YOUNGSTERS at a Nailsea preschool learned how to act responsibly around dogs on Friday when staff from a grooming parlour brought in a four-legged visitor.

Carolyn Price and Emily Harnarayan from Dog’s Palace, in the high street, took Rhodesian Ridgeback Kodi to meet children from St Francis Preschool as part of a topic on how to look after pets, organised by pre school assistant Katie Dyer.

Preschool Manager Christine Quinn said: “The visit was really informative.

“As well as teaching the children how to behave around and approach dogs that are unknown to them, the visitors showed the children how to take care of our pet dogs by doing things like grooming them.”

Dog’s Palace founder Carolyn said: “We are finding that it benefits young children greatly to teach them how to behave calmly around dogs.

“Teaching them not to scream and run away if a strange dog were to approach them in a park but to act calmly, can prevent unwanted incidents.

“It is also very important for children to know not to approach strange dogs without asking the owner first if it is friendly.”