Piper by Emma Chichester Clark*

My nine year old and I thoroughly enjoyed this well-told story about Piper, the sweet dog.  Piper's mother teaches him to obey his master, to look both ways when he crosses the street and to help anyone in danger.  When he is old enough to have his own master, he is wary of Mr. Jones.  Mr. Jones is grumpy and cold.  Because Piper does not rid his garden of rabbits, Mr. Jones beats him, calls him names and abandons him in a shed.  Fortunately, Piper escapes and finds a delightful home.

Warning: This book is not for very sensitive kids.  Mr. Jones is cruel.  An elderly lady is almost hit by a car and is injured (taken away in an ambulance). 
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.