Indy, a
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, moves with his owner Todd, who suffers from a chronic
lung disease, from
New York City to Todd’s late grandfather's rural, uninhabited home in the woods. Todd's sister, Vera, worries about Todd's isolation at the home, believing the house is
haunted and contributed to their grandfather's death there. Indy immediately senses a presence in the home, often manifesting in shadows and sometimes appearing as a dark, skeletal figure drenched in mud. While roaming the woods, Indy and Todd encounter Richard, a longtime neighbor who warns them of
fox traps he has set in the area. Richard informs Todd that he was the one who found Todd's grandfather's corpse, and that his grandfather's
Golden Retriever, Bandit, has been missing since. Indy recurrently observes the dark entity in the house and encounters an apparition of Bandit which leads him upstairs. Beneath a wardrobe, Indy finds a bandana that belonged to Bandit. Indy also experiences recurring dreams of being attacked by the dark figure, and has visions of Todd's grandfather, who appears to have died in the home of a similar disease. Meanwhile, Todd's health worsens and he begins regularly
coughing up blood. He becomes increasingly aggressive toward Indy and Vera, who constantly checks in on him by phone. Late one night, Indy awakens to find Todd in an incoherent state, slamming his head against the basement door. While Todd sleeps, Indy observes the figure approaching the bedroom. Todd awakens, collapses, and is separated from Indy after the entity closes a door between them. Indy escapes the house, intending to find Richard so he can help Todd, but becomes caught in one of Richard's fox snares. Todd reprimands him by leashing him outside and forcing him to sleep in a doghouse. While outside one night, Indy senses the dark figure and hears Todd coughing loudly from the upstairs bedroom. The figure attempts to attack Indy, but he breaks free by running into the doghouse, knocking it over and breaking the chain from its anchor inside. Indy finds the home's cellar door open and infiltrates the home, encountering Bandit's skeleton in the process. Meanwhile, the dark figure approaches Todd in his bedroom while he is in a weakened, rapidly deteriorating state. Indy arrives in the bedroom and comforts Todd, who turns and faces his own corpse on the bed; realizing he has died, Todd is dragged by the figure through the house and into the basement. Indy chases him, attempting to save him as he is pulled into a dark, cavernous tunnel. Todd, accepting his fate, tells Indy he is a good dog but cannot rescue him, before the dark figure seizes him. The following morning, Vera arrives at the house, finding Todd's dead body and Indy sitting alone at the bottom of the cellar entrance. Vera tearfully calls for Indy, who pauses after hearing Todd's whistling from the tunnel, before ascending the stairs to her. The end credits that follow show various scenes of Indy sticking his head out Vera’s car window while they drive through the woods. At the end, a whistle similar to Todd’s is heard, prompting Indy to get back inside the car. ==Cast==