Carl’s little puppy Dumpling is barking at everything in sight, standing up to every dog in the neighborhood like he’s the canine king of the world. Carl’s mom says Dumpling’s in love, so Carl and his pal Gary set out find out with whom. Dumpling leads them on a wild chase–past bulldogs, chihuahuas, a horse and a rabbit–and at the end they find Carl’s mom and Gary’s dad, kissing! This is strange enough, but when they finally find Dumpling’s love, it’s even more surprising. Dear Old Dumpling is a story about the mixed feelings of loss and hope experienced by children of single-parent families, and about the love between a boy and his dog.