This page contains unmarked spoilers. You Have Been Warned!
"Good boy."
- In his own tough love way, Chief motivates the other four dogs to keep surviving.
- The fact that Atari loved his dog so much he managed to fly a plane to an island filled with infected dogs, just to find him.
- The above is why all the dogs (sans Chief initially) on the island offer him their help and loyalty, despite him being the mayor's nephew; out of all of the owners who lost their pets, Atari was the only one who decided to get his back.
- Atari and Spots' first interaction, taking place after the former was just orphaned. The former is on the verge of tears over how he lost his parents, and the latter tearfully comforts "I hear you..."
- Despite Major Domo coldly and cruelly instructing that their relationship remain strictly professional, Atari still formed a deep bond with his dog.
- In spite of his blatantly obvious dislike for dogs, Mayor Kobyashi still saw fit to give his injured, grieving nephew a canine guardian. Why he chose Spots to be Atari's attendant is never explored, but it's implied that he wanted the best protector at his disposal to be watching over his nephew, no matter who it was. Regardless of motive, Atari and Spots would have never met one another had it not been for his corrupt uncle.
- Atari opening a cage; a simple, futile gesture is somehow granted meaning by the iron will of a twelve-year-old boy.
- Although she's on the neutral side of the issue, Interpreter Nelson allows a boy (possibly a nephew or her son) to interpret Atari's message.
- The message in itself is Atari saying his dog Spots will inherit all his belongings, as though he were a brother. Not to mention the promise he makes in the message:
Atari: (interpreted into English) I'm going to find my dog. - Chief and Nutmeg's interactions. They start off a bit cold, but almost instantly warm up to one another.
- She partially convinces him to help Atari find his dog.
- Atari and Chief playing fetch for the first time. This, after Chief has been an unloved stray and having an uncontrollable urge to bite that has soured a guilt complex on him, and a human shows him the first signs of love and friendship that he possibly never had. Then Atari hugs him (pictured), and he's speechless.
- The scene that follows is Atari giving Chief a proper bath and grooming, revealing he's not a black dog at all but a white-and-spotted one.
- Atari gives Chief a treat as a show of kindness, and the latter likes the flavor and decides this is his new favorite food.note .
- Spots revealing that, among other things that's happened, he's "going to be a father" soon. Normally, Spots speaks in a professional tone, so the way he pauses before saying those words, you can tell there's a warm, proud smile in his voice.
- Spots revealing to Chief that he's his brother, and expressing his pride to him at how much he's grown.Spots: I'm your older brother by five minutes. It's been a long time, Chief.
Chief: (tears in his eyes) Was I the runt?
Spots: Not anymore. - Atari giving Spots his freedom, and in exchange, Spots bestowing Chief the honor of being Atari's new loyal guard dog.
- Atari feeding one of Spots and Peppermint's newborn puppies. This puppy appears to be the runt of the litter as it cannot find room to fit when its mother is suckling them.
- Double-heartwarming: According to Spots, one of their sisters was the runt of the litter, Chief being the second smallest. It's nice to see Atari bestow kindness to the puppy that none of Spots' siblings knew.
- Just the puppies in general. Their dialogue consists of newborn baby babbles and coos.
- Atari calling Tracy attractive during his big speech, and her appearing flustered after she translates that part.
- Atari's poignant haiku.
- During Atari's big speech, he brings up a heart-warming allegory that his uncle essentially took him in just like anyone would adopt a stray dog out of spontaneous kindness. Upon hearing this, the uncle (though still steaming mad) so graciously confesses the conspiracy.
- Fridge Heartwarming: It's Fauxshadowing at its finest. Instead of killing his dog-hating uncle like in the legend of the Boy Samurai, Atari chooses a more peaceful means of settling the conflict and appeals to his uncle's kinder side.
- Actually he fulfilled the legend if you read between the lines. The legend said the Boy Samurai cut off the head of the Conspiracy. Technically Atari did just that, just not with a sword.
- Fridge Heartwarming: It's Fauxshadowing at its finest. Instead of killing his dog-hating uncle like in the legend of the Boy Samurai, Atari chooses a more peaceful means of settling the conflict and appeals to his uncle's kinder side.
- After his Heel–Face Turn, Mayor Kobayashi donates a kidney to Atari.
- Atari deciding that the death penalty would be a relatively harsh punishment for mistreatment of dogs, and instead opts that the punishment shall be community service and a heavy fine. In wake of his new rule as mayor, he will not start it with a cruel death punishment. Wisely so, as he's giving the offender the benefit of the doubt that they don't know better.
- The ending: Rex, King, Duke and Boss not only return to Megasaki city, but are reunited with their respective owners.
- What's more, King's favorite dog food company (Doggy Chops) opens up again.
- Gondo is adopted by one of Atari's peers, despite his apparent scars from his days as a lab animal.
- There's also the part where Boss reunites with his baseball team. They've recently lost a game for the first time in a while, but they don't care because their dog's finally come back to them, and they give Boss plenty of treats.
- Atari and Tracy going on a gondola ride, enjoying each others company, and Atari has Spots and Peppermint's runt nestled in his robes.
- Spots and Peppermint living on to raise their puppies.
- Overlapping with Punny Name, the advertisements for the film suggest that it can be pronounced as it is spelled or "I love dogs."
