A Dog’s Perfect Christmas is a 2026 Netflix holiday family drama based on the 2020 novel by W. Bruce Cameron, who also wrote the script. It was directed by Cathryn Michon, who co-wrote A Dog’s Purpose and also appears in the film. Dennis Quaid plays Sander Goss, Mary Steenburgen plays Claire, and Milo Ventimiglia plays Hunter.
Jennifer Tilly, Brooke Lena Johnson, Ethan Loomis and Kathleen Rose Perkins are also in the cast, and Thomas Haden Church voices the family’s basset hound, Winstead. The story is set in snowy Traverse City, Michigan, but the crew shot it in British Columbia, Canada. If you like cozy holiday stories, you can find more in our movies section and across our Canada collection.
Winstead, a wise old basset hound, tells the story of the Goss family during a hard Christmas. When Mrs. Goss falls into a coma, the family struggles to stay together. A new corgi puppy named Ruby arrives and slowly brings hope back into the house, helping everyone find their way to one another.
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas premieres on Netflix on November 4, 2026. It is the first title in Netflix’s 2026 holiday lineup, according to What’s on Netflix.
The movie streams on Netflix. Fans of the platform can find more titles in our Netflix section.
Table of Contents
When and Where Was A Dog’s Perfect Christmas Filmed?
| Film Name | A Dog’s Perfect Christmas |
|---|---|
| Genres | Holiday, Family, Drama |
| Filming Locations | Vancouver and Penticton, British Columbia, Canada |
| Filming Dates | October 28, 2025 to December 13, 2025 (reported) |
| Cinematography by | Igor Jadue-Lillo |
| Release Date | November 4, 2026 |
The movie was shot under the working title Winstead and Ruby. Hollywood North Buzz reported in late October 2025 that production began in Vancouver on October 28, 2025, with a wrap planned for early December. What’s on Netflix gives the end date as December 13, 2025, which fits the shoot at Penticton on December 10. Netflix has not shared official dates, so please treat them as reports. We could not confirm who handled the cinematography, and we will add it as soon as it is credited.
📍Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver was the main base for the shoot. The city is one of North America’s busiest film hubs, with streets, homes and studios that can pass for a small American town in winter. The story is set in Traverse City, Michigan, and we found no report of a shoot there. Netflix has not named the exact streets or houses used in Vancouver, so we cannot point to a single address yet.
📍Gyro Park, Penticton
Gyro Park is a public park in downtown Penticton, in British Columbia’s Okanagan region. The City of Penticton’s filming notice, published on December 4, 2025, listed the production as Winstead & Ruby and gave the schedule: setup on Tuesday, December 9, filming all day on Wednesday, December 10, and takedown on Thursday, December 11.
The crew used the park’s outdoor rink and Link Road, and the light tunnel could close to the public after 3 p.m. on the filming day. Parking outside City Hall’s Main Street entrance was also blocked, which suggests the park is close to City Hall.
The Penticton Herald reported that actors Brooke Lena Johnson and Ethan Loomis were on the rink for the scene. The notice said the rink’s safety boards and netting were taken down for filming, and family skating was due to return on December 15. The hockey scene is the clearest location in the film, and the winter setting suits the story.
Visiting: Gyro Park is open to the public, but the rink is seasonal, so please check the city’s website for skating times.
📍Other Places in British Columbia
No other exact places have been named. Some sites list suburbs like Burnaby because of the studios nearby, but we could not find a reliable source for any specific scene there, so we are not counting it as confirmed. We will update this section when Netflix or the B.C. film office shares more.
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas Behind the Scenes
To make your search for A Dog’s Perfect Christmas filming even more interesting, here is a fun fact straight from the director. Cathryn Michon shared an Instagram post on September 18, 2026, saying she directed much of the movie while holding one of the three corgi puppies who play Ruby. The puppies were named Harry, William and Charles, after the Royal Family, and she said Animal Department Head Bonnie Judd believes strongly in socializing puppies that work on film sets.
The same day, she posted a second one and promised, “PLOT SPOILER: No dog dies!” Both posts were about Mary Steenburgen, who narrates the audiobook of the novel and a new picture-book version. Michon, who is married to author W. Bruce Cameron, called it an honor to direct Steenburgen and to be in the recording studio with her.
We could not find on-set posts from Dennis Quaid or Milo Ventimiglia, and we will add them here as soon as they are shared.
Is There Any Trailer Available for A Dog’s Perfect Christmas?
Yes, the official trailer is available. Netflix released it on October 12, 2026, and it debuted exclusively with People, as noted by What’s on Netflix.
The trailer was released by Netflix on its official YouTube channel. It introduces Winstead, the Goss family and the new puppy, Ruby. The movie premieres on November 4, 2026, and it is available on Netflix only.
FAQs
Q1: Where was A Dog’s Perfect Christmas filmed?
A1: A Dog’s Perfect Christmas was filmed in British Columbia, Canada, mainly in Vancouver. A hockey scene was shot at Gyro Park in Penticton.
Q2: Was A Dog’s Perfect Christmas filmed in Michigan?
A2: The story is set in Traverse City, Michigan, but we found no report of a shoot there. The film was made in Canada.
Q3: When was the hockey scene filmed?
A3: The city of Penticton scheduled filming at Gyro Park for December 10, 2025.
Q4: What was the working title of A Dog’s Perfect Christmas?
A4: The working title was Winstead and Ruby.
Q5: Can I visit Gyro Park?
A5: Yes, it is a public park in downtown Penticton. The outdoor rink is seasonal, so check the city’s site for opening times.
Q6: When and where can I watch A Dog’s Perfect Christmas?
A6: It premieres on Netflix on November 4, 2026.
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas trades Michigan snow for the streets of Vancouver and a skating rink in Penticton, giving its family story a true winter feel. Many exact places are still unconfirmed, and we will update this guide as more details come out. If you enjoy a good drama, take a look at our guides to more holiday movies, and check back soon for new filming-location articles.
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