Rutherford is a young bassett hound with one leg shorter than the three others, which eliminates a future as a show dog, but he makes up for it through his talent for standup comedy. His owner loves him, but when he dies, his son drives him to the forest and abandons him. Through luck, he finds his way into a no-kill shelter, where he befriends his two neighbors, Marge and nervous little Boomer.  He even finds his way to a new home, where a little boy with a limp loves him dearly and takes him daily to the dog park, where he entertains his fellow canines with his observations and jokes.

But trouble looms on the horizon for one of Rutherford’s friends, and he knows he has to do all he can to save his pal, as well as other dogs. Will the canine comedian be able to pull an emergency rescue out of his hat?