Adrian Burder, chief ­executive officer, Dogs Trust, Wakley Street, London, writes:

Many of us either own a dog or will meet one when out and about, but you might be surprised to know that research from the Dogs Trust has shown that one in three children are afraid of dogs.

We are offering free advice to help families, and anyone who comes into contact with dogs regularly, improve their understanding of man’s best friend. This includes tips on how to approach a dog safely and how to respond when a dog approaches you, to pointers for parents who have a child who is scared of dogs.

Thanks to funds from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, the Dogs Trust is also running free workshops in schools to help children to feel more confident around dogs.

Visit www.learnwith dogstrust.org.uk for more ­information.