(HealthDay News) — Although often labeled man’s best friend, a dog’s instinct may tell him to bite to protect himself around those he doesn’t know — especially excitable children.

Here are a few tips from the U.S. Centers for seo services Disease Control and Prevention on how to keep your children from provoking dogs:

• Stay away from dogs you don’t know. Children should never run up to pet a strange dog, no matter how friendly it looks.
• Never approach any dog — even a dog you know — who is eating, sleeping, or with its puppies.
• Do not run and scream around a dog.
• Be still if an unfamiliar dog approaches you, and let it sniff you and see you before you try to walk away.
• If seo tips a child is playing with a dog, make sure an adult is around to supervise.