While the summer is prime time for outdoor activities, sometimes it’s too dang hot to leave the comfort of your couch while the AC is blasting. When the temperatures get past 100 degrees, I like to put on a movie that gives summer vibes. This way, I can basically experience relaxing poolside and enjoy a BBQ with friends without getting roasted in the sun.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve compiled a list of what I believe to be the best summer movies, largely because they feature a furry friend. Without further ado, here are seven movies all dog-lovers should watch this summer.

The Sandlot

If you're a millennial, you know The Sandlot is the summer film. This 1993 coming-of-age tale focuses on friendship and baseball during the summer of 1962. One of the most iconic scenes features a lovely English Mastiff, who is known as The Beast.

Jaws

Granted Jaws is a disturbing movie for dog lovers because of the unfortunate fate of Pipit. In the film, the black labrador retriever meets her untimely demise after getting too close to Bruce the shark while trying to retrieve a stick. Don’t worry though -- the real pooch, who was also named Pipit, was not harmed during the movie’s production. In fact, she was paid $500 for her starring role!

According to a video, uploaded on The Daily Jaws YouTube channel, the pup was owned by Edo and Robert Potter, who lived close to Martha’s Vineyard, which was the filming location for Jaws. The Potter’s niece had been informed that the movie’s production was seeking “an enthusiastic and vigorous dog,” and thought Pipit would be the perfect fit. It was determined by the movie’s casting director that the Potter’s son, Steven, should accompany the pup on set and play her owner.

Pipit did very well considering she did not have an acting background. However, filming her scene did not go without incident. In the book Jaws: Memories from Martha's Vineyard: A Definitive Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Greatest Suspense Thriller of All Time by Matt Taylor, Steven Potter revealed that Pipit was a bit confused when he kept calling her.

“It was just hysterical … I was looking out at the water, trying to look concerned about my missing dog, and every time I called Pipit’s name, she’d respond by barking a few yards from behind the camera,” said Potter.

The actress who portrayed Mrs. Kintner in both Jaws and Jaws: The Revenge, Lee Fierro also revealed that “one of the assistant directors” requested that she and her on-screen son Jeff Voorhees kept the dog quiet.

“Jeff Voorhees and I took Pipit up over the dunes and held her ears so they both could continue filming without her barking every time her master called her name. It was very funny,” remembered Fierro.

Unfortunately, only three years after the movie was filmed, Pipit passed away at the age of nine. Her gravestone reads Star of Jaws.

Anyone But You

While not everyone loved the 2023 Rom-Com Anyone But You – it has a 54 Rotten Tomatoes score – I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s entertaining, a decent Shakespeare adaptation, and spotlights an adorable border collie!

Lilo and Stitch

Okay, Stitch isn’t technically a dog. But he’s Lilo’s loyal BFF that she adopted from a dog shelter. And he’s equal part naughty and adorable, just like a dog, so we’re going to count it.

High School Musical 2

The ever-so-iconic High School Musical sequel, appropriately titled High School Musical 2, is a Disney Channel Original masterpiece. Middle School-me dreamed of being able to work at a country club with all of my friends (and enemies) during the summer. The film also has a very important cameo from Sharpay's Yorkie, Boi.

E.T.

Like Stitch, E.T. gives dog vibes. However, this time we’re talking about an actual dog, instead of a super cute alien. In the film, Elloit’s Golden Retriever, Harvey, isn’t too much of a fan of E.T. And we get it. We’d also be a little freaked out if a Reese Pieces-loving goblin unexpectedly became our roommate.

The Parent Trap

The Parent Trap is a truly perplexing movie. However, we can ignore its insane premise because of the cuteness of Hallie’s dog, Sammy. Unlike Hallie’s dad, Nick Parker, Sammy actually knew Annie wasn’t his owner. So that counts for something.

7 Movies Featuring Dogs You Need to Watch This Summer