I'll Never Hurt a Little Dog Lyrics
A child promises to be kind to a little dog: to stroke him, pat him, feed him and never hurt him. In return the dog will love the child back.
I'll Never Hurt a Little Dog
I'll never hurt a little dog,
But stroke and pat his head;
I like to see him wag his tail,
I like to see him fed.
Then I will never whip my dog,
Nor ever give him pain;
Poor fellow, I will give him food,
And he'll love me again.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/ill-never-hurt-a-little-dog/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 2 to 6 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| But stroke and pat his head | Stroke a toy dog gently. |
| I like to see him wag his tail | Wiggle like a happy dog. |
| I will give him food | Pretend to fill a food bowl. |
What Does I'll Never Hurt a Little Dog Mean?
The rhyme is a promise about kindness to animals. Being gentle, patting a dog's head and making sure he is fed are the ways a child shows care, and the last line says the dog will return that care. It is a good starting point for talking with children about how to treat pets.
History and Origin
The rhyme comes from Songs for the Little Ones at Home, an American collection compiled by Mary O. Ward and published in New York in 1874. Kindness to animals was a common theme in children's verse of that time.
Learning Activities
- Gentle hands: practice stroking a toy dog softly.
- Pet care chart: draw what a dog needs each day: food, water, walks and kind words.
- Meet a dog: talk about asking the owner before touching any dog.