10/14/2026
I really like Not My Dog. I enjoyed the perspective from the dog, Nudge’s point of view, showing him being chased by Animal Control. I also like how we get a clear perspective on what the main character, Bridget (Rylie Pennington), is like.
The storyline follows a stray dog, Nudge, and 12-year-old Bridget, through their small town, as they embark on an unexpected journey, discovering the joy of an unlikely friendship. Bridget is sent to bring lunch to her father at his work place when she encounters a stray dog. As the dog persistently trails her, Bridget insists to everyone she meets that "he's not my dog." As they wander together, Bridget's initial frustration turns into compassion, pulling her away from her phone and teaching her valuable lessons about loyalty, courage, and friendship.
The movie is set in Vernon, Connecticut, during the winter and there is a lot of snow. Something that stands out to me is the original song that Bridget and Jessie (Analise Scarpaci) sing together, which is written by Analise, an actor in the movie. It shows how, at first, Bridget does not like dogs. The scenes with Nudge running past the local chess players Chuck (Eric Roberts) and Carl (Jeremy London), store owners, and bullies are funny. My favorite character is Nudge, the black German Shepherd, because he is very smart. He can always get away from Officer Phil, knows a lot of simple commands and even seems to understand English. But mostly I like him is because he is very persistent. When Bridget doesn't like him, he just keeps following her. She tells him to stop, but he keeps going until Bridget starts to like him.
The turning point is when a rude woman, Miss Athelia (Marika Domińczyk) teams up with the Animal Control Officer to find the dog, and Bridget starts protecting him. I like how the film reminds us that our feelings about someone, or an animal, can change once we actually get to know them.
Not My Dog is available on VOD, AVOD and Streaming now.
