History Main / DisasterDodgingDog

* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'': Doug Walker's review of ''Film/IndependenceDay'' lampshades this trope. After we see the main characters surviving the first WaveMotionGun blast, Doug seems worried about Boomer's fate. In following reviews, it became a RunningGag whenever this trope occurs in a movie.
-->'''Critic:''' ''[sobbing]'' Did Boomer make it out OK?\\

** ''Film/Armageddon1998'': During the initial meteor shower that destroys most of New York, a barking little bulldog survives falling down a meteor hole (his owner, who also survives, manages to keep hold of his leash and the little guy is wearing a harness so he doesn't strangle). Especially curious as apparently the meteor smashed into the guy standing ''right in front of them.''

* ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'': As a Sokovian town is being evacuated towards the end of the film, a dog can be seen escaping from the chaos and boarding the rescue ship.

* ''Film/IndependenceDay'': At the end of the movie's main disaster scene, Jasmine Dubrow (Will Smith's character's partner) forgets her dog Boomer, who is locked in her car mere seconds away from being incinerated from the [[AdvancingWallOfDoom incoming wall of fire]]. Much to our relief, Boomer manages to OutrunTheFireball and reaches its master's shelter in the nick of time.

Oh no! The army has stated {{Franchise/Godzilla}} and his fellow {{Kaiju}} are burning [[TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse Tokyo]] to the ground! [[ChekhovsVolcano Volcanoes]] are erupting as never before! [[GiantWallOfWateryDoom Walls of water]] the size of buildings are approaching coasts worldwide! Panic ensues, people [[RunOrDie run for their lives]], and, [[ArsonMurderAndJayWalking much to their chagrin, tropers like you won't spend their vacation as planned]].

* ''Film/TheMeg'': A small white dog named Pippin is shown to be in peril as it swims around in the water as the titular ''Megalodon'' arrives on the scene. However, it ends up being spared as the shark is more interested in the large crowd of beach-goers nearby. Likely a ShoutOut to ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', where the similarly-named pooch Pippet was not so lucky.

** ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'': During the initial meteor shower that destroys most of New York, a barking little bulldog survives falling down a meteor hole (his owner, who also survives, manages to keep hold of his leash and the little guy is wearing a harness so he doesn't strangle). Especially curious as apparently the meteor smashed into the guy standing ''right in front of them.''

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/IndependenceDay https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cap108.jpg]]]]

** ''Film/{{Twister}}'' has two examples in the movie's opening sequence Toby the dog makes it inside the family storm cellar as the F5 tornado arrives. Later in the film, an F4 tornado destroys Aunt Meg's house, but her golden retriever escapes harm. The dog helps locate Aunt Meg immediately after.

If the dog is never seen again after the disaster sequence, this trope leads to WhatHappenedToTheMouse. Not to be confused with PostApocalypticDog (though it might become one once the disaster ends). Compare InfantImmortality.

* In the second part of the [[Series/Mash]] episode [[Recap/MashS5E1BugOut The Bug-Out]], after a shell explodes 75 feet away from Hawkeye, Radar, and some recon troops, a dog is heard barking, and a German Shepard runs past in the background.

** ''Film/DantesPeak'': For some reason, the main characters' dog, Roughy, gets trapped between two lava rivers. Unlike many other examples, it took a [[ConvectionSchmonvection fire-proof car]] driven by Harry Dalton and a [[ContrivedCoincidence good timing]] to save its skin.
** ''Film/{{Twister}}'' has two examples in the movie's opening sequence Toby the dog makes it inside the family storm cellar as the F5 tornado arrives, later in the film an F4 tornado destroys Aunt Meg's house but her golden retriever survives.

* ''Film/{{Godzilla|2014}}'' (2014): Upon detecting the Male MUTO, the King of Monsters heads to Honolulu and the following movement of water generates a local tsunami. As the first wave floods the beach, a dog snaps its leash (which was tied to a palm tree) and outruns a few panicked tourists.
* ''Film/IndependenceDay'': At the end of the movie's main disaster scene, Jasmine Dubrow (Will Smith's character's partner) forgets her dog Boomer, which is locked in her car mere seconds away from being incinerated from the incoming wall of fire. Much to our relief, it manages to OutrunTheFireball and reaches its master's shelter just in time.
* ''Film/TheMeg'': A small white dog named Pippin is shown to be in peril as it swims around in the water as the titular ''Megalodon'' arrives on the scene. However, it ends up being spared as the shark is more interested in the large crowd of beachgoers nearby. Likely a ShoutOut to ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', where the similarly-named pooch Pippet was not so lucky.

Oh no! The army has stated {{Franchise/Godzilla}} and his fellow kaijus are burning [[TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse Tokyo]] to the ground! [[ChekhovsVolcano Volcanoes]] are erupting as never before! [[GiantWallOfWateryDoom Walls of water]] the size of buildings are approaching coasts worldwide! Panic ensues, people [[RunOrDie run for their lives]], and, [[ArsonMurderAndJayWalking much to their chagrin, tropers like you won't spend their vacation as planned]].

-->'''Voice:''' Boomer will... ooooh. Ummm... we'll getchya another Boomer.

* The CuteKitten title character of ''Film/{{Keanu}}'' begins the movie by running for his life as the Allentown Brothers blast up a church converted into a drug lab.

