Tulip loves to dance. When she meets Rex, a dog who also likes to ’dance’, an instant bond is formed. This is a story about friendship, doing what you love, and sharing that with someone special.
Why use this book:
- Showcases that animals (dogs) are unique just like humans. Tulip isn’t like other girls, and Rex isn’t like other dogs.
Animal Welfare Considerations:
- Tulip does not meet Rex (an unfamiliar dog) in a realistic or safe manner. When meeting a new dog, it is important to ask the dog’s owner for permission first and let the dog come to you.
- Tulip hugs Rex at the end of the story. While this is a common portrayal in many picture books, most dogs (even your family pet) are probably not comfortable being hugged. When dogs feel uncomfortable, there is a potential for them to bite.
Ask your students:
- Why did Tulip bond with Rex so quickly? They both liked to ‘dance.’
- What are some of the similarities and differences that you have with your friends?
- Do you think the family made the right decision by taking Rex home? The family decided on a whim that Rex could join their family. This could give students a false narrative that adding a pet to the family can be decided on a whim. Adding a pet to the family is a big responsibility, and one that should be thought through to ensure that the pet’s needs can be met for the entirety of their life.
- What advice would you give the family before they made the decision to keep Rex? Try and find Rex’s owners by checking for identification, call animal control/shelters, take Rex to a veterinarian, etc.
Activities:
- Do dogs like hugs? – As a class, watch this short Alberta SPCA video where dog behaviour specialist, Kris Rooney, answers the question: Do dogs like hugs? Then, as a class, come up with a list of other ways to show dogs affection or respect. Taking on a walk, giving a treat, brushing, playing, petting or scratching, giving dogs space (if they are uncomfortable with dogs), etc. Next, take a poll of your class to find out “what is your favourite way to show dogs you care for them/give them respect?” Students can collect the data and create a bar or pie graph to display the data.
- Greeting dogs – Often when we see dogs, we get excited and want to pet them, without always thinking if the dogs want to be petted. Ask students: How would you feel if someone that you did not know came up and invaded your personal space? Do you think dogs would share that feeling? As a class, go over Sophia Yin’s guide to greeting a dog (and what to avoid). In pairs or small groups, have students pick an interaction for them to role play (the incorrect interactions as well as the correct human-to-dog interaction) for the class. See if students can guess which human-dog interaction is recommended! After each group presents, have a discussion on what made some interactions recommended and why the others should be avoided.
Additional Resources Related to Book:
- For additional information on dog safety (reading dog body language, safely greeting a dog, etc.), visit The Family Dog website.
- For additional information on greeting a strange dog, visit the BC SPCA website.
