How to Solve Your Dog's Fear of Children
Take Precautions
Never leave your dog unsupervised with children. This should be the rule for all dogs but especially for a dog who's afraid of children or if it's not known whether the dog is afraid. Prematurely leaving them alone to play puts both the dog and the children in a bad position that can result in even greater fear in the dog or an injury to the children. When a fearful dog (or a new dog) is around children، don't take your eyes off them for a second and be ready to separate them at the first sign that the dog is becoming uncomfortable.
Don't force your dog to make friends with a child. Making your dog stand still while a child approaches it or pets it is asking for trouble. If a fearful dog is pushed too far beyond its comfort zone، aggression can be the result، particularly if it is prevented from leaving the stressful situation.1 Don't put your dog in a position where it feels forced to defend itself.
Provide a Safe Space
All dogs need a quiet، safe space where they can be left alone. If your dog is afraid of children، make sure it has a safe، quiet spot it can get to when children are around but that the children cannot access. If your dog is crate trained، a crate makes a perfect hiding spot. Don't allow children anywhere near your dog's safe area.
Establish Rules
If you have children and a fearful dog living in the same household، it's important that your children have rules to follow. They should never be allowed to interact with the dog unsupervised، and they should know never to try to take the dog's toys or approach the dog while it's eating or sleeping.
It's also important that you spend time teaching your children the right way to interact with dogs. This includes how to touch your dog with gentle petting rather than poking، prodding، and pulling.
Train Your Dog
Desensitization is the process of gradually increasing your dog's interactions with children to make it more comfortable with them. Because a fearful dog can become aggressive، it's important to handle desensitization carefully.