Review

"The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating: A Tail-Wagging Rom-Com That’s 90% Fluff and 10% Plot (But Mostly Fluff)"

If Hallmark movies and Hallmark holiday movies had a baby, and that baby was raised by a golden retriever, you’d get The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating. This 2023 rom-com is the cinematic equivalent of a warm blanket, a cup of hot cocoa, and a dog licking your face while you’re trying to relax. It’s sweet, predictable, and so wholesome it might give you a cavity.

The plot is as straightforward as a dog chasing a tennis ball: Sarah (played by the perpetually perky Emma Pawson) is a dog trainer who’s unlucky in love but great at teaching puppies to sit. Enter Jake (Chris Barkington), a ruggedly handsome journalist who’s allergic to commitment but not to dogs. Naturally, Jake is assigned to write an article about Sarah’s dog training business, and sparks fly faster than a Chihuahua on a sugar rush.

What follows is a series of adorable meet-cutes involving dogs, dog parks, and dog-themed puns. There’s a scene where Jake accidentally gets tangled in a leash during a group dog walk, and another where Sarah’s mischievous poodle steals his notebook. It’s all very cute, but let’s be honest—you’ve seen this movie before. It’s basically every Hallmark movie ever made, but with more fur and slobber.

The dialogue is as cheesy as a dog treat, with lines like, “Love is like training a puppy—it takes patience, consistency, and a lot of treats.” (Yes, someone actually says this.) But hey, if you’re watching The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating, you’re not here for groundbreaking cinema. You’re here for the dogs, the cozy small-town vibes, and the inevitable scene where the couple finally kisses under a string of twinkly lights.

The real stars of the movie are, of course, the dogs. From the sassy French bulldog who steals every scene to the lovable mutt who somehow knows exactly when to nudge the leads closer together, the canine cast delivers Oscar-worthy performances. Meanwhile, the human actors do their best to keep up, though they’re clearly outshined by their four-legged co-stars.

In the end, The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating is exactly what you’d expect: a feel-good, low-stakes rom-com that’s perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. It won’t change your life, but it might make you want to adopt a dog—or at least binge-watch more Hallmark holiday movies. And honestly, isn’t that the point?

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 tail wags. (Bonus points for the poodle’s impeccable comedic timing.)