Rika is an energetic girl in control of a small flock of sheep and helping her father run their farm since her mother died six years earlier. The one thing that would make life better would be a border collie pup she could train. With the help of a young veterinarian, Rika takes on more responsibilities. She encounters challenges, which reveal that she has not coped well with her mother's death. When the valuable and beloved older dog who guards her sheep is gravely in-jured, Rika slips into a depression. When Rika starts to get better, she takes stock of her blessings and begins to deal with the changes that are imposed on her.