Mara O'Shaunessey takes a job as an art teacher in a public school in remote Oregon. She ends up renting an old, vacant, employee bunkhouse on the 26,000-acre ranch of Earl and Edith McRae. After painting a dog on the side of the bunkhouse, the McRae's call Mara's house the Church of The Dog.

One morning while Earl is shaving he notices a lump on his neck, and, fearing his life is coming to an end begins remembering days of old. For many years now he and Edith have been sharing a home but have been virtual strangers. Their grandson, Daniel, moved to Alaska years earlier after being raised by Earl and Edith when his parents died in a car accident - an accident from which none of them has healed. After receiving a letter from his grandparents Daniel returns to the ranch for an extended visit to help out for awhile.

It's more than just fences that needed mending on McRae's ranch. Peace must be made with the past in order to move on into the future. With Mara living in The Church of The Dog miracles begin to happen, and Daniel learns the true meaning of family.