This is a family film about a thirty-five-year-old widower named J.T. O'Neil, his precocious ten-year-old daughter, and their devoted mutt Shakey. After moving from a small town to Chicago, and missing the fine print in their rental contract, J.T. is forced to try and get rid of his lovable pooch, Shakey, and Chandler won't have it, and hatches a plan to keep Shakey and teach J.T. a valuable lesson about loyalty and the importance of keeping family together.