Every year there are reports of dog bites and attacks by aggressive dogs in the newspaper, which often result in the tragic deaths of children. So what can parents do to avoid this danger? One of the best ways of keeping children safe is to teach them how to deal with an aggressive dog. There are several important things they need to know. Firstly a child should never ever approach a strange dog without adult supervision, especially when that dog is eating or sleeping. Secondly, they should not run away from an aggressive dog, as this often provokes an attack, as does screaming, so children should try to stay calm and to tell the dog to sit, stay, or go home. If they can manage to use a commanding voice, this can often snap a dog out of its aggressive mode. Thirdly, a child should never stare at the dog as making eye contact can be interpreted as a challenge. Another thing a child should never do is to try and break up a dog fight. In fact, parents need to tell their children not to try to defend their pet if another dog attacks it. Many children have been savagely mauled and bitten because they picked up their own dog when a strange dog had become aggressive. Lastly, if a dog does begin to attack, children should curl up into a ball, and protect their neck and face with their arms, with their fingers curled up into fists. Staying calm in the face of a dangerous dog situation and knowing how to deal with strange dogs might end up saving your child's life one day, so make sure you give them this information as soon as you think they are old enough to understand it.