True or false?

* If you are approached by an aggressive dog, scream and run away.
* Look directly into a threatening dog’s eyes, to establish your dominance.
* A dog flattening his ears against his head indicates he wants you to pet him.

If you answered true to any of the above… you have a lot of company. Every year, more than 800,000 people, more than half of them children, get medical attention for dog bites. And many were bitten because they did not understand how to deal with an aggressive dog.

Next week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. And Bark Busters, a worldwide network of dog trainers, is offering free hour-long workshops by its South Florida affiliates on bite prevention and animal behavior. Bark Busters Dog Safety program is available to community and neighborhood groups, Boy and Girl Scout troops, and other organizations.

Bark Busters also is giving away free window decals for homeowners, which alert emergency personnel and firefighters that a pet is inside the home.

To schedule a workshop or for more information, click here for the Bark Busters Web site. Or call 877-500-2275 to find a Bark Buster trainer near you.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also have a great tip sheet on dog bite prevention. Click here to see it.

As for our test above? All of the statements were false. Here are the correct answers and a few more tips:
1.) Do not run and scream if a dog is threatening you. Instead, face the dog but stand very still. Wait for the dog to lose interest and then back away slowly, watching the dog from the corner of your eye.
2.) Avoid direct eye contact with a dog, as the animal might feel threatened. Fear is the number one reason dogs bite.
3.) Ears flattened against the head, tail lowered, hackles raised on the back of the neck and teeth bared all are danger signs that the dog might attack.