Year of the Dog

Based on the address on the checks Peggy writes, this takes place somewhere in California. Peggy lives alone with her beagle Pencil and works in a cubicle as a secretary to a man named Robin, who lacks confidence, in a suburban office building.

Peggy visits her brother Pier, his wife Bret and their young children Lissie, a first-grader, and baby Benjy. Peggy has a stuffed animal for Benjy, but Lissie wants it for herself and won't share. Lissie is basically a good girl.

When something terrible happens to Pencil, Peggy begins a relationship with her neighbor Al. It's not immediately clear whether this means romantic, but Al works in construction and hunts and just doesn't seem a good fit for Peggy. He's not a bad guy, but just not right for her. However, Peggy suspects he had something to do with what happened to Pencil. Not that Al did anything wrong, but these things happen sometimes.

Peggy also ends up getting another dog from this really nice man named Newt who takes home problem dogs that would otherwise be euthanized, including one dog with wheels instead of hind legs. Valentine is a German shepherd with behavioral problems, and Newt can only own so many dogs by city rules, so Valentine can only be with him temporarily. If Peggy will take the dog, Newt can train Valentine.

There is potential for romance there, and the two do spend time together, but there are problems later. But Peggy's relationship with Newt does turn harmful because Peggy takes Newt's love of animals too seriously. Soon she is a vegan like Newt and seems to be trying to make others feel guilty about eating animals and wearing fur. Bret has numerous furs, so this is not likely to end well. Also, Peggy's attitude extends to Layla, whose fiance Don she has caught cheating.

Peggy has the worst luck with dogs, and soon she has to take in not just the one the man was dragging to be put down, but all the ones whose time was up.

After Peggy finds herself taking care of too many dogs, those who know her come to her aid. Eventually her life returns to normal before she ends up riding a bus to an event for animal lovers.