important lesson.
2
Max (2015)
★ 7.2/10Also family
A dog that helped soldiers in Afghanistan returns to the U.S. and is adopted by his handler's family after suffering a traumatic experience.
3
Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1995)
★ 6.2/10Also family
Teenager Angus adopts a stray dog and names him Yellow. Several days later, while travelling along the coast of British Columbia with Angus's father, John, the boy and dog become stranded when turbulent waters capsize…
4
Shiloh (1996)
★ 6/10Also family
An abused beagle runs away from his owner. On the road, he meets young Marty Preston and follows him home. The boy immediately forms a bond with the dog and names him Shiloh. His stern father won't let him keep the dog…
5
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008)
★ 6/10Also family
When a celebrated TV show host returns to his hometown in the South, his family is there to remind him that going home is no vacation!
6
The Unbreakable Boy (2025)
★ 7.9/10Also family
When Scott and Teresa LeRette learn that their son Austin is both autistic and has brittle bone disease, they initially worry for their son’s future. But with Scott’s growing faith and Austin’s incredible spirit, they…
7
The Happiest Millionaire (1967)
★ 6.8/10Also family
A happy and unbelievably lucky young Irish immigrant, John Lawless, lands a job as the butler of an unconventional millionaire, Biddle. His daughter, Cordelia Drexel Biddle, tires of the unusual antics of her…
8
Christmas in the Heartland (2017)
★ 6.1/10Also family
Kara and Jessie are two teenage girls from very different worlds, but with a little Christmas magic, they find they have much more in common than they ever imagined.
9
Holiday in Handcuffs (2007)
★ 6.3/10Also family
A ne’er-do-well thirty-something attempts to appease her family by kidnapping herself an attractive boyfriend for the family Christmas. Despite unlikely odds and dysfunctional family moments, the two fall in love and…
10
My Spy (2020)
★ 6.9/10Also family
A hardened CIA operative finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family.
11
Out of My Mind (2024)
★ 7.7/10Also family
Melody Brooks, a sixth grader with cerebral palsy, has a quick wit and a sharp mind, but because she is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair, she is not given the same opportunities as her classmates. When a young educator…
12
Save the Last Dance (2001)
★ 6.6/10Also family
After the death of her mother, Sara moves to the South Side of Chicago to live with her father and gets transferred to a majority-black school. Her life takes a turn for the better when befriends Chenille and her…
13
Little Big League (1994)
★ 6/10Also family
When the owner of the Minnesota Twins passes away, he bequeaths the team to his preteen grandson. The newly minted head honcho quickly appoints himself manager, causing unrest in an organization that struggles to take…
14
Duma (2005)
★ 7.4/10Also family
An orphaned cheetah becomes the best friend and pet of a young boy living in South Africa.
15
Cheaper by the Dozen (2022)
★ 6.3/10Also family
This remake of the beloved classic follows the raucous exploits of a blended family of 12, the Bakers, as they navigate a hectic home life while simultaneously managing their family business.
16
Goal! (2005)
★ 6.8/10Also family
Like millions of kids around the world, Santiago harbors the dream of being a professional footballer... However, living in the Barrios section of Los Angeles, he thinks it is only that—a dream. Until one day an…
17
Flora & Ulysses (2021)
★ 6.5/10Also family
When Flora rescues a squirrel she names Ulysses, she is amazed to discover he possesses unique superhero powers, which take them on an adventure of humorous complications that ultimately change Flora's life--and her…
18
Annie (1999)
★ 6.5/10Also family
Things seem pretty bad for a young girl living a "hard-knock life" in an orphanage. Fed up with the dastardly Miss Hannigan, Annie escapes the run-down orphanage determined to find her mom and dad. It's an adventure…
19
Love the Coopers (2015)
★ 6/10Also family
When four generations of the Cooper clan come together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration, a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising…
20
Craig Before the Creek (2023)
★ 7.8/10Also family
Before he was Craig of the Creek, he was just Craig — a new kid in a new town. All Craig wants is to go back to his old friends at his old home. But when he learns that the nearby creek is hiding a lost treasure that…