The first feature-length animated film to come out of New Zealand's movie industry, this drama is based on a popular cartoon strip originating in this country, but also published in Australia, Scandinavia, and Japan. The heroes are Dog (voice of Peter Rowley) who has to guard his owner Wal (voice of John Clarke) and fight off the nasties who inhabit the Murphy's house down the road and across the river. Dog nurses a lingering passion for the nearby Jess, but in order to win her over he also has to save her from the varmints and croco-pigs that infest the Murphy's holdings. Meanwhile, Wal has an aggravating attraction to the winsome Cheeky Hobson (voice of Fiona Samuel) who works at a beauty parlor in the small town of Raupo. Dog has his work cut out for him.