# How often does the dog die?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** movies\
**Created:** [April 27, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847 "2024-04-27T18:58:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/1 "2024-04-27T18:58:22Z")

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The latest news involving that psychopath Kristi Noem reminded me of Sounder. A movie that made me cry. Sure Old Yeller was sad but, for some reason, Sounder was just too much for me and I cried buckets and buckets. Could have been because I was 8 when I saw Sounder and much older when I saw Old Yeller on TV. I wonder if Sounder was as popular with the general public as it was in the black community.

Then I started thinking about how today’s movies will twist the laws of logic and physics to save the dog-- Independence Day jumps into mind-- or even go as far as to sacrifice a human to save the dog. O.K., A Boy and his Dog is not your normal movie, but still!

I have read many more books where the dog dies. The Art of Racing in the Rain stuck with me. Now I’m all sad. No wonder mainstream movies don’t like it when the dog dies.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/2 "2024-04-27T19:04:54Z")

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[Moderating]

> [@Biggirl](#):
>
> The latest news involving that psychopath Kristi Noem reminded me of Sounder.

A reminder, everyone, that there are already multiple other threads on this, and this is not the place to pass judgement on that incident. And @Biggirl , you really ought to have refrained from calling her a psychopath in Cafe Society, where it’s off-topic.

So let’s all leave that discussion for other fora, and stick to the fate of movie dogs, here. Or other media, I suppose. But not real-life dogs.

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**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/3 "2024-04-27T19:05:17Z")

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_I Am Legend_ has the dog die.

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**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/4 "2024-04-27T19:06:58Z")

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_A Dog’s Purpose_

The dog dies a few times.

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/5 "2024-04-27T19:13:33Z")

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Open Range. Kevin Costner mini series.

Bad guys shoot the amiable shaggy dog.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/6 "2024-04-27T19:13:39Z")

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Marley & Me has the dog recover from a near-fatal illness, then die

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**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/7 "2024-04-27T19:14:24Z")

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To Kill a Mockingbird

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**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/8 "2024-04-27T19:15:44Z")

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I’ll just say that if you want to write a book that will win the Newbery award, you’d best have at least one dog die.

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**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/9 "2024-04-27T19:17:37Z")

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I tried to remove all the words before “Kristi Noem” but it’s too late. You can do it, can’t you?

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/10 "2024-04-27T19:18:47Z")

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Lassie Come home.

Lassie meets a nice guy, on her way home. Guy has a small dog who does tricks. The little dog is killed fighting robbers.

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/11 "2024-04-27T19:22:47Z")

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Hachi, a dogs tale.

With Richard Gere.

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**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/12 "2024-04-27T19:27:18Z")

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Firearm trivia sidebar:

Old Yeller: 1873 Trapdoor Springfield  
Tim Johnson (To Kill a Mockingbird) sporterized Krag Jorgensen  
Daisy (John Wick) Glock 17

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**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/13 "2024-04-27T19:28:37Z")

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_Where the Red Fern Grows_

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/14 "2024-04-27T19:30:51Z")

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In _Riddick_, the dog is shot by mercs, and dies.  
In _Hudson Hawk_, the dog is defenestrated from a great height by a tennis ball shooter and presumably dies.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/15 "2024-04-27T19:44:42Z")

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Snakes on a Plane had a dog get eaten by one of the snakes. But it was an annoying yippy dog, the sort that nobody likes.

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**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/16 "2024-04-27T19:45:24Z")

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_Turner & Hooch_, the dog dies saving Tom Hanks. But he’s sired a little Hooch off of Tom’s girlfriend’s dog.

_The Beastmaster_, a ferret dies. My grandson just cried and cried.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/17 "2024-04-27T19:49:08Z")

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In _Kingsman_, the dog has already died.

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**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/18 "2024-04-27T19:49:20Z")

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> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> In _Hudson Hawk_, the dog is defenestrated from a great height by a tennis ball shooter and presumably dies.

This somehow was simultaneously the saddest and the funniest part of the whole movie.

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**Author:** ![GrunthosTheFlatulent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grunthostheflatulent/32/21319_2.png) [@GrunthosTheFlatulent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrunthosTheFlatulent)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/19 "2024-04-27T20:00:52Z")

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There is a Squidbillies episode where the family cooks and eats a lost dog for Thanksgiving. The owner shows up during dinner because the tracking chip is still inside the dog.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-does-the-dog-die/1000847/20 "2024-04-27T20:13:26Z")

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In _Childhood’s End_, all dogs die.

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