Mel tries to talk Joe into letting her get a dog, but he argues that he'll be the one stuck taking care of it. She adopts the mutt anyway - much to Joe's chagrin. But soon, "father and son" are inseparable, leaving Mel feeling left out.

Mel and Joe have a fun game night with married couple Nate and Gillian, whom they hope to remain good friends with. But then Nate tells Joey a big secret…that Joe in turn tells Mel…who then tells Gillian… Meanwhile, after flunking out of art school, Zander shows up begging Ryder to let him secretly hide out in the basement without Lennox knowing.