February 2019
This issue of Bark! magazine is packed with some great articles your students are sure to enjoy. There is something for everyone. Hamsters take the main stage with our four-page hamster care guide. Learn what those labels on egg cartons mean so you can choose the best eggs. Show support for Bill-203 that will end whale and dolphin captivity in Canada. Discover ways to keep pets safe during the winter. Did you know that fish use tools and can recognize human faces? They aren’t the simple “starter” pet that we have come to believe. Find out more about these incredible animals and have students take our quick survey for a chance to win a copy of Fish Tricks: The Wild and Wacky World of Fish.
Do you have any aspiring bakers in your class? We have three different baking challenges for them to try for hamsters, dogs and cats. All of this and our regular High Paws page featuring kids helping animals around the province.
If you are a teacher in British Columbia and would like to order a class set of this issue, please email us. Be sure to include your name, number of students, grade, school name and address and we’ll package them up and send them off for your class to enjoy.
It’s a Dog’s Life: How man’s best friend sees, hears and smells the world by Susan E. Goodman Reading Level: Grades 2-5
For kids who are keen to know more about their canine companions, It’s a Dog’s Life is the perfect introduction to the history and behavior of our doggy friends. Using fun, colourful illustrations and the “dog’s-eye-view” Goodman’s book tells us about the domestication of dogs over time and how exactly that happened, including the emergence of particular breeds and dog “jobs.” This book looks like a humorous picture book but is surprisingly packed with information, fun facts included.
There is even a Woof/English Dictionary so kids can try to interpret what their dog is saying with a woof or just with body language. Goodman uses illustrations by David Slonim to depict the many ways dogs communicate with their bodies, including fearful and aggressive signs. The dog narrator closes by saying, “I figured if you know a little more about us, maybe you’ll stop trying to turn us into humans. That’s right, no more doggy Halloween costumes or nail polish at the groomers.”
That is a message that students can also share with adults! It’s a Dog’s Life is a great introduction to dog behavior for the curious young reader.
Read more reviews of our recommended books.
It’s Treat Week! Cupcake Day just got bigger and better as the BC SPCA has transformed Cupcake Day into a whole week of goodies! What a great time to organize a bake sale fundraiser and be part of a province wide campaign to raise money for our furry friends in a fun and tasty way.
Treat week begins on February 25th and runs until March 3rd. While selling your delicious treats, you can also hand out information on your favourite animal welfare topics. What an excellent opportunity to teach the students in your school all about taking care of the animals in our community while filling their bellies with yummy treats!
Register your school club and find all the information and resources you need to run an amazing Treat Week bake sale!
The BC SPCA is committed to science-based standards for the welfare of animals. We are introducing a new innovative program, AnimalKind, to accredit dog-training business in BC.
Since the dog training industry is unregulated, it is difficult for the average person to know if the training methods are humane. Now with our new accreditation program, we can confidently recommend AnimalKind companies that have been audited by the BC SPCA, knowing they are committed to using positive and effective training methods.
We know that people love their dogs and want the best for them, but find it challenging to determine which trainer is best to use. Scientific research unequivocally supports the use of reward-based training over aversive or fear-based methods. Dogs trained with aversive methods exhibit negative responses, including aggression and a range of stress behaviours that often continue even when the command is no longer accompanied by the punishment.
We hope that the AnimalKind accreditation program will be a resource to help dogs owners find the right trainer for their dog.
Learn more about this news item and other BC SPCA news that you may want to include in class discussions.
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The BC SPCA has classroom resources for grades K-7. The lessons integrate animal issues and information into existing provincial learning outcomes. Click on a lesson plan below to learn more.
Kindness counts (Primary)
Bite free (Primary/intermediate)
Making the right choice (Intermediate)
You can make a difference (Intermediate)
The farm-food connection (Intermediate)
Cats in the community (Intermediate)
Including animals in social justice (Intermediate/Secondary)
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