Rover, Rodney Dangerfield, is a pampered Basset Hound living a life of luxury in Las Vegas with his owner Connie, Shawn Southwick, a glamorous showgirl. One fateful night, he witnesses Connie’s duplicitous boyfriend Rocky, Sal Landi, negotiating with a pair of gangsters. In a moment of mischief and misreading the situation, Rover drops a bone into their meeting, disrupting the deal. The gangsters bolt, and their boss publicly condemns Rocky as having blown his cover, muttering that it was a “stupid dog” intruding.
When Connie leaves town for a two‑week tour, Rover is left in Rocky’s care. In retaliation for ruining the deal, Rocky stuffs Rover into a bag, drives him to Hoover Dam, and dumps him into the water. The bag is swept up by two passing fishermen, who bring Rover ashore and place him in the back of their pickup. Regaining consciousness, Rover escapes during a stop and finds himself wandering into the countryside, where he meets Cal, Gregg Berger, a wary farmer, and his son Danny, Dana Hill. Danny pleads with his father to take the dog in, and Cal agrees, provided Rover behaves—otherwise he’ll be sent to an animal shelter.
Life on the farm is a challenge for Rover at first. He struggles to fit in among the farm animals, but with the patient guidance of Daisy, Susan Boyd a graceful collie who lives nearby, and the other dogs, Rover earns their trust and a place in the family. During Christmas, his fondness for Daisy deepens, and a budding romance begins to bloom amid the hay bales and rustic routines.
Trouble resurfaces when a pack of wolves targets a turkey on the farm. Rover bravely intervenes and saves the bird, though the turkey dies from the shock. Cal, misinterpreting Rover’s actions, believes the dog is responsible and resolves to shoot him in the woods the following morning. The plot thickens as the wolves attack, and Rover not only fends them off but also rallies the other farm dogs to help Cal get home, proving his loyalty and bravery.
Rover’s heroics reach the newspapers, drawing Connie back toward the farm in an attempt to reclaim him for Las Vegas. Yet what begins as a reunion soon strains under Rocky’s confession of his earlier misdeeds. Connie breaks off with Rocky, and Rover and his farm friends chase him out of the casino while the Big Boss ominously declares, “This is a set up! Want to see Hoover Dam?” The limo disappears, and Rover waves goodbye to the life he left behind.
Time passes, and Rover finds himself missing Daisy and the quiet life of the farm. Connie understands and returns Rover to Cal and Danny so they can keep him. Daisy leads Rover to the barn, where a joyful surprise awaits: he is now the father of six puppies—five resemble Rover, and one resembles Daisy. The story closes with Rover teaching his pups how to play cards and happily chasing Daisy around the farmyard, content in his two lives and the family he has built.
