Movies like Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas (2014)
The best movies like Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas (2014) are The Search for Santa Paws (2010), I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003) and Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh (2008). If Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas hooked you with its family, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedMerry Christmas, Drake & Josh (2008)7.3/10 from 241 votes
- NewestCandy Cane Lane (2023)Released 2023
The Search for Santa Paws (2010)
When Santa and his new best friend, Paws, discover that the boys and girls of the world have lost the spirit of the season, they take a trip to New York City. But after Santa loses his memory, it's up to Paws, a faithful orphan named Quinn, her new friend Will, and a wonderful group of magical talking dogs to save St. Nick and show the world what Christmas is really all about.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisI Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003)
All Rerun wants from Santa is a dog, but his mother won't let him have one. Spending time with Snoopy provides the perfect pick-me-up. But when Snoopy gets too busy to play with Rerun, they call in a substitute—Snoopy's brother Spike.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisMerry Christmas, Drake & Josh (2008)
Step brothers Drake and Josh must give a foster family the best Christmas ever or face years in jail for a Christmas party gone wrong.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSanta Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012)
When Mrs. Claus travels to Pineville, the merriest place on the planet, a quartet of magical puppies stow away on her sled, granting joyful wishes to the town's boys and girls. However, something goes terribly wrong - the Christmas spirit begins to disappear. Now, the Santa Pups and Mrs. Claus must race to save Christmas magic from running out for all.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSanta Buddies (2009)
When Puppy Paws, the fun-loving son of Santa Paws, gets bored, he finds Budderball on Santa's naughty list and figures he's just the dog to show him how to be an ordinary pup. When the magical Christmas Icicle starts to melt however, and the world begins to forget the true meaning of the season, it's up to Puppy Paws and his newfound Buddies to journey back to the North Pole and save Christmas.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisOne Magic Christmas (1985)
Ginny Grainger, a young mother, rediscovers the joy and beauty of Christmas, thanks to the unshakable faith of her six-year-old daughter Abbie and Gideon, Ginny's very own guardian angel.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisA Veteran's Christmas (2018)
Captain Grace Garland, a decorated U.S. veteran, returns home after two tours of Search and Rescue in Afghanistan. After being separated from her beloved K9 partner, Grace must rediscover the magic of Christmas. When she finds herself stranded in the town of River’s Crossing a couple weeks before Christmas, the local judge, Joe Peterson, offers her a place to stay on his property and takes it upon himself to show Grace everything she has been missing; Christmas, family, community, and love.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNoelle (2019)
Kris Kringle's daughter, Noelle, sets off on a mission to find and bring back her brother, after he gets cold feet when it's his turn to take over as Santa.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisChristmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa (2018)
Lisa's trip home to Evergreen for the holidays finds her shepherding an effort to save the town's beloved general store, fulfilling the wishes of a Christmas past and finding a romance full of Christmas magic.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (2020)
A rich and nasty woman returns to her hometown to evict everyone but discovers the true meaning of Christmas thanks to the local townsfolk – and an actual angel. Features 14 original songs with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisA Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (2019)
Christmas brings the ultimate gift to Aldovia: a royal baby. But first, Queen Amber must help her family and kingdom by finding a missing peace treaty.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Christmas Story Christmas (2022)
Follows Ralphie, now adult, who returns to the house on Cleveland Street to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child, reconnecting with childhood friends, and reconciling the passing of his Old Man.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPAW Patrol: Jet to the Rescue (2020)
A royal relative steals a gem with the power to make things fly, the Paw Patrol takes to the skies to stop him and save Barkingburg.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Worth the HypeMovies like this12 Gifts of Christmas (2015)
When Anna Parisi, an unemployed fine arts painter, is unable to make ends meet, she is hired to become a personal Christmas shopper for Marc, an uptight corporate exec. As they begin working together, Marc learns that Christmas giving has less to do with the amount of money spent and more to do with the importance of the gift, while Anna discovers she might find success as an artist in a way she never expected. The best gift of all of course is the love they discover with one another.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBeethoven's Christmas Adventure (2011)
A Christmas elf accidentally takes off in Santa's sleigh, crash lands in a small town, and loses the magic toy bag. Beethoven must rescue the elf, recover the bag from greedy crooks, and return the sleigh to Santa in time to save Christmas.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOlive, the Other Reindeer (1999)
After mis-hearing a radio broadcast about Santa canceling his Christmas trip due to an injured reindeer, Olive the dog decides to travel to the North Pole and volunteer to be a replacement. Unfortunately, Olive must deal with an evil postman who's tired of handling all the extra Christmas mail. Will Martini the penguin be able to help Olive realize her dream?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998)
Young Rudolph suffers a childhood accident that sees his nose turn from the publicly accepted norm of black to a glowing red colour. His parents worry about him getting teased, and indeed he does in the end. When he is beaten in the reindeer games by his rival for a doe he fancies, Rudolph runs away and moves into a cave with Slyly the Fox. However can he overcome his fear and reach his true potential?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCandy Cane Lane (2023)
