Greg and Kate have moved to Manhattan after 22 years of child-raising in the suburbs. Greg’s career as
a financial trader is winding down, while Kate’s career, as a public-school English teacher, is beginning to
offer her more opportunities. Greg brings home a dog he found in the park—or that has found
him—bearing only the name “Sylvia” on her name tag. A street-smart mixture of Lab and poodle, Sylvia
becomes a major bone of contention between husband and wife. She offers Greg an escape from the
frustrations of his job and the unknowns of middle age. To Kate, Sylvia becomes a rival for affection. And
Sylvia thinks Kate just doesn’t understand the relationship between man and dog. The marriage is put in
serious jeopardy until, after a series of hilarious and touching complications, Greg and Kate learn to
compromise, and Sylvia becomes a valued part of their lives.