I remember this film, vaguely, from watching it as a kid in the 90s and for the life of me I cannot think of what it is called. I believe it starts with a puppy who loses her mother; as in she dies, I think. I'm pretty sure the puppy then grows up and most of the movie revolves around her when she's an adult and has a puppy of her own. I think. I could be mistaken... Anyway, I know it features a brown dog and is about a puppy and mother dog. I remember they acted like dogs and the story had sad moments. It wasn't like a happy-go-lucky Pound Puppies movie or anything. And I'm pretty sure the title of the movie is the dog's name.

Sounds like an older special
That appeared on ABC Weekend Special

Scruffy

Dutchess, a faithful family dog, is abandoned when her family moves away without her. She stays in the empty house with her pup Scruffy. Dutchess and her pup Scruffy narrowly escape a house fire that destroys their home. Dutchess decides she and her pup must search for their family. Scruffy's orphaned when her mother is shot and killed by a sheepherder who believed that they were guilty of killing his sheep. Scruffy manages to get away and reaches the city were she's adopted by a homeless man. She's happy for awhile but her friend becomes ill and is taken away, and she's left alone again. She meets another stray named Butch , and learns how to survive.


-view Scruffy-

Ooh, yeah. I remembered some of the details wrong, but that's it.
I thought maybe the dog's name was "Cuddles" or "Snuggles" or something... But, no, "Scruffy." Thanks!