Be Dog Smart is a free, classroom-ready dog bite prevention unit designed to help students build safety skills through compassion, observation, and understanding.
Rather than focusing on fear-based rules, this program helps children understand why dogs behave the way they do, and how people can make choices that keep both children and dogs safe.

Program Overview

• Designed for Kindergarten to Grade 4
• Includes six lessons
• Each lesson is designed to be approximately 30 minutes
• Can be taught as a full unit or spread out over several weeks
• Supports Saskatchewan Health Education outcomes
• Tech-friendly, but not tech-dependent
• Low-prep and flexible for educators
• Created by the Regina Humane Society in partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority

The Be Dog Smart unit moves students through a learning progression of Understanding → Awareness → Prevention → Confidence.

What Students Will Learn

Students will learn that:

• Dogs have feelings and needs, just like people
• Dogs may protect things that matter to them, such as food, toys, family, space, or themselves
• Dogs communicate with their bodies, including their ears, tails, mouths, eyes, and posture
• Not all dogs feel the same in every situation
• Giving a dog space can be the kindest and safest choice
• Children should only approach a dog when the owner is present and gives permission
• Calm safety strategies can help when a dog is nearby

Built for Educators

Be Dog Smart is designed to be simple and practical for classroom use. Each lesson includes:

• Saskatchewan Health curricular connections from Kindergarten to Grade 4
• An I Can statement
• A materials list
• Lesson instructions
• Discussion prompts
• Student activities
• Optional extension activities
• Support for adapting lessons across Kindergarten to Grade 4

Lessons are discussion-based, flexible, and designed so teachers can adjust pacing, depth, and activities to meet the needs of their students.

All materials are free to download and may be used in classrooms, homeschool settings, after-school programs, or other child-focused learning environments.

Educators can download the complete Be Dog Smart classroom resources below. These materials are designed to work together as a full unit, but teachers may also use individual lessons or activities as needed.

Educator’s Guide
A complete six-lesson unit with lesson plans, curriculum connections, I Can statements, discussion prompts, classroom activities, assessment guidance, and optional extensions.

Lesson Visuals
Classroom visuals and discussion slides to support lessons on dog protection, body language, dog preferences, safe choices, and what to do when dogs are nearby.

Student Worksheets
Printable student activities, reflection pages, matching worksheets, body language activities, safe/unsafe scenario practice, and colouring pages.

Certificate of Completion
A printable Be Dog Smart Safety Champion Certificate for students who complete the unit.

Les ressources Be Dog Smart sont également disponibles en français.

Guide d’enseignement
Une unité complète de six leçons avec des plans de leçon, des liens avec le programme d’études, des énoncés Je peux, des questions de discussion, des activités en classe, des conseils d’évaluation et des prolongements facultatifs.

Visuels de leçon
Les affiches et diapositives de discussion pour soutenir les leçons au sujet de la protection des chiens, le langage corporel, les préférences des chiens, les choix sécuritaires et ce qu’il faut faire lorsque des chiens sont en proximité.

Feuilles d’activités pour les élèves
Les activités imprimables pour les élèves, pages de réflexion, feuilles d’exercices d’association, activités au sujet du langage corporel, exercices pratiques des scénarios sécuritaires/non sécuritaires et pages à colorier.

Certificat de réussite
Un certificat  de Champion de Sécurité envers les Chiens imprimable en français pour les élèves qui terminent l’unité.

For questions about Be Dog Smart or other Humane Education resources, please contact:

Manager of Education and Outreach
The Regina Humane Society
Email: education@reginahumane.ca
Phone: (306) 543-6363 ext. 327