When single mother Megan Nolan relocates to a new town, she feels remorseful for disrupting the life of her ten-year-old daughter, Caitlin. Observing that Caitlin’s only companion is a neighbor’s dog, Megan decides to adopt a pet from a shelter for her daughter. However, she quickly regrets this choice when Caitlin chooses Jake, the largest and messiest dog at the shelter. Megan’s lovely new house is soon in disarray, and as she contemplates returning Jake, a charming baseball player named Ben arrives, claiming Jake is his dog, lost due to his roommate’s negligence. Megan and Ben clash over the situation. Ben initially wants to reclaim his dog and leave, but upon seeing Caitlin’s affection for Jake, he realizes she loves the dog just as much as he does. It becomes evident that the beloved shelter dog deserves to be shared between them.