I really don't see what the bad reviews are about. I loved this movie and I've seen it many times. The story is cute and the overall plot is not bad either.
The basic storyline is this. Herman's Hermits own a dog named Mrs. Brown. They take her out on the track one day and they know immediately that she would be a champion race dog. The only problem is that they need money (entrance fees, etc.) in order to get started. They decide to play in some small clubs for money. There are some side story lines such as Percy, the man Herman meets while watering flowers on his grandfather's grave. Percy gives them a place to stay for a few days. A few day's later, Mrs. Brown gets lost and she turns up with Percy, who brings her back to Herman. Herman finds out she's going to have a puppy. The puppy is a female and at the end of the movie, Herman goes into the house and as he's watching the puppy, he starts singing "Mrs. Brown, you've got a lovely daughter".
This movie is not geared toward someone who is looking for a movie with some sort of deep meaning. This movie has to be watched for what it is - a regular, cute story with a happy ending.