The best advice I’ve ever heard when it comes to avoiding getting bitten by a dog is this: don’t mess with a dog you don’t know. That’s pretty easy to do, right? Yes, it makes a wide assumption that any dog could bite, but in reality, any dog could bite. When provoked by a young child, my dog—then in the care of a friend while we were moving—did bite.

Though she did not cause much harm, she did have to be “put to sleep” over it, something I never understood at that age (I was nine) and never really got over. I haven’t really had a dog since. (We did try to have a puppy when my daughter was a baby, but that didn’t work out and we found her a better, baby-less home.)

Here are some tips to avoid being bitten by a dog.

• Don’t provoke a dog. Would you like it if people teased you, especially if you were cruelly tied to a chain? If you were a dog, you’d probably bite, too! No tail-pulling, staring into a dog’s eyes (which can make you seem confrontational), or even name-calling. A dog can tell when you’re not being nice, too.
• Don’t pet a dog without his owner’s permission. The dog’s owner can tell you if he is friendly or not. You may not be in a situation where this is possible; in that case, err on the side of caution.
• Don’t approach dogs you don’t know. This is especially true if the dog is tied up; you have no idea of its temperament. My aunt has an older dog who seems very friendly, but she can snap at people she simply doesn’t like.
• Don’t try to kiss dogs. Don’t even put your fact right up in front of theirs—they usually don’t like it! Of course, there are exceptions; I’ve seen plenty of dog owners “kiss” their dogs, though I’ve never seen its appeal. Still, if the dog isn’t yours, don’t risk it.
• Do let the dog get a feel for you. If the owner says she’s okay to pet, don’t just run up to Lassie and start petting away. Let her come to you. Let her sniff your hand to make sure you are a nice person. If she really is friendly, she’ll probably approach you gladly if being petted is on her mind.