Dog’s Poop
Lost Puppy
One day, Sheri found a little puppy in the park. It was alone and without a collar or tag. Sheri took the puppy home and asked her mom, "Can I keep him, please?"
Her mom said, "You can care for him until someone claims him. If no one does, then ask me again."
Can I keep Him
Sheri and her friends made big signs saying, "Found Puppy," and spent all day putting them all over the park. But Sheri didn't know how to care for a puppy. She saw a lady with a dog and asked, "How do you take care of your dog?"
The lady said, "Dogs poop. That's the hard part." And she walked away. Sheri laughed because "poop" sounded funny.
Later, Sheri saw a boy with his dog. "How do you take care of your dog?" she asked.
"I feed it, love it, but remember dogs poop," the boy said.
Sheri laughed again, thinking it was a joke dog people told.
When Sheri returned home late in the day, her mom said, "Sheri, it's time you cared for your new friend. I fed and gave him water, but you must clean up after him."
I Won’t Do It
Sheri didn't understand until she saw little smelly brown spots in the backyard. "Is that poop?" she whispered. Yes, it was.
Sheri was not happy. "I don't want to clean poop!" she thought. But she got a bag, gloves, and a scoop to clean up the yard. "I certainly don’t want to do this again; I don't want a dog," she said, tired.
After cleaning, Sheri went to her room and fell asleep. When she woke up, the puppy was cuddled beside her, tucked as close as he could get. As Sheri woke, the little dog gave her kisses, and as much love as his little heart could create.
Just then, her mom came in. "Someone called about the puppy from your signs while you were sleeping. The man said the puppy was part of a litter he was trying to find homes for. He said you could keep him if you want, but you need to give him a name and take care of him if you do."
I’ve Made Up My Mind
Sheri looked at the puppy, who was now happily licking her face. "His name is Snoopy," she said without thinking twice, “My dog is named Snoopy,” repeating it as she gave him the biggest hug.
Coloring Exercise
Have students color this free image of a girl and her puppy
