Georgia dog trainer Harvey McNeil fears losing his job when the new owner of the ranch, Mr. Ames, shows more interest in raising horses than canines. Harvey convinces Mr. Ames to delay the auction of the dogs until he can test one of his champions, "Georgia Boy," in the field trials. Mr. Ames agrees, and gives Harvey's little son Lonnie a runt from one of the litters. Lonnie and his friend Text train the dog, whom they name "Promise," for hunting, but the mischievous Promise continues to raid the henhouse and upset Georgia Boy's training. Harvey tells Sermon, Text's father, to get rid of the dog, but the boys retrieve the animal. Lonnie decides that the only way to improve his father's opinion of his dog is to have him win the field trials. Much to everyone's surprise, Promise performs admirably and eventually is the only opponent left against Georgia Boy. When Sermon warns Text that if Georgia Boy does not win, Harvey will lose his job, Lonnie insults Promise into losing his position by calling him a "biscuit eater," a dog too sorry to hunt anything but his own food. Promise runs away, thus making Georgia Boy the winner. Lonnie is broken hearted, but the dog returns that night to his mate, only to be shot by Sermon, who believes that he is a stray. Promise dies in Lonnie's arms, but his lineage continues in his mate's puppies, and both Lonnie and his father emerge as sadder but wiser men.