Anytime there is something with a dog on it Charlie and David are going to pick it up to see what it is and more times than not I do the same thing. This is what happened when Charlie saw Problems with Pooski sitting on my tv stand because Charlie decided to sit down and read the book.
One of the things Charlie asked me was when reading Problems with Pooski is, What kind of dog was Pooski? I couldn’t answer because I wasn’t sure but what both Charlie and I can tell you if we had found this dog in a box with a tag that says “please take care of this pup”.
We would have brought it home even though we don’t need more dogs. But it would have been a cute puppy for Charlie’s grandma Sherry who has been wanting another puppy incase something happens to her dog Penny.
Charlie, David and I thought it was cool to find out the story is inspired by Sharon O’Flaherty’s family’s first English Springer Spaniel, which is a breed of Dog I would like to have. Have about you?
The author has said that her love of English Springer Spaniels helped inspire the story. But there is also some descriptions of the book identify Pooski as resembling a Cocker Spaniel, I don’t think so. Do you think he looks like a Cooker Spaniel?
Charlie and David didn’t think that was right either because Charlie’s grandmother had Fred who was a Cocker Spaniel and this puppy doesn’t look like Fred at all. Instead of simply giving Charlie answer, I think this is a wonderful opportunity to say, “Let’s research dogs and see if we see any who look like Pooski!”
While researching the dogs we will need to answer the following questions. What does Pooski look like? What breed might she be? What characteristics does that breed have? Was the breed originally developed to do a particular job?
How big does the dog become? How much exercise does it need? Does it make a good family dog? What kind of training does it need? Does it enjoy being around children? What does it need to be happy and healthy?
Those questions could turn a children’s story into a research project but they would have helped my family decide if we could have brought Pooski into our home or if this dog would have been better for Granny Sherry.
And that’s one of the things I love about homeschooling. We don’t always have to separate reading from science or reading from life skills. Sometimes one book can be the beginning of all of it.
Problems with Pooski also gives us an opportunity to talk about something children may not think about when they see an adorable puppy. Is every puppy automatically the right dog for every family? Probably not.
Different breeds and individual dogs have different energy levels, personalities, exercise needs, grooming needs, training needs, and temperaments. Before adopting a dog make sure you do your research which Charlie should have done before adopting Sandy ie Saucer.
If you know a family with young children they may have different needs from a family with older children. A family living in an apartment may have different considerations from a family with a large fenced yard.
Some families want a dog that loves long walks and outdoor adventures. Others may be looking for a calmer companion. And sometimes the most important thing isn’t the breed at all. It’s the individual dog. That’s another beautiful conversation to have after reading Problems with Pooski.
Imagine reading Problems with Pooski and then asking your child: “What would we need if a new puppy came to live with us tomorrow?” Now you have a real-world learning activity that could be done when #Homeschooling your children.
Your family could make a list of everything a puppy might need—food, water bowls, a collar, identification, a leash, a safe place to sleep, appropriate toys, chew toys, grooming supplies, cleaning supplies, training supplies, and veterinary care.
But then we could go one step further. What would the puppy need from us? Patience. Which Charlie is learning first hand from adopting Sandy ie Saucer. Training. Exercise. Attention. Consistency. Supervision. Love.
That is where the lesson becomes much bigger than a shopping list. A puppy is not something you simply buy and bring home. A puppy is a living creature becoming part of your family.
And What About a Rescue Dog? This part especially caught my attention because our family knows something about rescue dogs. My dog Pheobie is a rescue dog and Sandy is a rescue dog, too.
So when I read about Pooski being found abandoned in a cardboard box and then becoming part of a family, that part of the story feels especially meaningful to me. Through the story a child could learn about what a rescue organization does.
Why do animals sometimes need rescue? What happens when a dog is brought into a shelter? How do shelters care for animals? What does adoption mean? What should a family think about before adopting a dog and even a cat?
How can people help animals even when they aren’t able to adopt? Those are important lessons. And they can lead to a wonderful discussion about the difference between rescuing a dog and simply wanting a puppy.
Sometimes the dog who needs a home isn’t the puppy someone imagined. Sometimes that dog has a history you don’t know. Sometimes there will be challenges. And sometimes, like Baby and Sandy, a rescue dog becomes an incredibly important part of the family.
I can actually see an entire homeschool project growing out of Problems with Pooski. After reading the book, your child could pretend that tomorrow is “Puppy Coming Home Day.”
What would we need? Where would the puppy sleep? Where would the food and water go? What rooms would be puppy-safe? What things would need to be moved out of reach? Who would help with feeding? Who would help with training? When would the puppy need exercise?
When would the puppy visit the veterinarian? What would we do if the puppy chewed something? Which was a lesson Charlie learned first-hand when Sandy chewed up the cord to his charger and he had to purchase a new charger causing Charlie to spend money he should have had to spend.
What would we do if the puppy was scared? What would we do if the puppy had an accident? What is the puppy has separation anxiety like Sandy ie Saucer has who will not stop barking when we leave.
This could become writing, math, science, art, reading, research, and life skills all wrapped around one story. A child could even create a pretend budget for bringing a puppy home and research how much different supplies cost. That turns a children’s book into a real-life learning experience.
If your #Homeschooling your children could make a Pooski Printable and create an HTML printable coloring and learning sheet to go with Problems with Pooski. One page could feature a puppy for children to color and ask:
What Kind of Dog Is Pooski? Then children could fill in: I think Pooski might be a: __________ One thing I learned about this breed: __________ How big can this dog get? __________ What does this dog need? __________ Would this make a good family dog? Why? __________
And another page could be: Bringing Home a New Puppy
My puppy will need: Food, Water. A safe place to sleep. Toys and a collar and identification tags. A leash. Training and exercise. Grooming and Veterinary care. Lots of patience amd lots of love.
If you and your children are looking for a book to read in our 30 Minutes Reading Challenge, this would be a fun book to read. Then you could have your children study: What is an animal shelter? What does adoption mean? How can we help animals that need homes? Why is responsible pet ownership important?
This is the kind of learning I loved when homeschooling Charlie because we’re not forcing a lesson onto a book. The story naturally gives us the questions. And sometimes the best homeschool lessons begin with a child asking: “What kind of dog is that?”
About the book:
Introducing a puppy to family life is all fun and games- until it’s not. Little Pooski pulls on the heartstrings of her new family as she gets into more and more mischief. There are so many things to sniff, taste and chew, what’s a pup to do?
When she goes a step too far, the family must decide- does she stay or does she go? Pooski reminds kids of all ages of the shenanigans, responsibilities and unexpectedly strong bonds created when a naughty but wonderful little ball of fur trots into your home.
Meet the Author: Sharon O’Flaherty
Sharon O’Flaherty is an author, attorney and former educator whose love of children and English Springer Spaniels inspired “Problems with Pooski”. A graduate of Bowling Green State University and Case Western Reserve University School of Law, she has worked as a teacher, coach, assistant prosecuting attorney, city council member, and corporate attorney. She lives in Concord, Ohio with her husband and two English Springer Spaniels, Coco and Finola.
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Grateful, Thankful, Blessed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates