Question 1.

What does the movie show? Which dog seems happy, and which one is sad? What kinds of feelings do animals have?

The movie shows two contrasting ways that dogs are treated. Dogs are essentially sociable animals—they are our companions and they suffer when they are left alone for extended periods of time and do not get the care and companionship they need. They can develop bad behaviors, such as excessive barking and aggression. Confinement, especially solitary confinement, is a form of abuse, as is chaining dogs to a fence or a stake in the ground, limiting their movement and contact with others. Such treatment very often produces hostilebehavior toward humans.

In the movie, the dog in the backyard needs the companionship and attention of the girl who is feeding him, but she is too busy talking on her cell phone to think of playing with him. He is very lonely. On the other hand, the dog living inside the family home has the companionship of his caregiver—the boy who is playing with him—and he receives lots of attention. Dogs also need to get exercise, which keep them happy and healthy. The dog living inside the family home gets much more exercise than the one who is kept chained outside.

Question 2.

Describe a day in the life of a happy dog: if you were a dog, how would you want your humans to treat you?

A happy dog would never experience neglect. He would receive attention from his human caregivers and might have another dog for a companion. He would never be lonely.

A happy dog would have shelter and always have a warm and safe place to spend the night. He would get exercise and sustenance—food and water—regularly. He would receive obedience training so that he will be likeable to his human family—for example, he would learn to obey commands and not to jump on people.

Note: The video In the Company of Dogs (also referenced in Suggested Online Resources) shows students how to best care for dogs, including providing exercise and veterinary care.

Question 3.

If you have a pet, tell us how your pet lets you know if he or she needs something from you?

In the movie, the two dogs clearly show their feelings. The sad dog who is chained in the backyard keeps his ears and head down. This is a sign that he is not feeling happy. A happy dog wags his tail and looks alert.

Note: Dogs’ body language is somewhat more complex than the explanation given above. Children are very interested in learning how dogs communicate with people and other dogs. Activity 3 is dedicated to teaching students about the ways in which dogs convey their feelings through body language and how body language can give us cues about how best to behave around dogs.

A happy cat purrs and leans on her caregiver’s leg or rolls on her back to tell you she is happy. An unhappy cat may put her ears back and growl, or she may hide somewhere in the house (for example, under the bed) for long periods. She may do this too if she doesn’t feel well.

Note: The body language of cats is more complex than the examples provided above. Children are very interested in learning how cats communicate with people and with other cats. Activity 6 is dedicated to teaching students about the ways in which cats convey their feelings through body language and how body language can give us cues about how best to behave around cats.

Rabbits are also popular animal companions, and your students may have one or more rabbits in their home as animal companions. Rabbits’ physical actions give us clues as to how they are feeling. They show they are happy by rolling on their back or their side, sometimes closing their eyes. They might also shake their ears and then give a little hop or jump. Unhappy or frightened rabbits might thump their back leg on the ground and run away or turn away from you and flick their back legs out. Rabbits who are penned in small cages are also unhappy because they need more space.

Question 4.

What does a dog, cat, rabbit, or other kind of pet need in order to be healthy and happy? What do you need in order to be happy? Do you and your pet have the same needs?

Responses can include: food and water (sustenance), shelter from bad weather, a safe and nice place to eat and sleep; and attention and physical care. Your students will recognize these conditions as essential for a happy home for themselves, as well.

Note: This is a good juncture to use the reading “What Do Dogs Want?” to teach students about the special needs of our canine companion animals. Activity 4 explores use of this reading and its accompanying worksheet “Questions—What Do Dogs Want?”

Question 5.

What about other kinds of pets such as hamsters, birds, or fish? What do these pets need in order to be happy? Do you think hamsters feel happy or sad? What about birds and about fish?

In the movie, the sad dog who is chained in the backyard keeps his ears and head down. This is a sign that he is not happy. A happy dog wags his tail and looks alert.

Responses should be similar to those for Question 4: food and water (sustenance), shelter from bad weather, a safe and nice place to live and sleep; and attention and physical care.

Encourage your students who have hamsters and birds to share these pets’ needs and behaviors with the rest of the class. Hamsters and birds show that they are sick or unhappy by remaining motionless (when not sleeping), hiding, or refusing to eat. Ask your students to describe what they do to help these pets.

Ask your students who have fish to tell the class how they know when their fish are not well or appear to be unhappy. Ask them to describe what they do to help keep their fish healthy.

