Martha Speaks is a great show on PBS that teaches kids about dogs. Susan Medaugh created Martha Speaks when her then-seven-year-old son asked what would happen if he fed their family dog his alphabet soup.

The series and the books follow a family dog who eats alphabet soup and gains the ability of human speech. In addition to its mission of vocabulary development–always a good thing– the series aims to educate children 4-to-7 about shelter animals, and inform families on pet ownership and responsibility.

The season premiere on September 14, explores Martha, the title character’s days as a shelter dog; presenting strong anti-littering/pet safety messages. Be sure to tune to your local PBS affiliate on September 14.