 The novel is set in the small town of Friendly , West Virginia , where an eleven @-@ year @-@ old boy named Marty Preston finds a stray beagle wandering in the hills near his house . The dog follows him home , and Marty names him Shiloh , a tribute to a neighborhood schoolhouse . Shiloh 's real owner is Judd Travers , who owns several hunting dogs . Fearing for the dog 's safety because Judd drinks and treats his hunting dogs poorly , Marty does not want to return Shiloh . His father insists that Shiloh be returned to his rightful owner and they take the dog home to Judd . 
