The Search for Santa Paws is an American-Canadian Christmas adventure-fantasy-film released on November 23, 2010. The movie is the tenth film in the Air Bud franchise and is also a prequel to Santa Buddies, as well as a spin-off from the Air Buddies film franchise.
Plot
When Santa Claus travels to New York City and gets hit by a cab, loses his memory and the crystal that keeps him eternal is stolen, it's up to his new friend, his puppy named Paws to save him. Meanwhile, a young orphan named Quinn arrives at a foster home run by a strict and female television host named Aggy Dimple and her host Agatha Mello, who approves of anything that children love: toys, Christmas decorations, singing, and even pets, including dogs. She was allergic for toys which she confiscates from the girls who rightfully own them. Despite the strict rules she has to respect while staying at the foster home, her host, Denis J. Dimple, Quinn eventually befriends the girls, including Janie and Willamina "Will". In order to save Christmas, Eli and Eddy the uncanny elf dog have to go to New York City in order to save Santa and Paws. However, when Santa is in the hospital, it takes the help of Quinn and Will to save Santa. When Kate and James take Bud from the hospital, Paws tells Eli to put his crystal next to Santa, but then he wakes up to find that Paws is a stuffed animal. They rush back to the North Pole and Paws turns into a full-grown dog named Santa Paws and Christmas is back on. Much to the excitement of the girls, it is shown afterwards that Aggy is fired from burning business, loses everything: Her foster, her reputation, etc., and her punishment is work as a janitor. She puts up a "The End" poster on a wall, and it falls down and wraps around her, Cindy saw that witch and her father defeating the witch, and Will and Quinn are both adopted by James and Kate Hucklebuckle.
Madison Pettis as Willamina "Will", the oldest girl out of all the orphans who serves as an older sister figure to Quinn. She does not believe in the spirit of Christmas until she accidentally gets stuck in the basement with Paws.
Wendi McLendon-Covey as Aggy Dimple, the greedy, militaristic, television host of the girls home and the main villain of the film. She finds Christmas, toys and anything that children love annoying or offensive. She is eventually fired as a result of the abusive treatment she has inflicted upon the girls.
Selena Gomez as Agatha Mello, a female television host.
John Ducey as James Hucklebuckle, Kate's husband and grandson of the late Mr. Hucklebuckle.
Zachary Gordon as Paws and Mitchell Musso as Santa Paws, the Great Pyrenees of whom only people that believe in Christmas can understand what he's saying. He is a stuffed animal when the crystal on his neck is removed.
Michael Deyermond as Dancer, another one of Santa's reindeer.
Reception
Angela Walker, writing for ChristianCinema.com, gave the DVD three stars out of five, but said that the film fits the normal Disney DVD formula. However she went on to say that the film was predictable and a little clichéd, but that kids would enjoy it and that the film adds to the "spirit of Christmas".