Determined to win the neighborhood's annual Christmas decorating contest, family man Chris makes a pact with an elf to help him out-do the competition. However, the elf casts a spell bringing the twelve days of Christmas to life, unleashing chaos on the small unsuspecting town.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDashing Through the Snow (2023)
Eddie Garrick is a good-hearted man who has lost his belief in the wonder of Christmas. While spending time with his nine-year-old daughter Charlotte on Christmas Eve, he befriends a mysterious man in a red suit named Nick.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Boy Called Christmas (2021)
An ordinary young boy called Nikolas sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Taking with him a headstrong reindeer called Blitzen and a loyal pet mouse, Nikolas soon meets his destiny in this magical and endearing story that proves nothing is impossible…
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSinterklaas & Diego: Het Geheim van de Ring (2014)
Dutch children’s friend Saint Nicholas is at his wit's end. The letters from children are stacking up and the list of gifts just keeps getting longer. How is he supposed to deliver all those gifts to all those sweet little children in one night? When Diego proposes to ask good old Santa for help, they travel to the North Pole, together with Clumsy Pete and children Max and Anna. Everything seems to work out fine, until Famke and Yvette, two escaped convicts, mess things up. Will Saint Nicolas and his Petes be able to save the feast of St. Nicholas?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
A Meowy Christmas (2017)
A couple of bumbling burglars are mistaken as two aliens by a talking cat that watches too many conspiracy videos. Regardless it's up to Ms. Whiskers and her rat friend, Chuck, to capture them and save Christmas.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Marmaduke (2022)
Great Dane Marmaduke epitomizes the overgrown lapdog, with an irascible streak and a penchant for mischief that is tempered with a deep sense of love and responsibility for his human family, the Winslows. The new animation is set in the world of elite dog shows, rife divas, rivalries and slapstick comedy.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisBing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas (1977)
Bing Crosby and his family spend Christmas at the estate of a distant relative in England.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
A Frozen Christmas 2 (2017)
When Santa and his reindeer pal Barnaby finish delivering presents for Christmas, they head back to the North Pole to celebrate. Gather around and listen as Santa and his elf pals dance and tell stories. Including time-honored Christmas story classics!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
A Magic Christmas (2014)
Jack Carter, a man constantly living in a state of regret, takes his technology-obsessed family, including their lovable dog Buster, on a Christmas vacation to the mountains in the hopes of reconnecting with them. While on vacation, Jack and his family run into an estranged, uber-competitive friend of Jack's, who now lives the life of luxury Jack pines for. Through a series of juvenile competitions, Jack realizes that the love of his family is more rewarding than anything money could buy.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
See Spot Run (2001)
A drug sniffing agent canine is a target for an assassin boss so the FBI calls Witness Protection to send him somewhere else. Meanwhile a single Mom puts her 6 year old boy James in the care of her irresponsible, mailman, neighbor, Gordon, when the babysitter bails on her. Meanwhile, an assassin mob boss hires 2 goons to kill Agent 11. But when 11 escapes from the van when they tried to kill him, he hides in Gordon's Mailtruck that James is in too. And guess what they name him. Spot.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Borrowed Christmas (2014)
John Dale has everything. Money, notoriety, the biggest house in town. But what he really wants is a good, old-fashioned Christmas. With no family in town, John turns to the local "Rent-All" store and owner Anne Weston. Anne's store is struggling, and in an attempt to save the shop, she takes on this unusual order from this unusual man. She goes about trying to fill the order, but ends up filling a need much greater.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Titina (2022)
Italian airship engineer Umberto Nobile enjoys a quiet life with his beloved dog Titina. One day, Norwegian explorer superstar Roald Amundsen contacts him and orders an airship to conquer The North Pole.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Barbie in 'A Christmas Carol' (2008)
On Christmas Eve, Kelly is reluctant to go to a Christmas Eve ball, so Barbie tells her the story of Eden Starling, a glamorous singing diva in the Victorian England and the owner of a theatre house. However, Eden is self-centered and loves only herself. She is frequently accompanied by her snooty cat, Chuzzlewit. She does not believe in Christmas and orders all her employees to work on Christmas.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Worth the HypeMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas?
The closest matches to Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas are The Search for Santa Paws (2010), I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003) and Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh (2008). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas?
Start with The Search for Santa Paws (2010), the closest match to Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas.
What is the highest-rated movie like Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas?
Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh (2008), rated 7.3/10 by 241 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas?
Candy Cane Lane (2023) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas?
Yes: The Search for Santa Paws (2010), I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003) and Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh (2008).
How are movies similar to Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Shelby: The Dog Who Saved Christmas, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.