Towards the end Monk states that he is starting to develop a phobia of blankets and asks if it has a name. Lodiculaphobia is the fear of blankets.
This is Kiernan Shipka's first credited role. She played the little girl in the stuffed animal store.
When he finds out he needs a new shrink, Monk goes through the stages of grief at an accelerated pace. The same gag was used in a previous Tony Shalhoub show, Goodbye, Old Friend (1993) Lowell Mather (Thomas Haden Church) goes through the stages of grief.
Animal Crafters is based on Build-A-Bear
Kathleen Mary Carthy, the crime scene tech in this episode, played the medical examiner in Mr. Monk vs. the Cobra (2005).