Today there is yet a different approach. The child’s fears are barely discussed.

Today is about teaching Dylan Blount the characteristics of dogs and what to do about meeting strange ones. It’s all about turtles and trees, Leah Brewer, founder of the Tail Wagging Tales reading program at the Roanoke Rapids Library, explains.

It’s part of Brewer’s plans to make Dylan a dog listener, a video by the same name the child chooses not to watch during his session last week.

By helping him understand dogs, Brewer hopes this will ease his fear of them.

A voracious reader, Dylan gladly accepts a workbook, which upon completion, he will become an official dog listener, Brewer tells him.

Brewer’s lesson is the same one she has taught at the Boys and Girls Club, a lesson in preventing dog bites.

Dylan recalls his cousin’s dog. “When someone rang the doorbell the dog was all over the place. Every place I would sit I would see that dog.”

The first time the dog acted strangely, Dylan said he ran. “The second time I tried to avoid her.”

One of the first lessons in meeting strange or stray dogs is not to run, Brewer said. That only fuels their instinct to chase. “Don’t ever make eye contact,” she explains. “That can be intimidating.”

If meeting someone’s dog for the first time, Brewer said to ask the owner’s permission to greet it and do so by balling your fist under the dog’s snout. Doing that, she said, the animal, “Will know everything from that smell, even what you ate.”

On a board, Brewer gives Dylan a pop quiz on what to look for should he meet an unleashed dog. “It’s never a good sign if you see their teeth or their hair raises up.”

Be still, however, Brewer advises, reiterating it fuels their need to chase.

Instead, she explains the two Ts. “If a dog is loose you need to be a tree or a turtle.”

The tree position from livingwithkidsanddogs.com

The tree position is simple. Stand with your hands at your side. “Look down at your feet or up at the sky. The dog will smell you and get bored.”

Brewer and Dylan practice the turtle position.

The turtle position helps protect against aggressive dogs, Brewer explains, and is simply dropping down to your knees and balling up. That protects your body, organs and limbs. “If you’re bunched up they will go away.”

Other tips include:

Dogs do not like to be teased.

Stay away from dogs that are chained or in fenced yards.

Do not shout, run around, or stick hands at dogs through fences or open car windows.

Never approach a strange dog.

Dogs are possessive about certain things. Do not grab things like bones, balls or other pet toys from a dog.

Never stick your hand into a dog fight. Find an adult to help.

Editor’s note: This is the seventh of a continuing series documenting the progress Dylan Blount makes overcoming his fear of dogs by reading to Elle, a registered therapy dog, at the Roanoke Rapids Public Library. For more information on Tail Wagging Tales contact the library at 252-533-2890.