* ''Film/IndependenceDay'': At the end of the movie's main disaster scene, Jasmine Dubrow (Will Smith's character's partner) forgets her dog Boomer, which is locked in her car mere seconds away from being incinerated from the incoming wall of fire. Much to our relief, it manages to OutrunTheFireball and reach its master's shelter just in time.

'''Pat:''' Where the giant fireball was going down the [[BuffySpeak highway thing]] and all the people were dying, and you didn't care because there was a golden retreiver-\\

[[caption-width-right:350:[[WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic Boomer...will live!]]]]

!!Examples

[[folder:Film-Animated]]

[[folder:FilmLive-Action]]

** ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'': During the inital meteor shower that destroys most of New York, a barking little bulldog survives falling down a meteor hole (his owner, who also survives, manages to keep hold of his leash and the little guy is wearing a harness so he doesn't strangle). Especially curious as apparently the meteor smashed into the guy standing ''right in front of them.''
** ''Film/DantesPeak'': For some reason, the main characters' dog, Roughy, gets trapped between two lava rivers. Unlike many other examples, it took a [[ConvectionSchmonvection fire-proof car]] driven by Pierce Brosnan and a [[ContrivedCoincidence good timing]] to save its skin.
** ''{{Film/Twister}}'' has two examples in the movie's opening sequence Toby the dog makes it inside the family storm cellar as the F5 tornado arrives, later in the film an F4 tornado destroys Aunt Meg's house but her golden retriever survives.
** ''{{Film/Volcano}}'': As the lava flow destroys Wilshire Boulevard, a woman forgets her dog in her house. Much to her relief, it manages to run unscathed with its [[TrademarkFavoriteFood bone]] to safety.

* ''Film/Godzilla2014'': Upon detecting the Male MUTO, the King of Monsters heads to Honolulu and the following movement of water generates a local tsunami. As the first wave floods the beach, a dog snaps its leash (which was tied to a palm tree) and outruns a few panicked tourists.

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]

[[folder:WebVideo]]
* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'': Doug Walker's review of ''Film/IndependenceDay'' lampshades this trope. After we see the main characters surviving the first WaveMotionGun blast, Doug seems worried about Boomer's (i.e. the dog featured in the trope picture) fate. In following reviews, it became a RunningGag whenever this trope occurs in a movie.

--> '''Critic''': (sobbing) Did Boomer make it out ok?
--> '''Voice''': [[https://youtu.be/UVoSGyx_YYs?t=625 Boomer...will live!]] (VictoriousChorus in the background)
--> ([[SkywardScream Doug Walker screams in joy]])

--> '''Critic''': [[https://youtu.be/UVoSGyx_YYs?t=1384 ...and so they all live happily ever after (sobbing)...BUT WHAT ABOUT BOOMER?]]
--> '''Voice''': Boomer...will live! (VictoriousChorus in the background)
--> ([[SkywardScream Doug Walker screams in joy]])
[[/folder]]

Oh no! The army has stated {{Franchise/Godzilla}} and his fellow kaijus are burning [[TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse Tokyo]] to the ground! [[ChekhovsVolcano Volcanoes]] are erupting as never before! [[GiantWallOfWateryDoom Walls of water]] the size of buildings are approaching coasts worldwide! Panic ensues, people [[RunOrDie run for their lives]], and ,[[ArsonMurderAndJayWalking much to their chagrin, tropers like you won't spend their vacation as planned]].

[[/folder]]

--> ([[SkywardScream Doug Walker screams in joy]])

* ''Film/IndependenceDay'': at the end of the movie's main disaster scene, Jasmine Dubrow (Will Smith's character's partner) forgets her dog Boomer, which is locked in her car mere seconds away from being incinerated from the incoming wall of fire. Much to our relief, it manages to OutrunTheFireball and reach its master's shelter just in time.

** ''Film/DantesPeak'': for some reason, the main characters' dog, Roughy, gets trapped between two lava rivers. Unlike many other examples, it took a [[ConvectionSchmonvection fire-proof car]] driven by Pierce Brosnan and a [[ContrivedCoincidence good timing]] to save its skin.

** ''{{Film/Volcano}}'': as the lava flow destroys Wilshire Boulevard, a woman forgets her dog in her house. Much to her relief, it manages to run unscathed with its [[TrademarkFavoriteFood bone]] to safety.

* ''Film/Godzilla2014'': the King of Monsters heads to Honolulu and the massive movement of water generates a local tsunami. As the first wave floods the beach, a dog snaps its leash (which was tied to a palm tree) and outruns a few panicked tourists.

Oh no! {{Franchise/Godzilla}} and his fellow kaijus [[TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse Tokyo]]! [[ChekhovsVolcano Volcanoes]] are erupting! Huge [[GiantWallOfWateryDoom walls of water]] are approaching coasts worldwide! Panic ensues, people [[RunOrDie run for their lives]], and [[ArsonMurderAndJayWalking , much to their chagrin, tropers like you won't spend their vacation as planned]].

And then, in the middle of the chaos, as soon as everyone starts running for their lives, we see it running for its lige. A [[PreciousPuppy small, innocent, cute dog]]. But this is not an ordinary dog. It is the first character on screen to notice the incoming danger, and [[IntendedAudienceReaction the audience will immediately start rooting for its survival and forget about the hundreds if not thousands of humans nearby]].