Newfoundlands are considered to be the most loyal breed of dogs. It is said that once one of the giant water-dogs bonds with a human, they can never bond with another. Atticus Stockton is a Newfoundland living in Wells, Maine with his master, John Stockton. Together, they make their living from the sea on their fishing boat the Anne Marie. The dog's life is perfect- hot meals, good company, with a kind master and crew. One fateful day, Atticus's life is turned upside down when a violent storm breaks apart and sinks their fishing boat in the seas off of Maine's rocky coast. The unforgiving storm takes the Newfoundland's family away and leaves him emotionally and physically devastated with an uncharacteristic phobia of water. When no one from Atticus's small town will take him in, he is forced into a dog pound in nearby Portland, Maine. There, in the confines of the pound, the big dog meets other interesting canines with stories of their own. As Atticus rests each night on the lonely concrete, he is haunted by vivid dreams of his once perfect world and its abrupt ending. Can Atticus find a home and overcome his fears? If so, can he ever love another human again?