ONE DOG TRAINER · FREE CLASSROOM LESSON
🐾 How to Be Safe
Around Any Dog
A complete read-aloud lesson for preschool and early elementary classrooms. Estimated time: 15–20 minutes including the coloring activity.
Ages 3–7 · No prep required · Coloring activity included
📋 What You'll Need: This read-aloud script (you're holding it), plus the One Dog Trainer Coloring Book pages for the activity at the end. Print the coloring book at onedogtrainer.com/coloring-book.html — one page per student, or random pages for the group activity. There's a Teacher Answer Key included at the end of the coloring book print.
🎬 Part 1 — Opening (Read Aloud to Students)
Teacher note: Gather students together. Speak in a warm, calm, conversational voice. Pause at the 🛑 symbols to ask the class the question before continuing.
"Raise your hand if you've ever seen a dog before." 🛑 [Wait for hands.]
"Raise your hand if you have a dog at home — or if your neighbor has one." 🛑 [Wait.]
"Wow, that's a lot of us! Dogs are amazing. They're friendly, they're fun, and a lot of them are great friends."
"But here's something really important that I want to share with you today — and I need you to listen closely, because this could keep you safe."
"Every single year in America, about 5 million people get bitten by a dog. That's a lot, right? And do you know who gets bitten the most? Kids. Kids just like you."
"And here's the part that might surprise you — most of the time, it's not a scary stray dog. Most of the time, it's a dog that the child knew. A family dog. A neighbor's dog. A dog they'd seen before."
"So today we're going to learn something really cool — how to read what a dog is telling you. Because dogs talk to us all the time. They just don't use words."
🐕 Part 2 — Why Dogs Bite (Read Aloud)
Teacher note: This part helps kids understand that dogs aren't "bad" when they bite — they're communicating. Framing it this way builds empathy and awareness rather than fear.
"Let me ask you something. Have you ever been really tired — and then someone jumped on you? How did that feel?" 🛑 [Let kids respond.]
"Or maybe you were eating lunch and someone grabbed your food without asking. Did that feel okay?" 🛑
"Dogs feel the same way. They have moments when they need space. When they're tired, or eating, or scared, or hurting — they don't want to be bothered."
"The difference is — dogs can't say 'please stop' with words. So they use their body. Their tail. Their ears. Their eyes. Their whole body is talking to you, all the time."
"And when we don't listen — when we hug too hard, or run up too fast, or bother a dog that needs space — sometimes the dog uses the only other way it knows to say STOP."
"That's when bites happen. Not because the dog is bad. Because the dog tried to tell us, and we didn't understand."
"Today you're going to learn to understand. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to look at a dog for just two seconds — and know exactly what it's saying."
👀 Part 3 — Reading the Dog (Read Aloud + Show)
Teacher note: Go through each signal below. For each one, make the face or body movement yourself so kids can mirror it. Ham it up — the more exaggerated and fun, the better they'll remember it. After each signal, have the class repeat the safety action together out loud.
"Okay — let's learn the dog signals. I'm going to show you what the dog looks like, and you're going to tell me if it's safe, careful, or danger. Ready?"
😄
HAPPY DOG
👀 Look for: Tail wagging loosely, body wiggly and relaxed, big soft smile, maybe jumping a little
✅ SAY TOGETHER: "Happy tail, wiggly body — probably okay! But still ask first!"
😌
RELAXED DOG
👀 Look for: Lying down or sitting calmly, soft eyes, not stiff, breathing slowly
✅ SAY TOGETHER: "Calm and comfy — safe to approach slowly and gently."
👀
ALERT DOG
👀 Look for: Ears straight up, body stiff, staring hard at something, very still
⚠️ SAY TOGETHER: "Ears up, body stiff — PAUSE. Stop. Wait. Don't go closer yet."
😬
STRESSED DOG
👀 Look for: Big yawn (when not tired), turning its head away, blinking fast, licking its lips
⚠️ SAY TOGETHER: "Yawning and looking away — the dog needs space. Back up!"
😨
SCARED DOG
👀 Look for: Tail tucked all the way under, cowering low, ears flat back, might be shaking
🚨 SAY TOGETHER: "Tail tucked, ears back — DANGER. Do NOT go near. Get an adult."
😡
GROWLING DOG
👀 Look for: Teeth showing, wrinkled nose, stiff body, growling sound, hackles up on back
🚨 SAY TOGETHER: "Growling and stiff — DANGER! FREEZE. Look away. Back away slowly. Yell for an adult!"