Note: Activity 7 gives students the opportunity to learn about less common household pets such as rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, birds, and fish. The books about pet care that we recommend in Suggested Books provide a wealth of information for students working on this activity.

Question 6.

Why would an owner keep a dog chained up in the yard? Are people who keep dogs tied up bad people? Do they practice animal cruelty? Why or why not?

Possible responses are: the dog is bad-tempered; the dog makes a mess in the house; or the owner is a bad person or simply someone who is not knowledgeable about the kind of treatment that is best for a dog.

Open the discussion to include examples and definitions of cruelty toward pets and other domesticated animals, that is, animal cruelty. Possible responses might include: depriving an animal of basic care—food, water, and a safe place to live—and veterinary treatment; physically harming an animal; and not providing the animal with safe opportunities for exercise. Ask your students what they can do if they witness instances of animal abuse. Stress that, for their own safety, students should not directly confront someone they believe is practicing cruelty to animals. Rather, they should inform their parents or teachers about the instance(s) of cruelty or contact their local animal shelter for advice. Provide your students with the contact number and/or Web site for their local animal shelter. Ask your students what they think animal control officers do in cases of possible animal cruelty (issue warnings or citations, remove the animal to a safe place).

Ask your students to describe the humane treatment of pet animals. Possible responses might include: giving a pet a good indoor home; providing a good diet and around the clock access to water; taking the pet to the veterinarian for routine care (yearly examinations, vaccinations) and treatment when sick; providing the pet with safe opportunities for exercise; and showing the pet that he is loved and cared for. Explain that “humane” means “having sympathy or consideration for others.” Humane treatment of animals assumes that we respect animals and do whatever we can to keep them safe and free from harm, and humane treatment of animals extends to all animals such as wildlife and farm and work animals, not only our pets.

Note: The worksheet “What’s Humane?” focuses on words from the Mow Wow Glossary to reinforce the concept of humane treatment vs. cruelty toward animals. Activity 8 encourages the students to meet with local animal control officers and engage them in a discussion about their job duties and, specifically, what the officers do to prevent animal cruelty.

Question 7.

What kinds of pets live indoors all the time? Why is it best to keep a pet indoors? Do some pets live outdoors? Which ones?

Many more people are keeping their pets indoors because animals are safer inside the house, away from predatory wildlife, automobiles and other kinds of traffic, or bad-intentioned people. Birds can be kept outside temporarily in cages that allow them to move about freely. They should not be kept outside in cold or otherwise bad weather or in areas where other animals such as cats or dogs can frighten them. Animals kept indoors are safe from accidents caused by cars or other vehicles. If people allow their pet cats and dogs to go outside, they should be in a yard that is fenced in and impossible to escape from. If they go outside the yard or the yard is not fenced in, they need to be on a leash or harness with their person present. Such measures prevent these pets from escaping.

More and more people consider their pets as members of the family. Types of pets living indoors include rabbits, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats, fish, snakes, lizards (geckos, iguanas, and similar reptiles), and birds (parakeets, parrots, cockatiels, canaries, and finches).

Some domestic farm animals sometimes also considered pets live a good part of their life outdoors. These animals include horses, ponies, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, ducks, geese, and chickens. Ask your students if they themselves have one or more of these animals as pets or know someone who does. Ask them to describe how best to care for these animals. Possible answers include: provide a proper diet, regularly scheduled veterinary care, and adequate space for exercise; and show them kindness and love. Ask your students what kind of diet would be good for each of these animals.

Question 8.

Why do we give our pets names? Why do we often invent names for pets instead of giving them ordinary human names?

When people recognize animals as individuals, companions, and friends, it becomes natural to give them a name. It is really fun to choose a name for a new animal friend! Ask your students about their pets’ names. Why did they choose these names? Do the names reflect characteristics of the specific pets? Are they invented names or ordinary human names? Do their pets respond to their names? How?

Note: Activity 8 gives the students the opportunity to explore favorite as well as unusual pet names.

Question 9.

Why do we enjoy having pets?

Animals provide companionship. They do not argue with us or provide unpleasant interactions. They are loving beings and often seem to show appreciation for their care. It has been said that animals, when treated humanely, give their people unconditional love. Many people find safety and happiness in their friendships with their companion animals. Studies have shown that, in general, people who enjoy the company of pets suffer less from ailments such as anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure—pets truly provide a comforting presence.

