Chronically ill Todd (Shane Jensen) moves to a haunted cabin with his dog Indy (Indy) in this horror movie they should have called Chihuahuanormal Activity.

Good Boy follows in the paw prints of recent ambient horror films that invert the viewpoints of traditional sub-genres. Where In a Violent Nature was a slasher told from the POV of the killer, and Presence a supernatural story from that of the ghost, this is a haunted house movie from the perspective of the dog. But where Presence felt more like a filmmaking exercise than a full-blooded fright flick, Good Boy leads with its horror, producing the scariest dog movie since Look Who’s Talking Now!

Director Ben Leonberg’s dog Indy gives one of the all-time great canine performances, with the acting pedigree of Messi in Anatomy of a Fall, Uggie in The Artist and Gromit in Wallace & Gromit. Muttch more emotionally expressive than most horror movie protagonists, his fuzzy presence is a constant source of comfort during the chiller’s darkest moments. Leonberg uses the ghost story to explore Indy’s instinct and desperation to save his master, and the signs that he can detect because he’s a dog, which Todd ignores because he’s a man vomiting up blood.

This gives Good Boy a lot of heart without exploiting the titular retriever for easy emotional manipulation, making us care about both characters even though you never see Todd’s face. Leonberg avoids shaggy dog territory by keeping the tale tight at 73 minutes, fully committing to the idea in a way that never feels gimmicky or pretentious. The pawcity of dialogue lets the story unfold naturally, while the genuine jump scares and dog-eared sound design are nothing short of terrierfying.

Offering a unique take on a tired genre and a rare glimpse into the canine soul, Good Boy proves a dog is not just for Christmas; they’re also for Halloween.