Harvey Smithers is opening a new pet shop in Mayberry. Harvey is moving his business from the smaller town of Blue Hill. Mike asks Sam if he can have a dog, but Sam says he's not responsible enough. Mike visits the pet shop and befriends a mutt there. He asks Harvey if he could have a job there after school and on weekends. Harvey wants Mike to get Sam's permission. Mike talks to Aunt Bee and the two of them convince Sam to let Mike have the job. While at work, Mike tries to talk people into buying the mutt. Aunt Bee, Mike and Millie finally get Sam to agree to Mike having a dog. Mike brings the mutt home and names him Fritz. But, they soon learn that he is allergic to the dog. At the pet shop, Aunt Bee embellishes the dog's background and talks Howard into taking Fritz.

Sam returns from Siler City and tells Howard that Rev. Bickford's church has a bell for sale. Mayberry's church doesn't have a bell. Howard is the church treasurer and wants to call a committee meeting to get their opinion. Millie, who is co-treasurer, says the church can only afford $150. Rev. Bickford would love to sell the bell, but tells his committee they should not seem too anxious. When the two parties get together, Rev. Bickford asks $200 for the bell. Sam offers $150 which Rev. Bickford quickly rejects. Rev. Bickford finally accepts the $150 offer. Sam has bad news for the committee. It seems that Lucius Fremont owned the land under the church. He donated the land to the church provided that a bell never be hung there in his lifetime. He tells Sam his reason for not wanting the bell. It seems many years ago he was stood up by his bride on their wedding day at that church. The bell ringing would remind him of that day. Lucius finds a way for the church to keep it's bell.

Mr. Morelli announces that he will be closing his restaurant due to the lack of customers. He says that everyone is going to Pagano's in Mt. Pilot because they feature a floor show. Howard and Millie offer to help by going to Raleigh to hire an act from Charley Pierce's theatrical agency. They hire a local act known as the Claghorn Brothers. Word spreads and Mr. Morelli is expecting a large crowd. But then the Claghorn Brothers cancel due to a family emergency. Because it's the last minute, Howard can't find another act. Sam used to entertain when he was in the Army and Howard and Millie hope he will help. Sam says that it's been too long since he did that type of entertaining and turns them down. Everyone is now upset with Sam. Sam changes his mind and that night he performs as a song and dance scarecrow.

Sam tells housekeeper Flora that he was chosen to be part of a Farmer Exchange Project with Russia. Professor Luboff is to spend two weeks with Sam. Everyone is surprised when Professor Luboff turns out to be Professor Tanya Luboff, a woman. Tanya is very proper and reserved and tells Sam and Millie that she was the only woman picked for the exchange project. Millie thinks she might have a good time at the dance on Saturday and asks Sam to get a date for Tanya. Sam talks a reluctant Howard into taking her to the dance. That night when Howard asks Tanya to be his date, she politely turns him down. She later overhears Flora telling Sam and Howard that Tanya hasn't discovered that it's fun to be a woman. Millie talks Tanya into going to the dance and helps her get ready clothes and hair wise. She also gives Tanya advice on how to act. It's the night of the dance and Sam and Millie arrive with a beautiful looking Tanya. Tanya dances with several men and has a great time.

Millie and Clara compete for the honor of appearing as a pioneer woman on a parade float.