 Barney O Hara (Frank Albertson), a boxer retired from the ring because of bad eyes, settles in a small town with his nephew Chip (Johnny Calkins.) Chip adopts a stray dog he names Ginger (played by "Napoleon"), but pompous town mayor Hector Tillford (Dick Elliott), who dreams of having a town park named after him, doesn t like dogs to begin with and his feelings aren t improved after Ginger bites him. He has the dog locked up but Johnny frees him and the police are scouring the countryside looking for the pair. But the mayor s pampered son (Gene Collins) injures his leg and is rescued by Ginger, and Ginger becomes a valued member of the community.