Over ten years before ELLEN's famous TV outing, IT'S A LIVING did a puppy episode with an actual puppy in it.
SURPRISE! Dot's brought another animal into the restaurant. This time it's a dog who was 24 hours away from "having his timecard punched", so she adopts him only to find out her building won't allow pets. Despite trying to help, the rest of the episode finds the others basically playing pass-the-pooch. Amy's allergic; Jan's kids fight over who has to care for it, etc.
The B-story has Sonny quitting when Nancy refuses him a night off to go on a date with Boom-Boom Maraca - a roller derby queen. This sounded like a fun story idea - too bad it wasn't developed. Sonny is replaced by Gus the Busboy who turns out to be a piano virtuoso - who only knows one piece of music.
Not a very original story idea so it's the small moments that are most amusing in this one. Howard's affinity for the song "Shrimp Boats is a-Coming"; Cassie's neighbor being a transvestite; the cast singing "Book of Love" in unison.