The Dogwalker (2002)

Diane Gaidry decides to quit dodging her man's punches and get the hell out of Dodge in The Dogwalker (2002), an indie-as-all-get-out pic about the down-and-outs and roustabouts of underdog Los Angeles. Di lands in town without a safety net, in desperate need of a place to fit, and after doing some dirty work trying to make ends meet on the streets she's lucky enough to (sorta) hit it off with gruff Pamela Gordon, who's been hit by a beau or two herself. Pam has a personality like a rawhide chew, and her body's getting grizzled to boot, so she needs someone to help her with her pooch-scooching biz. Di gets a place to stay and an oddball friendship out of the deal, and character growth is revealed. Throw in a pet "channeler," a dog psychic, a dark secret, and a starlet with a missing pup, and you've got the stuff indie gold is made of.