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Did you see A Dog’s Journey in theaters? Wait, let’s rewind a bit …

If you are anything like me, you sat in the theater and saw previews for A Dog’s Purpose with tears in your eyes. You knew immediately that this would be a film best enjoyed in the comfort of your home with a fluffy blanket and a full box of tissues. A place where nobody could see you ugly cry, your big puffy cry-face eyes, or hear you bust out laughing while still sobbing. You just KNEW it was going to be one of those movies and you were right!

Fast forward to a few months ago. Imagine the surprise when we were out for family movie night. The lights dimmed, I had my popcorn in one hand, a drink in the other, and then it happened. That familiar intro music, and then the voice, and OH MY GOSH … Bailey! It was like Niagara Falls and I was definitely not prepared. It was a preview for A Dog’s Journey.

The movie opened in theaters and I stayed home. I was under no illusion that the sequel to A Dog’s Purpose was going to be anything less than an emotional roller coaster, Yet, I still wanted to see it the moment it … hit Blu-ray. Here we are. Today is the day! A Dog’s Journey is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital!

I could share my anecdotal thoughts of the overall film but I’m not so sure that is really necessary. If you know anything about me or seen any of the photos I’ve posted, you know that I LOVE this movie. We’ll keep it even simpler, if you loved or even just liked A Dog’s Purpose, BUY THIS MOVIE!

Is the premise of the new film really different? No, it isn’t. It’s the same story in a new way with “old faces” you’ll still adore and new faces that you will love. Is there a Buddhism-esque overtone? Absolutely, just like the first film. Are there deep messages attached to this tearjerker film? Of course! It has all the makings of an emotional film, with a great cast, and they push all the buttons that need to be pushed.

That just about covers it, right? So, here is a little about me!

My love of dogs bloomed at an early age when my mom and dad got us a puppy for Christmas. Yes, I know there are a slew of reasons why people shouldn’t give pets as Christmas presents but this was a decision that my parents thought long and hard about before moving forward. We didn’t have a lot of money so adding another family member was something that needed to be given careful thought and consideration. And yes, we were raised with the understanding that a dog (or cat) IS a family member.

My love, appreciation, and devotion to animals only deepened when my father passed away unexpectedly when I was 14-years-old. A furbaby is what got me through some of my most difficult days and nights. That’s a story for another time.

Now, I’m a mommy. My husband and I brought a new fur family member, Felix, into our home on Christmas morning when our daughter was four. Our second furbaby, Oliver, joined our family the following Christmas. Our little fur family is complete but over the summer we had a family talk and decided to open our hearts and home to foster puppies. Our first foster puppy, Henry, was definitely a cutie, He was with us for a month before he found his furever home. I would be lying to say we didn’t fall in love with him! Just last night, we picked up THREE new puppies to foster; two girls and a boy. Their names are Echo, Blue, and Delta!

Why share all of this? It’s probably safe to say I’m the movie’s target audience!

If I haven’t mentioned it before, which I know that I did, I LOVED A Dog’s Journey. I cried A LOT but I also laughed. It pulled at my heartstrings in all the right ways and yes, there was even a time or two when I looked at my pup, Felix, and may have whispered my first dog’s name (Dusty) just to check. I’m okay with a Friday night tearjerker that makes you experience all the feels while adding all the positive messages about falling in love with a good guy and loving a good dog. I’m also okay with a little wonder … the what if … and to think that maybe, just maybe someone is watching over me.

If you’re a dog lover, like me, you’re going to love A Dog’s Journey!

Grab your copy

In celebration of the “pawsitively” uplifting film, A Dog’s Journey, BelAirMommie has created a Carob Dog Cookie recipe. Grab the details below!

Distribution: Universal Pictures
Production: An Amblin Entertainment, Reliance Entertainment presentation in association with Walden Media, Alibaba Pictures of a Pariah production 
Cast: Kathryn Prescott, Abby Ryder Fortson, Emma Volk, Josh Gad, Betty Gilpin, Marg Helgenberger, Henry Lau, Dennis Quaid, Ian Chen, Jake Manley, Daniela Barbosa, Conrad Coates
Director: Gail Mancuso
Screenwriters: W. Bruce Cameron and Cathryn Michon, Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky, based on the novel by W. Bruce Cameron
Producer: Gavin Polone
Executive producers: Seth William Meier, Lasse Hallstrom, Luyuan Fan, Wei Zhang
Director of photography: Rogier Stoffers
Production designer: Eric Fraser
Costume designer: Pattie Henderson
Editor: Robert Komatsu
Music: Mark Isham
Casting: John Papsidera

Rating PG; 108 minutes

We received an advanced Blu-ray copy of A Dog’s Journey for the purposes of review. Regardless, all opinions expressed are 100% my own. Please note, this post contains affiliate links.