Plot

When Police investigate two burglaries on opposite sides of the same street, they encourage those whose homes have been targeted to get dogs.

The purchase of an undisciplined guard dog poisons relationships between Redfern neighbours and aggravates a malignant memory for an ex- serviceman, Ernie. When police investigate two burglaries on opposite sides of the same street, they decide the perpetrators have targeted the homes without dogs. So Derek, father of two young children, purchases a mongrel German shepherd to improve his security. Evonne, heavily pregnant, has her father, Ernie, a retired army drill sergeant, stay at her home. Ernie wastes no time installing new security windows and locks. He's critical of Evonne's partner's absence, but grateful for his daughter's hospitality. At night Ernie is a icted by terrible nightmares which stem from his service in the army, and his night-yelling triggers the neighbour's new mongrel dog Toby to start barking. Toby's bark also wakes up Evonne and Ernie's nearest neighbours, Jimmy and his wife Susie, who have a young baby. Frustrations between the neighbours begin to mount. Evonne suggests Ernie help them train the dog, but Ernie declines. Ernie's nightmares continue and Toby continues to bark at night in response, provoking another big confrontation in the street. Meanwhile, Ernie has begun to cough up blood. Submitting to an examination and x-ray, Ernie is gutted to learn he has cancer, but withholds the terrible news from Evonne. Ernie's nightmares and fearful yelling persist and incite another showdown and Ernie gets into a brutal streetfight with Derek. The next morning screams awake the whole neighbourhood when Toby, and Derek's daughter Naomi, are found convulsing in the front yard. Both have apparently eaten dog bait. Jimmy offers an antidote in the form of soda water, before the paramedics quickly rush Naomi to hospital. Derek and the rest of the neighbourhood suspect Ernie is responsible for the baiting. Returning to the clinic for a CT scan the source of Ernie's nightmares is exposed: an incident when he was conducting a search in Vietnam with a service dog. Soon after, Ernie overhears a turbulent situation in Jimmy's house, and when they put their house up for sale his suspicions grow. He suspects Jimmy's quick reaction that saved Naomi's life may be because he set the bait.

The purchase of an undisciplined guard dog poisons relationships between Redfern neighbours and aggravates a malignant memory for an ex- serviceman, Ernie.

When police investigate two burglaries on opposite sides of the same street, they decide the perpetrators have targeted the homes without dogs. So Derek, father of two young children, purchases a mongrel German shepherd to improve his security.

Evonne, heavily pregnant, has her father, Ernie, a retired army drill sergeant, stay at her home. Ernie wastes no time installing new security windows and locks. He's critical of Evonne's partner's absence, but grateful for his daughter's hospitality. At night Ernie is a icted by terrible nightmares which stem from his service in the army, and his night-yelling triggers the neighbour's new mongrel dog Toby to start barking. Toby's bark also wakes up Evonne and Ernie's nearest neighbours, Jimmy and his wife Susie, who have a young baby. Frustrations between the neighbours begin to mount. Evonne suggests Ernie help them train the dog, but Ernie declines. Ernie's nightmares continue and Toby continues to bark at night in response, provoking another big confrontation in the street.

Meanwhile, Ernie has begun to cough up blood. Submitting to an examination and x-ray, Ernie is gutted to learn he has cancer, but withholds the terrible news from Evonne. Ernie's nightmares and fearful yelling persist and incite another showdown and Ernie gets into a brutal streetfight with Derek. The next morning screams awake the whole neighbourhood when Toby, and Derek's daughter Naomi, are found convulsing in the front yard. Both have apparently eaten dog bait.

Jimmy offers an antidote in the form of soda water, before the paramedics quickly rush Naomi to hospital. Derek and the rest of the neighbourhood suspect Ernie is responsible for the baiting.

Returning to the clinic for a CT scan the source of Ernie's nightmares is exposed: an incident when he was conducting a search in Vietnam with a service dog. Soon after, Ernie overhears a turbulent situation in Jimmy's house, and when they put their house up for sale his suspicions grow. He suspects Jimmy's quick reaction that saved Naomi's life may be because he set the bait.