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Everyday English · Caring for a family pet: feeding it, walking a dog, brushing fur, cleaning the cage or litter box and taking the pet to the vet.

Caring for a Pet: 14 Everyday English Words

Learn everyday pet-care words such as leash, collar, bowl, treat, kibble and vet, and talk about feeding, walking and caring for a family pet.

Suggested Grades 3–514 everyday words8 light-review questions
Learning objectiveRecognise everyday pet-care words, understand what a pet needs each day, and explain in two or three sentences how you would help look after a pet.

What to do

Many Canadian families share their homes with a dog, a cat, a rabbit, a bird or a small fish. A pet is a living animal, so it needs food, clean water, exercise and a safe place to rest every day.

You feed a dog or cat from a bowl, often with kibble and sometimes with a small treat. A dog needs a walk on a leash, and a collar with a tag helps if it gets lost. You brush fur so it stays clean, and you clean a cage or a litter box. When a pet is sick, or once a year for a checkup, you visit the vet.

You do not need to learn every word today. Read each word, listen to it, picture the pet and the job, and move on. You will meet these words again in stories and at school.

Core everyday words

pet

noun · pet

an animal that people keep at home and look after

Example: Our family has a pet rabbit.

leash

noun · leesh

a long strap or rope that attaches to a dog's collar when you walk it

Example: Hold the leash when we cross the street.

collar

noun · KOL-ur

a band around an animal's neck, often with a tag

Example: The collar has our phone number on it.

bowl

noun · bohl

a round, open dish for food or water

Example: Fill the water bowl every morning.

treat

noun · treet

a small piece of special food given as a reward

Example: She gave the puppy a treat for sitting.

kibble

noun · KIB-ul

dry pet food in small pieces

Example: One scoop of kibble goes in the bowl.

feed

verb · feed

to give food to a person or an animal

Example: I feed the cat before school.

walk

verb · wawk

to take a dog outside for exercise on a leash

Example: Dad walks the dog after supper.

brush

verb · brush

to clean or smooth hair or fur with a brush

Example: Brush the dog's fur gently.

fur

noun · fur

the soft hair that covers many animals

Example: The cat's fur is soft and grey.

vet

noun · vet

a doctor for animals; short for veterinarian

Example: The vet checked the kitten's ears.

cage

noun · kayj

a box or room with bars where a small animal lives

Example: The hamster sleeps in its cage.

litter box

noun · LIT-ur boks

a tray of sand-like material where a cat goes to the toilet

Example: Scoop the litter box every day.

bark

verb · bark

to make the loud sound a dog makes

Example: The dog barks when the doorbell rings.

Recognise the word

Recognise the word

Choose the meaning of the word.

Multiple choice

1. What is a leash?

  1. a bowl for a pet's water
  2. a box where a small animal lives
  3. a treat given as a reward
  4. a strap that connects to a dog's collar for walks
Multiple choice

2. What is kibble?

  1. dry pet food in small pieces
  2. a toy for a cat
  3. a soft pet bed
  4. medicine from the vet
Multiple choice

3. Who is a vet?

  1. a person who walks dogs for money
  2. a worker who sells pet food
  3. a doctor for animals
  4. a teacher at a school
Multiple choice

4. What does a litter box do?

  1. It keeps a dog's fur clean.
  2. It carries a hamster home.
  3. It is the place where a cat goes to the toilet.
  4. It stores a pet's food.

Use the word in a situation

Use the word in a situation

Pick the word that fits the sentence.

Fill in the word

5. “The puppy sat, so I gave it a ___.”

  1. treat
  2. collar
  3. cage
  4. brush
Fill in the word

6. “Don’t forget to ___ the cat before school so it is not hungry.”

  1. walk
  2. bark
  3. brush
  4. feed
Fill in the word

7. “The hamster sleeps in its ___.”

  1. leash
  2. cage
  3. vet
  4. collar
Fill in the word

8. “The dog will ___ when the doorbell rings.”

  1. brush
  2. bark
  3. feed
  4. walk

Quick-check answers

  1. 1. a strap that connects to a dog's collar for walks
    A leash attaches to the collar so you can walk the dog safely. A bowl holds food or water, a cage is a home and a treat is a reward.
  2. 2. dry pet food in small pieces
    Kibble is crunchy dry pet food. A toy is for play, a bed is for sleeping and medicine helps a sick animal.
  3. 3. a doctor for animals
    A vet, short for veterinarian, treats animals. Dog walkers and store workers help pets in other ways, and a teacher works at a school.
  4. 4. It is the place where a cat goes to the toilet.
    A litter box holds litter for a cat's toilet. Fur is cleaned with a brush, small pets travel in carriers and food is stored in a container.
  5. 5. treat
    A treat is a small reward, so it fits the puppy sitting. A collar goes around the neck, a cage is a home and a brush is for fur.
  6. 6. feed
    Feed means give food, and the sentence is about being hungry. Walk is usually for dogs, bark is a dog sound, and brushing cleans fur but does not fix hunger.
  7. 7. cage
    A cage is the home of a small pet like a hamster. A leash is for walking a dog, a vet is a person and a collar goes around the neck.
  8. 8. bark
    Bark is the loud sound a dog makes. Brush, feed and walk are things a person does to a dog.

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