Author Patrick Jennings told us the inspiration for this story: “Once, a big, hairy, black, stray dog started following me down the sidewalk. When the pooch suddenly ran into the street in front of a truck, the driver laid on the horn and shouted at me, ‘Control your dog!’ Unfortunately, the honking drowned out my reply, ‘But it’s not my dog.’ The story that came from that scene is “Guinea Dog,” which Storyworks published in 2005, and was about a kid who desperately wanted a dog. ‘Not My Dog’ is about a kid who desperately doesn't, as ridiculous as that sounds.”
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DAVE CLEGG
Not My Dog
Fenton doesn’t need or want a dog—until he meets Meriwether
By Patrick Jennings
From the September 2018 Issue
Learning Objective: Students will learn how and why the main character changes by the end of this humorous, realistic story.
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Further Reading
You might share with your students another of Patrick’s wonderful stories, one we published last year: “Ujiji” is about a stubborn rhino who learns an important lesson about teamwork from a sassy tickbird. There's even a science connection because the story teaches the concept of symbiosis.
Class Discussion
This story provides a good opportunity for a class discussion about pets. Did anyone change their mind about wanting a pet, in one direction or the other? Has anyone’s pet caused trouble like Meriwether does?
Teaching Vocabulary
Use the vocabulary words from this article in this super-fun creative writing activity from one of our teacher advisers.
Fun Facts About Golden Retrievers
Meriwether chases the cat because of his “prey drive,” which is the trait that makes dogs want to chase smaller animals. Golden retrievers have a strong prey drive because they were used in hunting to retrieve animals shot by their owners. This also means that Meriwether will probably be great at fetch!
More About the Article
Content-Area Connections
Social-emotional learning: self-awareness (growth mindset)
Key Skills
Character, inference, author’s craft, figurative language, summarizing, vocabulary
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
1. PREPARING TO READ
Preview Text Features (10 minutes)
Point out that one of the main characters in the story is a puppy. Encourage students to briefly share what they know about how puppies behave.
Ask students to look at pages 14-15. Direct their attention to the title, subhead, and illustration. Explain that “running circles around” someone means to run faster than the other person. Ask: How does this subhead connect to the picture of Fenton and his dog?
Based on this illustration, ask students to make a prediction: How do Fenton and his new dog get along at the beginning of the story?
Ask students to look at the pictures and subheads that introduce each section on pages 16-19. Now, ask students to predict how Fenton and his dog will get along by the end of the story. Encourage them to think about their predictions as they read.
Introduce Vocabulary (15 minutes)
We have highlighted in bold four vocabulary words that may be challenging and defined them on the page. Discuss the meaning of the words, focusing on how they are used in the story.
Distribute our vocabulary activity for more practice with these words. You can also play our Vocabulary Slideshow.
Highlighted words: considerate, amateur, enthusiasm, panted
Set a Purpose for Reading (10 minutes)
Call on volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read and Think and Write boxes on pages 15 and 19. These features and the fiction package support the story’s featured skill, character.
Ask students to look for clues that help them understand Fenton’s character and how he changes by the end of the story.
2. CLOSE READING
Reading and Unpacking the Text
First read: Read the story as a class. Use the Pause and Think question at the end of each section to check comprehension.
Second read: Distribute the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking questions. (For struggling readers, you can distribute the sheet of Pause and Think questions.) Preview them as a class. Ask students to read the story again and answer the questions as a class or in small groups.
Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)
- Read the first section. Why does Fenton’s dad think that getting a dog would be good for Fenton? (inference) It would get him outside more. He’s worried that Fenton spends too much time alone in his room.
- Read “The Dog Arrives.” Why does Fenton say, “I hope this isn’t our dog”? (character) Fenton doesn’t like the way the dog slobbers on him and chomps on his watch. He’s a little afraid of the puppy.
- Why is the next part of the story titled “A Rough Start”? (author’s craft) When Fenton tries to walk Meriwether, the puppy runs all over the neighborhood instead and refuses to obey Fenton.
- How does Fenton feel about Meriwether in “A Rough Start”? Why does he feel this way? (character) He doesn’t like taking care of this out-of-control puppy. He doesn’t want people to blame him because his puppy doesn’t behave.
- Read “Good Dog!” What do you imagine when you read “His tail wagged like a windshield wiper in a downpour”? (figurative language) The words help show how fast the puppy’s tail was wagging when Fenton patted and rubbed his neck. What causes Fenton to change the way he feels about Meriwether? (summarizing) Meriwether shows how much he loves Fenton by slobbering on him, wagging his tail, and coming when Fenton calls. This makes Fenton love Meriwether back.
Critical-Thinking Question (10 minutes)
- At the end of the story, Fenton shows Meriwether his room and moves his sugar-cube pyramid to a higher shelf. What does this show about how Fenton’s character has changed? (character) At the beginning of the story, Fenton was very fussy about his things and worried that a puppy would slobber all over his projects. Now he moves his sugar-cube pyramid because he’s concerned about Meriwether’s health. He cares more about his dog than about his projects.
3. SKILL BUILDING: Character
- Call on a volunteer to read aloud the Think and Write box on page 19.
- Discuss the writing assignment in this box. Review the format of an informal letter. Remind students to use the personal pronoun I since they are writing from Fenton’s point of view. Have students complete the task in class or as homework and discuss their letters in small groups.
Differentiate and Customize
For Independent Readers
Have students reread the story, looking for details that describe Fenton and how he changes. Ask students to think about how a puppy changed Fenton and to write a short scene that takes place two weeks after the end of the story.
For Small Groups
Have students reread the story and use sticky notes to identify how Fenton feels in each section. Ask them to put a star on the note that shows when Fenton’s feelings toward Meriwether begin to change. What event caused this change?
For Struggling Readers
Have students listen to the audio version of the story. Have them pay attention to the dialogue. Does each dialogue end with a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point? Call on volunteers to read aloud examples of the dialogue with appropriate expression.
For Advanced Readers
Ask students to write two diary entries from Fenton’s point of view. The first is written after he finds out that he’s getting a puppy. The second is written after he has shown Meriwether his room. Have students read aloud their diary entries in small groups.
Text-to-Speech