There are cat people in the world and there are dog people. While I have no problem with cats and grew up with many of them in our house, I am most definitely a dog person.

Our dog Roxie is an important part of our family. We found her through Petfinder and adopted her when she was a puppy. Bringing a dog into a house is not the easiest thing in the world, but the rewards for it are amazing.

This week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week (who knew?) and I thought I’d give my personal tips on the basics to staying safe with dogs.

These are what we have taught our kids and if you want some more formal lists the Centers for Disease Control , The Humane Society and the American Veterinary Medical Association have all posted tips as well.

• Never pet a dog that you don’t know. When approaching a dog on a leash, ask the owner if it is ok to pet the dog or not.
• Before approaching any dog, hold out your hand with the palm facing up to let the dog sniff you and check  you out. This lets them know you are not a threat.
• If the dog is eating or chewing on a bone, don’t bother them. Especially don’t sneak up behind them while they are doing this. You are likely to startle the dog and they may snap at you.
• Don’t judge a dog by the bread they are. All dogs are good dogs and if the dog is not behaving properly it is because they have not been trained properly.
• Little dogs bite too
• While you shouldn’t be scared of dogs, never assume that the dog is friendly. Especially if they are off leash and not near an owner. Proceed with caution, but not fear.

At the end of the day, the most important rule is to be smart. I’m still bothered by hearing a friend one time tell their child, “just remember that dogs are dangerous.” Hearing that broke my heart because we should never instill that sort of fear in someone about anything. Yes, dogs can be dangerous, but so can every other animal in the world. We should teach caution but not fear.

What other tips would you advise for parents to teach their kids about dogs?