Dog

Briggs receives a call informing him that his former squad mate Riley Rodriguez has been killed in action. He visits Riley’s funeral and reflects on their past service together. The event prompts Briggs to reconnect with fellow rangers and consider his future assignments.

Briggs is assigned to escort Lulu, Riley’s Belgian Malinois, to her upcoming euthanasia at a base in Arizona due to her aggressive behavior. He attempts to handle her, but she reacts violently when touched behind her ears, biting him during the process.

Briggs stops at a shooting range to remove Lulu’s muzzle, which leads to Lulu escaping her cage and damaging Briggs’s car. He then feeds her pills disguised in sausage to sedate her and continues his journey towards Oregon. Along the way, he stops at a bar to relax but struggles with social interactions.

At a bar, Briggs meets Bella and Zoe, who invite him to their place after admiring Lulu. However, Lulu’s loud barking prompts concern from neighbors, and Briggs finds himself in a confrontation when Lulu attacks a man who threw a rock at her, leading to his eviction.

While reminiscing about her past gentleness, Lulu climbs out of Briggs’s car and runs into a house. Briggs follows her but is tranquilized and detained by the owner, Gus. Lulu is taken care of by Gus’s wife Tamara, and Briggs discusses her history and mental state with them.

Briggs checks into a hotel by pretending to be a blind veteran with Lulu as his guide. Lulu attacks a Middle Eastern man at the hotel, leading to Briggs’s arrest. At the station, Briggs explains Lulu’s behavior and receives forgiveness from the man, who advises him to seek mental health treatment.

Briggs makes stops to see his daughter Sam through her mother Niki, but his visits are brief and somewhat unwelcome. He then visits Noah, who helps him reconnect with Lulu’s brother Duke, and finds that someone has broken into his car, stealing his belongings and Riley’s uniform.

Using Lulu and Duke, Briggs tracks down the thieves who stole his belongings. The thieves lead him to a pier occupied by drug addicts, where Briggs recovers most of his items, including Riley’s jacket, though some medication is missing.

After his car breaks down in the rain, Briggs brings Lulu to a barn to rest. Lulu initially behaves roughly, but eventually calms down and relaxes while watching TV, which helps bridge their emotional gap. Briggs begins to reconnect with Lulu and himself.

On the day of Riley’s funeral, Briggs and Lulu hitch a ride to the cemetery. Lulu finds comfort laying beside Riley’s picture as the service takes place. Briggs participates in the rifle salute and gives Riley’s belongings to his parents, marking a moment of closure.

Briggs’s car is repaired, but he suffers a panic attack at a motel, with Lulu by his side, helping him through it. This moment highlights his ongoing mental health struggles and the deepening bond with Lulu as she helps him cope.

Briggs arrives at the military base, where his rotation status is being reconsidered. Although hesitant, he ultimately decides to take Lulu with him after seeing her fear and distress, signifying their mutual healing and trust.

Briggs prepares to adopt Lulu legally and visits Noah, Duke, Niki, and Sam to spend time with loved ones. His voiceover narrates a heartfelt message to Lulu, acknowledging that she saved him and that they will continue their journey together.