Old Yeller, by Fred Gipson
Started 04.28.22 • Finished 05.05.22
"A stray dog comes and steals Travis's family's meat, but they keep him anyway because Travis's little brother Arliss wants to, and because dogs can help in many ways. Travis gets hurt once while hunting wild hogs, but Old Yeller, the dog, keeps them away and gets very hurt while doing so. While Travis rests his leg, a wolf with a disease called hydrophobia comes and almost attacks little Arliss and Mama. Old Yeller saves them and attacks the wolf. Travis gets his gun and shoots the wolf, but it already has its teeth clamped around Yeller's neck, which passes on the disease, so Travis has to shoot him in the head."
Neph, age 11