The Ugly Dachshund Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A pampered tiny dog’s husband swaps one of her puppies for a giant baby dog who thinks he’s a tiny dog, leading to predictable home destruction and marital bickering.

🍿 The Ugly Dachshund: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A Growing Family of Four-Legged Friends

The story centers on artist Mark Garrison and his wife Fran, who is devoted to her prize-winning dachshund, Danke. Fran is eagerly anticipating the birth of Danke’s puppies, hoping for a future champion. Meanwhile, Mark secretly desires a larger dog, a Great Dane.

An Unexpected Addition

While at the veterinarian’s for Danke’s delivery, Mark learns about a Great Dane puppy abandoned by its mother. He is persuaded to bring the large pup home for Danke to wet nurse alongside her own litter. Mark names the Great Dane puppy Brutus and keeps his true breed a secret from Fran initially.

Big Dog, Little Identity

Raised alongside the smaller dachshunds, Brutus grows up believing he is one of them, despite his rapidly increasing size. This identity crisis leads to comical chaos and destruction around the Garrison home, often exacerbated by the mischievous dachshund puppies who instigate trouble, leaving Brutus to take the blame. This creates friction between Mark, who adores Brutus, and Fran, who prioritizes her dachshunds and is frustrated by the mess.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Mark Garrison (Dean Jones): The husband who adopts the Great Dane puppy, Brutus, despite his wife’s preference for dachshunds.
• Fran Garrison (Suzanne Pleshette): The wife who is devoted to her prize dachshunds and initially dislikes the chaotic Great Dane, Brutus.
• Brutus (Brutus (uncredited)): The Great Dane puppy raised with dachshunds who believes he is one of them, causing humorous destruction.
• Danke (Chloe (uncredited)): Fran’s prize dachshund who gives birth to puppies and acts as a wet nurse for the Great Dane puppy, Brutus.
• Dr. J.L. Pruitt (Charles Ruggles): The kind veterinarian who convinces Mark to adopt the Great Dane puppy.
• Officer Carmody (Kelly Thordsen): A jovial police officer who frequently interacts with Mark, often issuing him traffic tickets.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Fran Garrison: “Mark it’s hard enough to cater a party for 60 people without that four legged demolition squad running in the middle of it.” – Fran expresses her frustration over the chaos caused by her dachshunds during a formal garden party.
• Mark Garrison: “Demolition squad? Well what about that, that wrecking crew of yours, huh?” – Mark retorts to Fran, suggesting her beloved dachshunds are just as much to blame for the household messes as Brutus.
• Mark Garrison: “He doesn’t know he’s a Great Dane. He thinks he’s one of the girls.” – Mark tries to explain Brutus’s behavior and perceived identity crisis to Fran, emphasizing he imitates the dachshunds he grew up with.
• Mark Garrison: “You’ll see, Fran. Brutus is a champion!” – Mark expresses his belief in Brutus’s potential and worth, determined to prove him capable, particularly regarding the dog show.

💰Box Office

• Budget: N/A
• Domestic Gross: $13,516,000
• Worldwide Gross: N/A

💥 The Ugly Dachshund Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so ‘The Ugly Dachshund’ isn’t high art, but wow, is it fun if you love dogs and classic Disney! I grew up watching this, and it totally holds up for pure, silly enjoyment. Seeing Brutus trying to act like a tiny wiener dog and just destroying everything is absolutely hilarious. Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette are great, even if their characters argue non-stop – which, honestly, felt a bit too real sometimes! But the scenes with the dogs making a mess, like the paint incident or the garden party disaster, are just classic slapstick. It definitely transports you back to a different era, separate twin beds and all. If you’re looking for a light, funny movie that celebrates the chaos and charm pets bring to your life, this is a must-watch. Just be prepared for lots of barking and furniture destruction!

