A grumpy blind man who is a thief, a 12-year-old girl with the IQ of a rocket scientist and the disposition of a street fighter, an intersex woman who just wants to use public restrooms in peace, a gentle giant who is not always gentle – these are the characters in Zeus’s world – a standard poodle and mischievous guide dog not opposed to dumping out in shoes, watering house plants and nipping people on the bottom when the situation calls for it.

Miserable as a guide dog, abandoned by his cruel owner, Zeus’s luck changes when the Tener family adopts him and takes him on a remote hiking trip in the Rocky Mountains where he doesn’t have to guide anyone and can chase squirrels and bears, swim in mountain streams and enjoy his family. When tragedy strikes, Zeus’s courageous disposition, wicked sense of humor and dogged determination become keys to surviving a harrowing adventure.

This is a story about perceptions, how people behave in their private lives versus how the news media and social media portray them. It’s a story about a dog who understands some people need biting and other people need saving. It’s the story of a fierce 12-year-old girl placed in a life and death situation and fighting for survival. It’s funny and poignant, burrowing a discerning dog’s nose into the funky smells of the modern world and offering an educated bark to great dog stories of the past.