Joe Panther (1976)

 

A young Seminole Tribe member comes of age outside the Florida Everglades by trying to enter the establishment ( white man's world 

From memory: Thoughtful, interesting coming-of-age story follows the traits of its Native American hero trying to find his way through a tough and not so friendly world; adequate performances and some good (underwater) cinematography make this film quite watchable.

Halliwell (no star): "Pleasant rites-of-passage drama about an adolescent and his dog that takes in alligator wrestling along the way, though it may now seem too tame for its intended youthful audience." 

Maltin***: "Good family film..."