This book starts off with a dog named buck who is the main character in the story. Buck lives a comfortable life in the estate that his owner lives in until one day he is kidnapped by the gardener and taken by strangers. Buck then finds himself being shipped around until he stops at a man who teaches buck to obey by ferociously beating him. Buck then learns his place and watches as some of the other dogs are sold and taken away by other people then he is bought by two people who ship him up north. As Buck gets off the ship another dog is attacked and killed by a pack of huskies and Buck vows not to let the same happen to him.
Buck soon begins to adjust to his life as a sled dog and learns instincts of his wild counterparts.