A basset hound named Winstead, a grandfather trying to hold his family together, and a Christmas that almost doesn’t happen: that’s the setup for Netflix’s “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas,” out November 4, 2026. The film comes from Bruce Cameron, the author behind “A Dog’s Purpose,” and he set the story in a very specific place he clearly loves. Here’s where the story is set, where it was actually filmed, and how you can visit both.
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas at a Glance (TL;DR)
- Release date: November 4, 2026, on Netflix
- Cast: Dennis Quaid, Milo Ventimiglia, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas Haden Church
- Story setting: Traverse City, Michigan
- Actual filming locations: Vancouver and Burnaby, British Columbia, with a key scene shot in Penticton, BC
- Production dates: October 28 – December 13, 2025
- Working title: “Winstead and Ruby” (Winstead is the basset hound)
The Real Place Behind the Story: Traverse City, Michigan
Before getting into the filming locations, it’s worth knowing that Traverse City isn’t a random choice. Bruce Cameron grew up in nearby Petoskey and spent summers on Lake Charlevoix, then lived in Traverse City for a few years after college. According to CNHI, he wanted to “put Traverse City on the map” for people outside Michigan.
Traverse City sits on Grand Traverse Bay, off Lake Michigan, and is nicknamed the “Cherry Capital of the World” thanks to the National Cherry Festival held there every summer. It’s also close to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, one of the most striking stretches of coastline in the Midwest. None of that made it into a movie set piece, since production didn’t actually film there, but per MichiganNewsSource, the production emailed locals asking for their own drone footage and snowy street shots of downtown Traverse City to possibly use in the finished film. So the town may still appear on screen in its own right, just not as the main shooting location.
Can you visit? Yes. Traverse City is a real, easy-to-reach town in northern Michigan, about a 4-hour drive from Detroit, with its own small airport (TVC). Winter visitors come for the snow and Christmas markets; summer visitors come for the cherries and the bay.
Where It Was Actually Filmed: Vancouver and Burnaby, British Columbia
Like most Netflix holiday movies, “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas” filmed in Canada rather than its real-world setting. Principal photography ran under the working title “Winstead and Ruby” from October 28 to December 13, 2025, based around Vancouver and Burnaby, with post-production also based at Burnaby studios, according to Hollywood North Buzz and What’s on Netflix.
No outlet has named a specific Vancouver neighborhood, street, or the high school building used in the film (the “Traverse City North High School” seen on screen is fictional), so treat any specific Vancouver-neighborhood claim you see elsewhere with some caution until the film is out and fans start spotting locations frame by frame.
Photo: Vancouver skyline / Pexels
Can you visit? Absolutely. Vancouver is one of the most visited cities in Canada, with direct flights from most major US and Asian hubs, and its film industry (nicknamed “Hollywood North”) means you’ll likely recognize other productions shot on the same streets.
The Standout Scene: Gyro Park, Penticton
The most specific, well-documented filming location for this movie isn’t in Vancouver at all. Production traveled about four hours east to Gyro Park in Penticton, in BC’s Okanagan Valley, to film a skating rink and hockey scene from December 9 to 11, 2025. Dennis Quaid, Milo Ventimiglia, and Brooke Lena Johnson were all on set, and the production put out a local casting call for hockey players aged 18 to 28 to play high school hockey players.
This is confirmed independently by four sources: the Penticton Herald, Castanet, PentictonNow, and an official City of Penticton closure notice for the park during filming. Gyro Park’s outdoor rink and a holiday light tunnel along Lakeshore Drive were both used.
Photo: Vancouver skyline with mountains and marina / Pexels — representative BC winter scenery; no verified photo of Gyro Park itself was available
Can you visit? Yes, and easily. Gyro Park is a public lakefront park on Okanagan Lake in downtown Penticton, free to enter year-round, with its outdoor rink typically open to the public in winter months.
FAQ
Where was A Dog’s Perfect Christmas filmed?
Mainly in Vancouver and Burnaby, British Columbia, with one confirmed scene shot at Gyro Park in Penticton, BC. The story itself is set in Traverse City, Michigan, which is a real place but wasn’t used for filming.
Is Traverse City, Michigan a real place?
Yes. It’s a small city on Grand Traverse Bay in northern Michigan, known as the Cherry Capital of the World and a gateway to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Who stars in A Dog’s Perfect Christmas?
Dennis Quaid, Milo Ventimiglia, Mary Steenburgen, and Thomas Haden Church lead the cast, alongside a basset hound named Winstead.
When does A Dog’s Perfect Christmas come out?
November 4, 2026, on Netflix.
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- Once Upon a Christmas Crown Filming Locations
- Where Was The Christmas Spark Filmed?
Note on sourcing: No specific Vancouver neighborhood, street, or building has been publicly named beyond “Vancouver/Burnaby” in any outlet checked (Hollywood North Buzz, ProductionList, What’s on Netflix, Deadline). If a location-spotting report surfaces after release, update this article rather than treating any pre-release neighborhood guess as fact.
