A Dog's Purpose

Bear-Bear is chained to a stake in the backyard where Victor often ignores him and forgets to feed him. A woman on the other side of the fence often gives Bear-Bear food and water. One day, a policewoman shows up and gives the mother a piece of paper that makes Victor angry when he arrives home. The next day, Victor puts Bear-Bear into the trunk of his car and drives a long time before letting him out and driving away. At first, Bear-Bear attempts to follow Victor, but the car moves too fast. Bear-Bear retreats and goes toward the scent of water. After satisfying his thirst, Bear-Bear realizes he is at the same river he’d followed with Ethan when they got lost years ago.

Remembering his life as Bailey, Bear-Bear becomes excited and decides his purpose is to find Ethan. As he walks, Bear-Bear becomes hungry but recognizes the bridge where a policeman rescued Ethan all those years ago and knows he must be close to town. Bear-Bear comes across a home where a man puts out food for an older dog; the dog doesn’t eat. Bear-Bear eats the food himself, thinking this might be a good place to live, but the older dog growls at him through the door, so he runs away.

Bear-Bear finally arrives in town. He feeds himself by knocking over garbage cans and foraging, feeling like a bad dog. He finds the dog park and spends time there, playing with other dogs. One day, a big yellow dog arrives and smells like Hannah. Bear-Bear is excited and goes to the woman who brought the dog, but she’s not Hannah. Despite this, Bear-Bear feels hope that he’ll find Ethan because he believes it is his current purpose.

For a week, Bear-Bear continues to spend time at the dog park and play with the big yellow dog, Carly. The humans begin to understand that Bear-Bear does not have an owner. Bear-Bear makes attempts to find the farm, but the goat farm that once led him home is no longer there.

Bear-Bear is at the dog park one day when a policeman arrives. He understands that the man is there for him, so he runs away, ending up in a neighborhood he’s never visited before. In this neighborhood is a building filled with dogs. Frightened, Bear-Bear begins to leave, but then he catches the scent of Jasper, the mule Grandpa bought when Bear-Bear was Bailey. Bear-Bear catches the scent and follows it away from the building, eventually finding places he recognizes, including Hannah’s house. When Bear-Bear arrives on the farm, he can smell Ethan. He rushes up to the door and scratches. An old man opens the door and tells Bear-Bear to go away. Bear-Bear realizes that the inner door is open, so he can go through the dog door. When he does, he smells the old man and realizes he is Ethan.

Bear-Bear is so happy to see Ethan that he tries to jump on him. Ethan instructs Bear-Bear to go outside, and he cannot disobey his boy, so he goes. Ethan brings Bear-Bear some food, says goodnight, and goes to bed. The next day, Bear-Bear follows Ethan into the barn where he finds that Flare is no longer there; there is another horse called Troy. Sometime later, the policeman from the dog park arrives, and Ethan instructs Bear-Bear to get into his truck. Bear-Bear does, confused but unwilling to disobey. The truck takes Bear-Bear to a place where he is placed in a cage. After a few days, a man brings a couple of children to meet Bear-Bear, and they decide to adopt him. Bear-Bear doesn’t understand because he believes he belongs to Ethan. The woman who feeds Bear-Bear says she’ll call Ethan. Not long after, Ethan arrives angry, announcing he is taking Bear-Bear home. Ethan renames Bear-Bear “Buddy.” Ethan and Buddy enjoy some sleep and have breakfast together. While Ethan is on the phone, Buddy investigates the house and finds Ethan’s old invention, the flip.

Ethan shows Buddy that he kept Bailey’s collar. He takes Buddy into town and buys him a new collar, adding tags to it with Buddy’s name. Buddy settles in with Ethan, doing everything with him. When they pass Hannah’s house, Buddy senses the sadness inside Ethan grow. Buddy begins to think about his purpose and remembers how Jakob became happy when he started a new family. He decides he must help Ethan start a family. For this reason, Buddy goes to the dog park and follows Carly and her owner home. Buddy stays outside until Hannah drives up. He greets Hannah happily, and she takes him inside, surprised to find Ethan’s name on Buddy’s tags. Hannah calls Ethan. When he arrives, the pair act awkward, but then Ethan invites Hannah to have dinner with him at the farm and she agrees.

Hannah begins spending more time at the farm. The following summer, Buddy performs the same trick he performed for Al and Maya’s wedding, walking up an aisle with something in a pouch on his back. Immediately after, Hannah moves into the house and Buddy is kicked out of Ethan’s bed. The house is suddenly full of people, with Hannah’s three daughters coming often with their children. Buddy builds a particularly close relationship with Chase, the young son of Carly’s owner.

One spring afternoon, Buddy and Ethan enjoy a rare day alone. Ethan is reading a book when Buddy suddenly senses something wrong with Ethan. A moment later, Ethan suggests they go take a nap. Buddy senses something tear inside Ethan’s head, and Ethan falls unconscious. Buddy stays close to him as time passes. Ethan opens his eyes and sees Buddy as Bailey, telling him how much he missed him: “Good dog, Bailey” (315). Buddy is excited that Ethan understands he is Bailey. To prove it, he goes to get the flip. Ethan slips off his bed and drops the flip out the window, instructing Buddy to go get it. Buddy is reluctant to leave Ethan but does, coming back with the flip. He sits with Ethan, aware that Ethan is dying; he is content knowing he has fulfilled his purpose for Ethan.