Grandma Lucille is coming over, saying she has something for Martha. Lucille comes with the gift, but Martha is disappointed when it turns out to be a sweater (originally for Bernie, hence the "B" on the front, but it shrank in the wash). Martha dislikes it, so Helen takes her upstairs to her room and tries to convince her to lie to spare Lucille's feelings. However, Martha Will Not Tell a Lie.
Helen bribes Martha to wear the sweater by offering a hamburger, then Grandma Lucille has Helen and Martha take a walk with Martha in the sweater, much to Martha's chagrin. Later, Martha complains to Helen, Carolina, and T.D. about the sweater. Carolina suggests giving the sweater to someone else.
In Helen's room, Martha says that whoever she gives it to can't be another dog, since dogs shouldn't wear sweaters. Carolina bets Martha her hamburgers that she'd be able to do her usual while wearing the sweater, so she and Skits roll in some mud, chase a squirrel, and roll in the trash. However, the dirt easily washes out of the sweater.
Martha then has a new plan: have Bob rip up her sweater. At first, he's asleep, but then he wakes up and steals the sweater. When Martha and Skits get back, Lucille's in the house and wants Martha to meet her knitting club with the sweater. Martha decides to get the sweater back, with Skits tagging along.
He brings a bone to distract Bob with and she brings it into Bob's yard. However, Bob is in his house, so the dogs ring the doorbell. They talk to his owner, who brings Bob, wearing the sweater. Then, she decides to have Bob model for the knitting club instead.
This episode provides examples of
- Blowing a Raspberry: Martha blows a raspberry at Skits for wanting to eat her present.
- Brought to You by the Letter "S": The sweater has a "B" on the front, since it was initially intended for Bernie.
- Continuity Nod: Martha mentions that Francois wears sailor suits. He wore one in "The Dog Who Came to Dinner".
- Dogs Hate Squirrels: Martha chases a squirrel once.
- Doomed New Clothes: Subverted. Martha tries to wreck her sweater by dirtying it, but the sweater is able to be washed.
- Facepalm: Helen puts her palm to her face when Helen refuses to lie to Lucille.
- Filthy Fun:
- Discussed when Martha says it's hard to play in the dirt in a sweater.
- Played straight when she and Skits roll in a mud puddle and then in the trash.
- Food as Bribe: Helen offers Martha a hamburger to get her to wear the sweater. Martha later demands a second burger.
- Funny Background Event: In one scene, T.D. is seen in the background sniffing Helen's paints.
- Funny Photo Phrase: When Lucille has Martha say, "Cheese!" to have her photo taken, Martha says, "Cheeseburger!" because she's anticipating a burger from Helen.
- Half-Dressed Cartoon Animal: Martha and Bob are sometimes seen in only the sweater.
- Hidden Depths: Bob is revealed to like sweaters and Mushy Duck.
- Homemade Sweater from Hell:
- Martha dislikes the sweater she was given (though played with, as it's because she thinks dogs shouldn't wear clothes).
- Played with — Carolina once remembers receiving a "hideous pink sweater" from her grandma, which Helen now wears, but she says it doesn't look hideous on her.
- "I Can't Look!" Gesture: Skits holds his paw above his eyes when Martha tries to provoke Bob.
- I Don't Think That's Such a Good Idea: Skits is very nervous about Martha's plan to have Bob destroy her sweater.
- Jumping-to-Conclusions Diagnosis: Martha at one point thinks Bob's sick even though all he's doing is sleeping.
- Loud Gulp: Martha gulps when going into Bob's yard, then later Skits does when they both have to go back.
- Mondegreen Gag: When Carolina says that Martha loathes the sweater, she mishears "loathe" as "love".
- Needlework Is for Old People: Lucille, an old woman, takes up knitting in this episode.
- No True Scotsman: When Martha says dogs don't wear sweaters, but Helen says they do, Martha says to name one dog who does. When Helen says that Francois wears sweaters, Martha says that he doesn't count as a proper dog due to his love of clothes.
- Stock Animal Diet:
- Martha expects her present to be a steak.
- Exploited when Martha tells Skits to distract Bob with a bone, then later tries to do it herself.
- Sympathy for the Devil: Martha worries Bob is sick and seems saddened by the idea when he doesn't chase her initially.
- Unexpected Kindness: When Martha first hears that Grandma Lucille is coming and specifically wants to see Martha, she thinks it's because she (Martha) accidentally wrecked something. However, it's actually because she has a gift (granted Martha didn't like the gift, but it was thoughtful of her to give it).
- Unwanted Gift Plot: The episode involves Martha having to put up with having been given a sweater she hates.
