In this third installment, dogs Max, Rocky, and Gizmo face wolves, alligators, and mad dogs as they continue their journey to find their families, missing since the Praxis virus broke out. Though the dialogue is sometimes stilted, the characters have colorful personalities. Holt has firmly established the Southern setting, from the dark swamplands to Belle's once-majestic mansion. Sporadic black-and-white illustrations capture action scenes.