Teacher note: Pause here and do a quick quiz. Point to a student and describe a dog — "The dog's tail is tucked under and it's shaking. What does that mean? What do you do?" Let 3–4 students answer before moving on.
📋 Part 4 — The Rules (Read Aloud)
"Okay — now let's talk about the rules. These are for ANY dog — your dog at home, your neighbor's dog, and a stranger's dog. The rules are the same no matter what."
🙋
Rule 1: Always Ask First
Before you pet any dog — ANY dog, even one you know — ask a grown-up. Then ask the dog's owner. If there's no owner around, don't pet the dog.
Say it with me: "Ask a grown-up. Ask the owner. Then ask the dog."
🤲
Rule 2: Let the Dog Smell You First
Hold your hand out low and still. Let the dog come sniff it. If the dog backs away — don't follow. If the dog sniffs and stays — you can pet gently on the side or back.
Say it with me: "Hand out low. Let the dog decide."
💤
Rule 3: Leave It Alone When It Needs Space
If a dog is eating, sleeping, chewing a toy, or has puppies — leave it completely alone. Even the sweetest dog can be startled and react.
Say it with me: "Eating, sleeping, puppies — leave it alone."
🚫
Rule 4: No Hugging, No Face Kissing
We love to hug — but dogs don't always like it. Getting in a dog's face is one of the most common reasons kids get bitten. Pet the side or back. Never the face.
Say it with me: "No hugging dogs. No face kisses."
🌳
Rule 5: Stand Like a Tree
If a dog runs at you and you're scared — DON'T run. DON'T scream. Fold your arms, look at the ground, and stand completely still. Be a tree. Running makes dogs chase. Trees are boring.
Practice it now: Everybody stand up and be a tree! Arms folded. Eyes down. Still as a statue.
Teacher note: Actually have the class stand up and practice "stand like a tree" together. Do it twice. Kids who practice the physical movement are far more likely to use it instinctively when they need it.
🚫
Rule 6: Never Assume "Our Dog Would Never Bite"
Here's a hard truth — most kids who get bitten get bitten by a dog they knew. A family dog or a neighbor's dog. Every dog can have a hard moment. The rules apply to every dog, every time.
Say it with me: "Every dog. Every time. Same rules."
🎨 Part 5 — The Coloring Activity (15 minutes)
Teacher note: Hand out one random coloring page per student from the One Dog Trainer Coloring Book. Keep the Teacher Answer Key for yourself. Don't tell the kids which signal they have — let them figure it out after coloring.
1
Hand out pages — one random dog page per student. Each kid gets a different signal.2
Color — kids color their dog however they think it should look for that emotion. Give them 5–8 minutes.3
Guess and share — ask "Who thinks their dog is HAPPY? Stand up!" Kids with happy dogs stand. Each one holds up their page and says one thing about how they know.4
Danger sort — have the class sort all pages into three groups on the board or floor: ✅ Safe · ⚠️ Careful · 🚨 Danger5
Safety question — for each Danger dog, ask the class: "What would you do if you saw THIS dog?" Have them say the action out loud together.6
Take it home — kids bring their colored page home to share with parents. The page has onedogtrainer.com on it — parents can learn more and find the free safety game.
🎓 Part 6 — Closing (Read Aloud)
"You all just learned something that most adults don't even know. You can read what a dog is saying — just by looking at it for two seconds."
"So here's your job from now on: every time you see a dog — any dog — take two seconds. Look at the tail. Look at the body. Look at the face. Ask yourself — is this dog happy? Stressed? Scared?"
"And no matter what — always ask first."
"You are officially dog safety experts. And that means you can teach your family too. Tonight, show your mom or dad your coloring page and teach them what it means."
"Dogs need us to understand them. And now — you do." 🐾
🔗 Free Resources for Your Classroom:
· Coloring Book (30 pages + Answer Key): onedogtrainer.com/coloring-book.html
· Interactive Safety Game (6 levels): onedogtrainer.com/kids-safety-guide.html
· Preschool Data & Parent Guide: onedogtrainer.com/preschool-guide.html
· One Dog Trainer: onedogtrainer.com — Steve Holland, Professional Dog Trainer, Yorkville IL
All resources are free to print, share, and use in any classroom or community setting.