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Dog lovers, especially fans of Dachshunds and Great Danes”
  • “Fans of classic Walt Disney live-action comedies”
  • “Families looking for lighthearted, animal-centric entertainment”
  • “Viewers interested in nostalgic films from the 1960s”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “May contain outdated cultural stereotypes (specifically noted in reviews regarding Japanese characters)”
  • “Depicts potentially unsafe animal handling (e.g., dogs jumping from furniture, as mentioned in reviews)”
  • “Mild slapstick violence/chaos involving animals and property damage”

Professional Reviews

• Invented: “A charming if dated Disney romp. The true stars are the dogs, whose chaotic antics provide genuine laughs. While the human drama involving Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette feels a bit strained and the period sensibilities occasionally grate, the sheer fun of watching the canine chaos makes it worthwhile, especially for dog lovers. A simple pleasure.
• Invented: “Norman Tokar’s ‘The Ugly Dachshund’ delivers on canine slapstick, but little else. The premise is thin, serving primarily as a vehicle for dog-related mayhem. Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette are likable enough, though their characters’ constant arguing can be tiresome. Some dated cultural elements aside, it’s harmless fluff, best suited for very young viewers or those seeking pure nostalgia.

Audience Reactions

The doggy destruction scenes, especially the paint and party messes, are the funniest parts.: Audiences love the adorable and well-trained dogs, finding their antics genuinely funny and the movie a charming, nostalgic family watch.

Many appreciate Brutus’s character arc and his eventual acceptance.: The film is praised by dog lovers, particularly fans of Dachshunds and Great Danes, for accurately capturing some breed behaviors (minus the bark sound for Dachshunds, as noted by some fans).

Overall Consensus: A beloved classic among dog enthusiasts and those with nostalgia for vintage Disney, appreciated for its slapstick humor and cute animal stars, though some find the human plot thin and certain elements dated.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Brutus, the Great Dane who played the ‘Ugly Dachshund’, also appeared in the Walt Disney film ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ (1960) six years prior, playing one of the guardian Great Danes named Duke.”

🖥️ How to Watch The Ugly Dachshund?

As a classic Walt Disney film, “The Ugly Dachshund” is typically available for streaming on Disney+. You can also search Amazon and other major digital platforms like Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, or YouTube for options to rent or purchase the movie digitally. Physical copies (DVD/Blu-ray) may also be available for purchase online or in stores.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed The Ugly Dachshund, you might like these similar films:

• The Shaggy Dog (1959): Another classic live-action Disney comedy centered around a human transforming into a dog, leading to family mishaps and adventures.
• That Darn Cat! (1965): A contemporary Disney live-action film from the same era, featuring animal-driven plot points and comedic chaos involving pets.
• Beethoven (1992): A more modern film about a giant, lovable Saint Bernard who brings both joy and immense chaos to a suburban family’s life, similar to Brutus.
• The Ugly Duckling (1939): A Disney Silly Symphony cartoon based on the original fairy tale, sharing the core thematic element of an individual not fitting in with the group they were raised with.
• Old Yeller (1957): While more dramatic, this is a highly regarded classic Disney live-action film centered around a beloved dog, appealing to fans of Disney’s animal stories from this period.

🛒 The Ugly Dachshund Related Products

• The Ugly Dachshund (Disney Movie) DVD/Blu-ray: Own the classic live-action Disney comedy on DVD or Blu-ray, perfect for family movie nights or adding to your Disney collection.
• Great Dane or Dachshund Plush Toy: Soft and cuddly plush toys representing the two main breeds from the film, Brutus the Great Dane and the mischievous Dachshunds.
• Classic Disney Live-Action Animal Comedies Collection: A compilation featuring ‘The Ugly Dachshund’ and other similar animal-centric live-action films from the Disney vault like ‘The Shaggy Dog’ or ‘The Love Bug’.
• The Ugly Dachshund by Gladys Bronwyn Stern (Book): The original novel that inspired the movie, offering a deeper look into the story and characters as imagined by the author.

🎧 Soundtrack

The Ugly Dachshund features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Happy Birthday to You” – performed by Patty S. Hill and Mildred J. Hill (Performed by Suzanne Pleshette in film)
• “Original Score” – performed by George Bruns

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

The Ugly Dachshund

Curious what ‘The Ugly Dachshund’ is all about before diving in? This short, official overview from Disney gives you a perfect, spoiler-free rundown of the hilariously chaotic plot – it honestly sounds like classic family fun!

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