A dog says, “You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me. YOU must be God.” A cat says, “You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me. I must be God.” This is the premise of Cat and Dog Theology, a cartoon book that teaches kids character.
Last year I had a chance to check out the exhibitor hall at our local homeschool convention, and I grabbed a couple of items that I’ve really enjoyed. One of those purchases was 103 Cat and Dog Choices by Bob and Debby Sjorgren.
What is it?
It is a book full of cartoons that teach character development. Each page has a scenario at the top of the page, and a cartoon that involves a cat and a dog responding to that scenario at the bottom. The cat always makes a selfish choice, while the dog always makes a selfless choice.
For example one scenario starts with, “When Mom asks you to push the stroller…”
The cat in the cartoon says, “Why is it always me? I hate pushing the stroller.”
The dog says, “Sure Mom. I’d be happy to help.”
Some of the other scenarios included are:
when dishes need to be unloaded…
when asked to help your sister with her homework…
when asked to keep their room clean…
when you’re least favorite food is served…
and lots more.
How we used it:
We aren’t using this regularly like actual curriculum. Instead we read a lot of it when we first bought it, and we pull it out on occasion as my kids need to be reminded of the principles in it. You could read through the whole thing with your kids in probably an hour. You could also pick one scenario to study each day and use it over a period of about 5 months.
What I loved:
1) It is easy to relate to and understand.
Most kids are aware of the stereotypical behavior of cats and dogs and can find the humor in their responses. Cats are my all time favorite animal, but let’s face it they can be divas.
2) It uses illustration to teach the concept
Jesus often spoke in parables for a reason. There is something about word pictures that help us learn concepts. By modeling two different responses to a scenario in cartoon form, children can easily see the contrast between the right and wrong responses.
3) It’s memorable
After reading through the book once, my kids can tell you many of the illustrations in the book. They are simple and easy to remember.
4) The cat and dog premise works for making up our own scenarios
We have incorporated this concept of cat and dog responses in our daily life. When someone in the family does something a bit selfish or unkind, we are able to ask what a dog would do in this situation. It helps them rethink their choice without making a big deal out of it. We even occasionally bark in celebration of a kid who does something especially dog like.
My Conclusion:
I really like this book, and I especially like the concept of using dogs and cats to help kids think through their choices. I feel like it has been a great jumping off point for helping my kids think through their responses to the situations they encounter. I also feel like it has given my kids great ideas on how to contribute with out being asked. They seem to be more aware of their part in the family unit, and are more intentional in pitching in to help mom and dad out.
My only hesitation with this book is the religious doctrine they get into for the last few pages. They have a few cartoons that deal with the new heaven and new earth and how we will serve God after his return. For example there is one about sweeping the streets in Heaven for Jesus that I just found a bit odd. The Heaven cartoons only comprise the last 10 or so pages, and they could easily be skipped if they didn’t line up with your doctrinal beliefs.
They have several homeschool curriculum packs, and this book is included in one of them. I have not looked through any of their other books, curriculum or seminars, so I can’t necessarily vouch for any of their material other than this one book. I believe their other products probably go deeper into their actual doctrinal beliefs, and I haven’t studied out what this author believes to know if I agree or not. You would want to check into that if you were interested in any of the other Cat and Dog Theology products.
You can find 103 Cat and Dog Choices on their Cat and Dog Theology Curriculum website.