Owen Baker (Liam Aiken) is a 12-year-old who has been working as the neighborhood dog-walker so he can earn the privilege of getting a dog of his own. Owen’s hard work pays off when his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Baker (Molly Shannon and Kevin Nealon), let Owen adopt a scruffy Border Terrier that he names Hubble (voice of Matthew Broderick).
Owen has little time to make lasting friends, so he hopes Hubble will be his best friend.

Owen does have a friend named Connie Flemming (Brittany Moldowan), a girl his age who lives in the neighborhood. But that won’t be for long if Owen’s parents continue their trend of buying and selling houses. Owen and Hubble get more than they bargained for when Owen wakes up one morning to discover that he can understand every word Hubble says—including the ominous phrase: “Take me to your leaders.”