In "Rez Dog Rules," an independent dog discovers that there is something that he values just as much as his freedom.
Pair “Rez Road” with “Rez Dog Rules” and ask students to discuss the importance of physical freedom as portrayed in both texts. In “Rez Road,” how does the speaker feel about the physical space of the reservation, compared to “all that was once ours” (Line 2)? In “Rez Dog Rules,” Ozzie “imagined himself roaming the mesas like his ancestor, the wolf, and he felt proud of his heritage” (Paragraph 3). Why is Ozzie’s desire for freedom and connection to his heritage so important? How does it connect with the speaker’s feelings in “Rez Road”? What do you think both authors are trying to communicate about Indigenous Americans’ desire for the physical freedom of their pre-colonial ancestors?