One summer's day, ten-year-old Opal Buloni goes down to the local supermarket for some groceries - and comes home with a dog. Winn-Dixie is no ordinary dog. He is big, skinny and smelly, but he has a winning smile and helps Opal to make lots of friends that summer.　　这是一个发生在美国南方小镇的生活故事，女孩欧宝在新家附近的超级市场中认领了闯下大祸的傻狗温迪克。这只狗既不漂亮也不勇敢，灵性不高又害怕寂寞，但与众不同的是它会咧着嘴笑。欧宝正是因为有了这只会笑的狗，才逐渐克服了自己的心理障碍，开始试着去接触早已离家出走的妈妈，并开始在新的环境中结交朋友。