It's Christmas day when we meet Lewis Burkholder, West Virginia livestock farmer and sheepdog trialer, and his talented young border collie Nop. The holiday is shattered when Nop is stolen. Nop's Trials is the story of Nop's fate, the abuse and brutality he suffers and his incredible resiliency. It's a story about a border collie's undying desire to do his job and serve his master. When Nop and Lewis are finally reunited, there's not a dry eye in the house.Nop's Trials has a cult following. It's not just a book about an extraordinary border collie and the bond that he and his human share. It's about hope and desire and the depth of love and devotion that a dog and a human can feel toward each other.The influence of and passion for this book cannot be underestimated. Donald McCaig still receives letters from fans from all over the world exclaiming how this book changed their view toward dogs; enhanced their own appreciation of their own canines; or just held them in thrall on the edge of their seats from the first page to the last.