The 12 Dogs of Christmas

Hi, Mr. Lawson.

I'm collecting today.

Can't afford it no more, em.

Take us off your list.

Dad.

Why do I have to go? I want to stay with you!

Come on, em. It's only for a little while.

I'm gonna come and get you before Christmas.

Come on, now.

You're... You're tougher than that.

You are gonna like your aunt delores.

She can't wait to see you.

Do you promise you'll come and get me?

Oh, by Christmas.

Promise?

I will.

Cross your heart and hope to die?

I promise, cross my heart.

Cross my heart.

Hi, there. Puppies for me?

Just keep coming, Mrs. Stevens.

Nine more dogs for that orphanage of yours.

Yeah, all addressed to the dog lady of doverville.

Guess that would be you.

Okay, let's see...

"Dog lady," "dog lady," "dog lady,"

hi! We got a poodle here. Yes.

I'll take these guys.

Good boy.

Just set it in there.

Thank you.

Just put those over here.

Okay, thank you.

Oh! Hi, sweetheart, yes.

We're gonna give you a nice home.

Okay. Can you get the poodle, please?

Here, let me help.

I don't need no help from a girl.

Obviously you do.

No. Stop.

Stop!

Just leave it.

Leave it!

I got it! L-Leave it!

Ohh!

Girls are worthless!

Oh! Come here, boy. Come on.

Max!

Hmm.

The dogs will go.

That's what I promised.

That's what I'll do.

It was after the unfortunate incident...

That this town Rose up and did what had to be done.

"City ordinance 109, section 2,

"December 1906...

"Forthwith, it shall be unlawful

for a dog to reside, bark, breed, or foul..."

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

That law, my friends, created by your revered predecessors,

once defined this town.

And so it shall again.

To that end,

I have duly appointed Mr. Norman Doyle

dogcatcher of doverville.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

And I am proud to say that Norman is my brother.

Thank you, Nobel.

Uh, on my honor,

I will do my best to do in the dogs of...

I mean, to do, uh, my duty by the dogs of doverville.

And I promise to make my brother noble proud of me.

Old scratch here can smell a dog a mile away.

And as for me, well, y'all know I hate dogs.

I hate 'em, so...

Rrrr!

Here, boy. C-Come here.

Come here, Max. It's okay.

Come here.

Here, boy. Here, boy.

Yeah, good job. Good job, Max.

Come on, come on, Max. Come on.

Get in! Mike, get in!

What are you doing, lady? Give me that dog!

Come on, Melvin! They're getting away!

Go! Go!

Faster, mom! Faster! Hurry!

They're catching up!

Go! Go!

Aah! Aah!

Goodbye, dogcatcher.

Oh! We'll get 'em next time, scratch.

I'm Emma.

Are you aunt delores?

Whatever you're peddling, I'm not interested.

Now get on out of here.

My dad wrote you that I was coming.

Who's your dad?

You're Douglas o'Connor's girl?

That rat!

I am not your aunt,

and I am not the dumb dora he takes me for!

Did he send you here?

He wrote you a letter.

Well, I never got it.

And you can just go right back and tell your dear daddy

that your aunt delores is dead and buried.

Come on.

And burned! Come on.

And sprinkled over the ocean as far as he is concerned.

Now sit back.

Where you from, sweetheart?

Pittsburgh...

The grave of the world.

Well, you can't expect the child

to find her way back to Pittsburgh.

My dad's coming by Christmas.

He's coming here?

Well, go wait for him someplace else.

Oh!

Delores, for goodness' sakes!

You come back here, child.

Okay.

But look, you need to get something real straight...

I am not your aunt, and I did not get a letter.

Your good-for-nothing father and I may have...

Been, well... never mind.

But don't you think for one minute

you and me are family.

Oh! Such a rat!

Don't talk about my dad like that.

How would you like me to wash that smart mouth out with soap?

Oh, her bark's a lot worse than her bite.

You know, I bet you're hungry.

You clean up after yourself. You fix your own food.

Anh-anh. Unh.

Delores, for goodness' sake.

Ohh!

I am going to keep track, you know.

And what's more, I expect you to get a job

and pay your own way.

I'm sure he didn't give you any money.

He could if he wanted.

Girls don't get jobs, delores.

Of course they do.

We vote, we work, we take care of ourselves.

It's certainly better she learns to look after herself

before she finds out the hard way

you sure can't trust a man to do it.

I've had a job before.

In fact, you cannot trust a man, period.

What about that lovely woman with all the orphan dogs?

I'm sure she could use some help.

Dogs don't like me much.

Oh, course they do!

Dogs like everybody.

Ruff! Ruff! Ruff! Ri-yi!

A ham sandwich.

Um, the school is right on the main road,

and do not be late, or miss Walsh will keep you after.

And "after" is when you need to get a job.

Ah! Gotcha!

You... ahh!

Oh! Oh!

Hold still, now.

Hold still.

Oh! Oh! You're hurting me.

Come on, puppy. Come on, puppy, come on.

Come on, puppy. Come on, puppy.

Come on. Come on.

Where are you?

Come on.

Huh?

Come on, you little mutt.

Huh?

Oh!

Melvin!

Whoa! Melvin!

Melvin!

Oh! Aah!

You stupid...

Don't worry.

Aah!

Forward.

Aaaah!

Closer! Closer!

Right there!

Move it! Move it, Melvin!

Melvin!

Almost there.

You should be in school.

Tardiness will not be tolerated.

Shoulders back, bottom under.

Is that your little dog?

Dogs are not allowed in school.

It's an old wives' tale that dogs are good for girls.

Don't you ever bring that dog into this school again.

Am I making myself perfectly clear?

I'll come back for you, I promise.