Saving Shiloh

The relationships between Judd, Marty, and Shiloh illustrate that rebuilding trust is a process requiring commitment and patience. Prior to the events of Saving Shiloh, Marty rescued Shiloh from Judd, who abused Shiloh and kept him chained. Marty’s action saved Shiloh from a life of abuse and helped to restore the dog’s trust in humans, but from Judd’s perspective, it was a theft, and it increased Judd’s distrust, paranoia, and isolation. Just as Judd distrusts his neighbors, his neighbors distrust him, and the narrative arc of the novel centers on the slow rebuilding of that mutual trust. The novel argues that trust and forgiveness must be earned through a gradual process and that trust is the foundation of forgiveness. This novel explores this theme through the developing relationship between the three characters, as both Marty and Shiloh get to know Judd better and forge a path forward of forgiveness.

The novel’s opening chapters position Marty and Shiloh as a duo, aligned in their dislike and distrust of Judd. Both Marty and Shiloh harbor resentment about Judd’s treatment of Shiloh, and Marty continues to worry that Judd may try to take Shiloh back. Judd, for his part, indicates that he is ready to move forward, asking Marty if he can see Shiloh before he leaves the Prestons’ house on Thanksgiving. As the narrator, Marty describes Shiloh’s reluctance to be reunited with his abuser: “I have to take two of his paws and tug. He’s shaking already […] Judd puts out his hand and strokes Shiloh on the head. He’s still awkward about it, but he’s learnin’ […] It was really Shiloh who saved his life, and Judd knows that” (18). While Judd merely wants to stroke Shiloh’s head, a silent “thank you” for rescuing him after his drunk-driving accident, Shiloh has not forgotten the years of abuse that he endured from Judd. It takes time and work to rebuild trust, and Judd has not yet done this work.

While Shiloh remains wary of Judd throughout the novel, refusing to follow Marty to Judd’s house on the numerous occasions that Marty visits him, Marty and Judd begin to form a fragile friendship, building trust where there once was none. Marty and Judd both go on journeys of self-forgiveness as they forgive one another for their past conflict. Marty does this by way of helping Judd build a fence, a project he begins as a way to ease his own guilt for taking Shiloh: “The only thing I can see to do—for Judd’s dogs, anyway—is to get Judd Travers a fence. Once I do something for all Judd’s dogs, I can stop feelin’ so guilty about saving only the one” (57). Although Marty sets out to try and help Judd’s dogs, the process of building the fence alongside Judd builds trust between the neighbors, allowing Marty to see another side of Judd and allowing Judd to see that Marty is not out to steal all his dogs.

Even after the accident in which Judd has to kill one of his dogs to save himself, Marty has developed enough trust in Judd’s character to know that it was a true accident: “‘I never meant to step on his paw.’ ‘I know you didn’t,’ I say” (107). This scene is an important development in Marty and Judd’s relationship, as Marty realizes that Judd does have the capacity for empathy and regret. Judd, however, shies away from Marty after the incident as he struggles to forgive himself for killing his animal, believing that the fragile trust between himself and Marty has been broken: “I worry a lot about Judd after that […] But when Judd’s out in his truck and passes me on the road, it’s like he don’t even see me” (109). Judd severs the burgeoning connection between himself and Marty, unable to forgive himself for killing his dog in self-defense.

Judd’s act of selfless courage at the end of the text—saving Shiloh from the creek—is a climactic moment in the rebuilding of trust. Judd puts his own well-being at risk to save Shiloh, yet Shiloh remains fearful of Judd: “I see [Shiloh] turning away from Judd! I wonder if my dog knows how much danger he’s in. Wonder if he figures that between the water and Judd Travers, he’ll take the water” (123). Shiloh’s reluctance to go to Judd, despite the imminent danger he is in, illustrates the depths of Shiloh’s continued fear and distrust of Judd. Judd uses a specific whistle to force Shiloh to come to him: “Just then Judd gives this whistle. I know that when Shiloh was his, he was taught to come when Judd whistled. Come or else” (124). The text implies that Judd used this whistle as an intimidation tactic toward Shiloh, something he had to respond to “or else.” By using it in the context of saving Shiloh’s life, Judd alters its meaning. This whistle symbolizes the bond between Judd and Shiloh—a bond that was once built on fear and now will be rebuilt on trust. 

At the text’s conclusion, Marty and Judd have established trust and forgiveness with each other, but the text illustrates that earning trust and forgiveness is an ongoing process:

I’m thinking that someday, maybe, when I cross that bridge and head down this road to Judd’s trailer, Shiloh might come along […] Don’t know if a dog—or a man, either—ever gets to the place where he can forget as well as forgive, but enough miracles have come my way lately to make me think that this could happen, too (127).

Shiloh remains wary of Judd, even after his rescue, but Marty remains hopeful that they can repair their relationship one day. The text uses Shiloh’s continued hesitance to illustrate that rebuilding trust takes time. Shiloh may forgive Judd for his past treatment, but he cannot forget it, and therefore he still does not fully trust Judd.