Halloween is almost here and after some trick-or-treating, why not curl up with your dog to watch some scary movies? We’ve compiled a list of 12 scary movies to watch with your dog on October 31st. These movies are perfect for spooking your pup on Halloween night.
Some scary movies to watch with your dog on Halloween
I Am Legend
I Am Legend is a post-apocalyptic action-thriller loosely based on the 1954 horror novel of the same name. The film stars Will Smith as a US Army virologist (Robert Neville) who must find a cure for a deadly virus that has decimated humanity. His dog Samantha (a.k.a. Sam) is the best horror movie canine in so far as her demise is not merely a ploy to garner audience sympathy, but a motivating factor for Robert to seek revenge.
Cujo
This Stephen King movie is about a St. Bernard who gets bitten by a bat and becomes rabid. He turned into a big and scary dog that terrorized a small town.
The Breed
The Breed marks Nicholas Mastandrea’s directorial debut. This horror film is about a relaxing weekend getaway with friends which turned into a horrific encounter with genetically engineered dogs who escaped an abandoned training facility.
Man’s Best Friend
An unsuspecting family takes in a seemingly nice dog, unaware that the dog has been genetically engineered to be a killer. The dog’s creator is a mad scientist who works at a nearby research facility. He wants to find the dog before its killer instincts start to get out of control.
Poltergeist
Our list will never be complete without Poltergeist. This horror movie was so successful that it was followed by three others Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986), Poltergeist III (1988), and a 2015 remake. The movie is about a suburban family home that is invaded by ghosts. At first, the ghosts brought no harm to the family. Over time, they started to terrorize the family and even abducted their youngest daughter.
Silence of the Lambs
I find it strange to know people who are obsessed with true crimes and serial killers. This film is a conversation starter. Silence of the Lambs is a psychological horror film that stars Jodie Foster as an FBI trainee hunting for a serial killer who skins his female victims. To solve the case, she needs to get help from another serial killer, a genius psychiatrist named Hannibal Lecter.
Gremlins
This horror movie is surprisingly funny, which made it very popular with children in the 80’s. It is about Billy who received a strange pet as a Christmas gift from his dad. He got it from an antique Chinese store. In order to take care of this “pet,” Billy needs to remember three rules: do not expose it to sunlight, do not get it wet, and never feed it after midnight. Things went haywire when the gremlins became aggressive and destroyed their town on Christmas Eve.
Blink
Blink is about a blind musician named Emma who has undergone a cornea transplant to restore her vision. But, unfortunately, this “blessing” turned into a curse. A serial killer started stalking her. Thankfully, her guide dog, Ralphie, is always by her side.
The Conjuring 2
The first Conjuring movie was scary and heartbreaking because the dog died. But in this sequel, Baron, a Rottweiler was able to escape the wrath of the demon Valak.
Krampus
When young Max (Emjay Antony) accidentally summons Krampi, an ancient demonic spirit during Christmas, the whole family has to defend themselves against not only Krampus, but evil toys and Elves. At one point, Thor, a lovable bulldog survives the mayhem. He also saves the family from “murderous” gingerbread men by, of course, eating them.
Insidious: Chapter 3
Psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) is just as scary as the other sequels. But I like this one particularly because of the dog named Warren. He is just as sensitive towards ghosts just like his owner. I love it every time he alerts her if there’s a presence around them.
The Rental
Two couples on vacation become suspicious that the host of the rented house they are staying at may be watching them. What is supposed to be a celebratory weekend trip turned into a disastrous and unnerving getaway. Despite the “no pets allowed” policy, the couples decided to bring Reggie, a French Bulldog. He went missing at first but turned up safe and sound in the end.
Are dogs actually watching TV?
Dogs do watch television, but in terms of comprehension, we can’t really tell if they really understand what they are watching or not.
But you can tell by their body language and facial expression that tv shows, even commercials, can affect them in many ways.
I remember seeing a YouTube video about a French bulldog barking excessively while watching a scene from King Kong. He was carried away by that intense fight between Kong and the T-rex to save Naomi Watts. It was hilarious.
Why do some dogs watch TV and others don’t?
Dogs are naturally curious animals. They like to observe what people around them are doing. If they’re watching TV, chances are there’s something about the show that triggers their curiosity. Moreover, there are dogs who like to watch TV with their owners for companionship or simply to cuddle.
What shows do dogs like to watch?
Dogs love to get our attention, and if that includes watching TV together, they’d be more than happy to oblige. So, if watching scary movies or shows is your thing, I’m pretty sure your dogs would love this bonding moment.
Final thoughts
There are many ways to make our dogs feel that they’re part of the family. If watching scary movies on Halloween is your thing, do it with them. A few minutes of cuddle time, in the bed or sofa is nothing compared to waiting all day for you to get home from work.
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