Both episodes feature a fussy detective who reluctantly takes in a dog who is in danger of being put down. The dog becomes crucial to solving the case.
When Monk shows Shelby his house, it is a call back to Turner and Hooch (1989) in which Tom Hanks (Turner) is a cop who brings a dog involved with a case home to his immaculate apartment. Turner leads Hooch through his house and claims that each room is not his (Hooch's) room, finally getting to Hooch's, designated space, much like Monk and Shelby.