Strudel, a homeless dachshund, loves listening to Jake read from Chief, Dog of the Old West at the animal shelter. When Jake decides to adopt him, Strudel vows to be as brave and loyal as Chief. Only trying to fend off danger in his new home leads to trouble when Strudel makes some errors in judgment. But despite Strudel's humorous miscalculations, his instincts are mostly correct. He knows who is really a member of his pack, and that Mom's boyfriend Arnie can't be trusted. Readers can get a dog's-eye view as an irrepressible dachshund narrates this touching story of a dog who needed a family, and a struggling family who needed a dog.