Ask your students how it feels to have their pet give them a kiss, as we refer to a nice lick of the tongue from a dog or a cat, or a friendly nibble. Ask the students to describe other ways in which their pets show them love or appreciation.

Note: The readings about dogs and cats’ body language are good references to teach your students the ways in which their pets show them love or appreciation and the ways in which they communicate other feelings. Click here for a reading about dogs’ body language, and here for a reading about cats’ body language.

Question 10.

What is a domesticated (or domestic) animal?

Domesticated animals depend on people for their care. Farm animals and pets, such as dogs, cats, and horses, are examples of animals who have been domesticated. Ask your students if they can think of other examples of domesticated animals. Possible answers for pets include: rats, mice, reptiles, fish, and rabbits. Possible answers for farm animals include: ponies, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, ducks, geese, and chickens.

Explain to your students that wild animals sometimes act tame, but they are not domesticated animals and may become wild again. Increasingly, there are laws against keeping wild animals as pets. Ask your students why they think such laws were enacted. Reinforce the concept that the laws protect both people and wild animals—the laws were enacted to keep people safe and to ensure that the needs of wild animals are met when they live in habitats that best support those needs.

Question 11.

Are all domesticated animals pets? What about animals such as guide dogs for the blind or watchdogs? Why might someone keep a cat besides just as a pet?

What does a working dog or cat need? Do working dogs and cats have the same needs as pets? What kind of jobs do animals do for people? 

Throughout history animals have helped people. What are some of the jobs that animals have done? They have protected people and their flocks and herds, pulled tractors and wagons, gone to war with soldiers to provide transportation and communications, rescued people from snow and fire and earthquake damage, and many other important jobs that have helped people survive. Have animal jobs changed over history? It’s interesting to know, for example, that war pigs were used against war elephants in the early history of warfare and ancient armies, a cruel practice that has died with time. What are some jobs animals still do? They continue to help people farm, for example. Even in the United States, horses still pull wagons and plows in Amish communities. Discuss with the students more ways in which animals have worked for people, and how their use and role have changed through time.

Your students may be interested to know that the first animal protection organization was founded in England in 1824 to stop the abuse of work animals, such as pit ponies who worked in the coal mines. The first anti-cruelty society in the United States was founded later, in 1866 in New York City, to stop the abuse of work horses and mules. Two years later, a humane society was founded in Boston; among its founders was the famous American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. The early humane societies were also tasked with preventing abuse to children.

In California, one of the oldest humane organizations is the Palo Alto Humane Society, founded in 1908, to stop the abuse of dogs and working animals. One of its earliest missions was to provide education to the community on the care and uses and misuses of animals.

Have your students been in contact with a service animal or do they know someone who has a service animal? In what ways are service animals different and how are they the same as pets? Do your students know that service animals need to be certified?

Note: The reading “Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, and Emotional Support Animals—Important Differences” provides students with basic definitions and important differences among these kinds of working animals. Activity 9 gives students the opportunity to meet people who train service and therapy dogs and learn about how the dogs are trained as well as ask questions.

Tell your students that some companion animals can be working, or service, animals.

Service animals have jobs to do. They are domesticated animals who live with people and show them love and care—they are loving. Service animals have the same needs as pets—regularly scheduled veterinary care, a good diet, exercise, and humane treatment. However, service dogs who aid the handicapped are not pets—we should not pet, talk to, or in any way distract or bother a working service dog.

More information About Service Animals

Question 12.

In other countries and other cultures, do people feel the same way as we do in the United States about their pets and their working animals? What may be some differences?

Tell your students that there are many factors that determine how people feel about animals, and feelings are different in other cultures. Ask your students if they are aware of these differences in feelings and to provide examples. Students’ examples may include: people I know think it’s important for children to see the birth of puppies or kittens; some people are too poor to provide food and care for their animals; some people consider animals “dirty.” Explain that people’s life circumstances might be different from ours, and these circumstances—poverty, lack of education, religious beliefs—will affect how they feel about and act toward animals. Reinforce for your students that cruelty to others—both animals and people—under any circumstance is considered morally wrong.

Note: The reading “Attitudes Toward Pets in Other Cultures,” featured in Activity 11, examines in detail the issues of cultural differences and humane treatment of animals. You can use the reading as a basis for discussion.

In addition, Activity 12 provides another opportunity for students to examine the issue of cultural concerns, in this case, opposing views on the practice of de-clawing cats.