14 A busy Syd helps an injured high school runner (guest star Brian Poth) who is driven to win at any price by his stern coach/father even as she is romanced by the handsome son of a courtly mob boss (guest star John Capodice) whose beloved pug is treated in her dad's veterinary clinic. Elsewhere, Joanie's culinary reputation takes a hit when her vaunted meatloaf is spurned by humans but makes for a tail-wagging dogfood among the canine set.

Syd firmly tries to fend off the romantic advances of a handsome businessman (guest star David Lee Smith) whose family is linked to the Mob, and lavish gifts begin to wear her down while at the clinic. She diagnoses a sickly landscaper (guest star Tim Ransom) who she suspects is being poisoned by pesticides. Elsewhere among the Hansen clan: Joanie -- on the eve of her new shop opening -- becomes concerned when boyfriend/business partner shows little interest in her infant daughter; Jim indulges himself when he commits to helping Lilly rig up a Rube Goldberg contraption as part of a school project; and Robbie begins to appreciate the hidden allure of Jim's clumsy veterinary assistant in a whole new way.

Syd and her father clash over her relationship with Paul when it's revealed that the District Attorney's office has begun a criminal investigation into Paul's alleged mob ties. Meanwhile, Robbie talks Joanie into filming her own cable TV commercial to promote the Barkery, and Syd tries to treat a teenage boy whose symptoms don't match his blood tests.