Liam Belt, a YMCA Summer Camp participant, gets licked by Hope, a dog from the Butler Dog Training Association, after the group gave the camp lessons in dog safety at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Children in the YMCA’s Summer Camp learned on Tuesday, July 23, magic words that can help keep them safe around dogs they don’t know.

“May I please pet your dog?”

Members of the Butler Dog Training Association visited the campers at Armco Park Tuesday morning, where they taught the children that even if they have friendly dogs at home, not every pooch wants to be petted, or even approached.

Nancy Kieffer, director of training at the Butler Dog Training Association, said members of the organization regularly visit schools and camps with their dogs, which helps the young people there practice dog etiquette. On Tuesday, about 10 members of the group, and even more dogs, attended the YMCA summer camp and taught children how to react around new dogs.

“Don’t stick your hand through a window, through a fence; don’t wake them up,” Kieffer said. “That’s what we try to do is teach them, don’t bother them, don’t move their food while they’re eating; we talk about that.”

The YMCA Summer Camp runs from June 10 to Aug. 16 and has daily activities which include visits from guest organizations, such as the dog training association. Other activities brought to Armco Park this summer included “Funtastic Foam” and a sign language lesson.

Many of the children Tuesday could hardly contain their excitement as they watched each member of the dog training association bring a pet front and center for an introduction. Following those introductions, members of the association taught the children to let their dogs come to them as they stood still with their arms tucked at their sides, which is what they recommended doing when being approached by a new dog.

When the dogs began doing tricks like riding a skateboard and standing on an exercise ball, the children’s excitement grew. This was the moment the association members had prepared them for, because although the children wanted to praise the dogs more than ever, they could not pet the pooches until they asked their owners.

The response from the 100-ish children came in unison.

“May I please pet your dog?”

Betty Scarnato, a member of the Butler Dog Training Association, said she hoped the children carried that lesson with them.

“They should let the dog come up to them,” Scarnato said. “Our dogs like kids, but you could come across someone whose dog doesn’t like kids, and that’s OK, because not every dog has to like kids.”

Kieffer said the dog trainers association also visits nursing homes and hospitals to meet with patients, but it is important for its members to meet with children because many don’t know how to properly interact with dogs.

“Not all dogs want to see them, and (children) don’t even think of it,” Kieffer said.

Participants in the YMCA Summer Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township watch a dog from the Butler Dog Training Association perform tricks on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Participants in the YMCA Summer Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township watch a dog from the Butler Dog Training Association perform tricks on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Haley Monpere, a participant in the YMCA Summer Camp at Armco Park, pets a golden retriever after the Butler Dog Training Association gave lessons on dog safety on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Nancy Kieffer, director of training at the Butler Dog Training Association, gives lessons in dog safety during the YMCA Summer Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Participants in the YMCA Summer Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township pet a golden retriever after the Butler Dog Training Association gave lessons on dog safety on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Sadie Motter, center, a participant in the YMCA Summer Camp at Armco Park, hugs a golden retriever after the Butler Dog Training Association gave lessons on dog safety on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Jaden Scolaro, a participant in the YMCA Summer Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township, is licked by one of the dogs from the Butler Dog Training Association after the group gave lessons on dog safety on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Arabella Townsend, a participant in the YMCA Summer Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township, acts like a tree while Nancy Kieffer, director of training at the Butler Dog Training Association, gives lessons in dog safety on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Sadie Motter, center, a participant in the YMCA Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township, pets a golden retriever belonging to a member of the Butler Dog Training Association after the group gave lessons on dog safety on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Emma Petrovic, a participant in the YMCA Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township, pets one of the dogs from the Butler Dog Training Association after the group gave lessons on dog safety on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Cora Hinds, a participant in the YMCA Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township, pets one of the dogs from the Butler Dog Training Association after the group gave lessons on dog safety on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Participants in the YMCA Camp at Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township gather around to pet a dog from the Butler Dog Training Association after the group gave lessons in dog safety on Tuesday, July 23. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle