The Border Collie Moss spends his days lying beside stacked bags at the Pragers' Garden Center, looking like a statue. He watches intently every time a car pulls into the parking area and occasionally even climbs into a stranger's vehicle.

Diane, the Pragers' baby-sitter, knows Moss is searching for someone, missing someone. She longs to help him. She wants to return him to the exuberant dog she knew a year ago, before he was injured and disappeared. She feels responsible for the change in him.

Diane has a hunch that if she can convince the Pragers to let her prepare Moss for sheepherding competitions, that'll perk him up again. He needs to work. But can the Pragers find time in their busy days to train Moss and Diane? Even if they do, will Moss work for Diane? Will he accept her?

And how will he and Diane deal with the frightening chain of events that is set in motion when Diane stumbles upon a skunk acting strangely -- twirling, snapping, staggering dizzily, even attacking a car...?