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" A few months ago, our new neighbor&amp;#039;s rottweiler broke through their four-foot fence and terrorized our children. The dog tore their ball apart, but thankfully didn&amp;#039;t hurt the kids. The owner apologized, replaced the ball, and promised to get a six-foot fence or a large kennel -- but still has not gotten either. We don&amp;#039;t want to be afraid to go in our own backyard. What should we do? --C.D., 41, Burlington, NJ Yikes. For starters, make sure your kids know how to socialize with dogs. Aside from what happened here--which is not their fault--they need to know how to act around canines; they&amp;#039;ll encounter hundreds of them as they grow up and their safety is priority number one. They should never taunt or surprise any animal, especially if he&amp;#039;s sleeping or eating. Nor should they put their faces into a dog&amp;#039;s face. (I learned this one the hard way: When I was 7 I nearly lost a nostril to an otherwise gentle dachshund.) Teach them to remain as calm and still as possible if a dog behaves aggressively toward them (snarls, bares his teeth, raises his hackles, is not wagging his tail). If your neighbor&amp;#039;s dog chooses to make another unscheduled visit, direct your children to come inside quietly and quickly. You should also find out what the laws are regarding aggressive dogs in New Jersey -- and make your neighbor aware of the repercussions if her pet bites one of your children. Plus, for your own peace of mind, you should document the events and your conversations with your neighbor. As for the fence that your neighbor hasn&amp;#039;t gotten around to yet--this may sound drastic, but I wouldn&amp;#039;t wait for her to make good on her promise. As soon as possible, put the thing up and present your neighbor with the bill, or at least half of it. This is one of those situations where it seems better to err on the side of caution.  Award-winning writer Karen Karbo is the author of How to Hepburn: Lessons on Living from Kate the Great. She&amp;#039;s also a mom, a writing teacher, and a horse owner. Send your questions to her at: The Hard Stuff, REDBOOK, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019 or karenkarbo@redbookmag.com. Letters may be edited for clarity and length, and must include your initials, age, city, and state. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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