Naturally, Sweet Home Alabama’s gorgeous Bloodhound, Bryant, has to be the feature of this particular name guide. You first encounter Bryant on the cover of the DVD itself. Melanie Smooter stands in a lovely little black dress amid fancy luggage and gift bags, and the adorable canine is relaxing right at her feet. His lovable face says “home” if nothing else does!

In fact, when Melanie arrives at her husband’s yellow house in Pigeon Creek, Alabama, she’s greeted by Bryant. His deep baying alerts Jake Perry that Melanie is back in town and ready for an official divorce. Mel and Jake simultaneously instruct the dog to quiet down while they’re trying to talk: Jake addresses him as “Bryant” while Melanie calls him “Bear.” After a brief moment of confusion, Melanie and the viewers learn that Bear has passed away. Much to his wife’s surprise, Jake has buried Bear in the coon dog cemetery and raised up the new Bryant.

Both dogs take their names from the University of Alabama’s legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. It’s picture-perfect ‘Bama, where football is treasured. One can only imagine that the Perry family’s future hounds will be named “Roll” and “Tide.” Details like these make the chick flick feel very real to any southerner.

Bryant is not simply a porch-sitting guard dog. He’s with Jake all the time. He flies in the plane with his owner, and he even likes diving 8 feet into the lake to fetch bones that sink to the bottom. Melanie is concerned in this scene; she wonders if Bryant can remain underwater that long. He resurfaces with a huge rawhide in tow. Bryant can also be seen sulking with Jake on the couch after Melanie finally gets Jake’s signature on the divorce papers and returns to New York. Further, Jake allows Bryant to roam in his glass shop, where the two eventually come face to face with Melanie. The glassware, Bryant, and Jake’s killer blue eyes remind Melanie that her heart belongs in her sweet home of Alabama.

Dogs have a way of doing this for us; they make us feel at home, at ease. We’re safe in our own skin when we’re around them. An emotional scene in the film involves Melanie seeking out the grave of the long-lost Bear. She mourns the Bloodhound, crying at his grave. Though she comes to adore Bryant, she says that Bear was like a “pillow” to her; in other words, he was her place of rest. Does this sound like a friend of yours? Perhaps one with a wagging tail? Bet it does.