Dogs and Children: Helping Them Live Safely Together

Updated September 2026

Dogs and children can have wonderful relationships, but those relationships need help from adults.

Children and dogs communicate very differently. Children can be noisy, fast, wobbly, affectionate and unpredictable. Dogs may find hugging, grabbing, faces close to theirs, sudden movement or being followed when they try to leave uncomfortable.

The most important principle is simple:

Children and dogs need appropriate adult supervision, and dogs need somewhere they can move away and rest without being followed.

The aim is not to frighten children with dogs.

It is to teach children how to behave safely and respectfully around them, while adults learn to recognise when a dog is asking for space.

I am also a Kids Around Dogs (KAD) Affiliate. I support KAD’s approach to improving the well-being of both children and dogs, and its work helping families build safer, more respectful relationships with one another.

KAD Affiliate status is different from being a KAD Approved Professional. I am not presenting myself as a specialist children’s behaviour practitioner or KAD Approved Professional. Where a family needs specialist help, I am very happy to point them towards the appropriate KAD resources or professional support. KAD itself makes this distinction clear within its Affiliate scheme. (Kids Around Dogs)

You can learn more about Kids Around Dogs through their main website. KAD describes itself as an association of dog and childcare professionals specialising in helping families and schools so that children and dogs can live more harmoniously together. (Kids Around Dogs)

For more help understanding what your own dog may be communicating, visit my Dog Behaviour and Body Language Guide.

Children often show affection in very human ways.

That can include:

• hugging
• kissing
• putting their face close to the dog’s face
• reaching over the dog
• grabbing
• climbing
• following the dog around
• excited voices and sudden movement

A dog may not interpret these actions as affection.

Some dogs tolerate them.

Some actively dislike them.

Others may cope until one day they are tired, sore, startled or simply have had enough.

That is why I would never judge whether an interaction is safe simply because:

“She’s always been good with the kids.”

Look at what is happening now.

The Most Important Rule: Supervise

Children, particularly younger children, should not be left alone with a dog.

That includes:

• your own family dog
• a dog your child knows well
• a calm dog
• a puppy
• an older dog
• a small dog
• a dog who has never previously growled or snapped

Active supervision means more than being somewhere else in the house.

You need to be able to see what is happening and intervene before either the child or dog becomes overwhelmed.

The RSPCA recommends that children are not left alone with dogs and that dogs have the ability to move away when they need space.

RSPCA guidance on children and dogs is a useful additional resource for families.

If you cannot actively supervise, safely separate them.

Kids Around Dogs and Active Supervision

One of the reasons I value the work of Kids Around Dogs is that their resources are aimed at helping children understand dogs without teaching them to be frightened of them.

KAD’s free resources include material on:

• what children can do if a dog runs or jumps towards them
• where dogs may be more comfortable being stroked
• recognising when a dog’s fear or discomfort may be increasing
• basic dog body language
• active adult supervision
• teaching respect rather than fear

Their free resources currently include guides such as Be a Statue!, Where Should You Stroke Your Dog?, The Steps of Fear, Being Safe Around Dogs, Be a Helicopter Parent! and Respect vs Fear.

I would encourage parents and carers to explore the Kids Around Dogs free resources alongside this guide.

Give Your Dog Somewhere Children Cannot Follow

Every dog should have somewhere they can rest without being disturbed.

That might be:

• a bed in a quiet area
• a separate room
• a comfortably gated area
• an open crate, if the dog genuinely chooses to rest there
• another familiar child-free space

The important part is not simply providing the bed or barrier.

It is teaching the household what it means.

When the dog goes there, leave them alone.

Do not allow children to:

• climb into the dog’s bed
• crawl into their crate
• follow them into their quiet area
• wake them because they want a cuddle
• repeatedly call them back out

Your dog’s safe space needs to genuinely be safe.

Teach Children When to Leave a Dog Alone

Children should learn that there are times when a dog should not be approached.

Leave a dog alone when they are:

• eating
• drinking
• chewing something
• sleeping
• resting
• hiding
• unwell
• injured
• tired
• trying to move away
• showing signs that they are uncomfortable

A simple family rule works much better than a complicated lecture:

If the dog is eating, sleeping, busy or moving away, leave them alone.

Let the Dog Move Away

This is one of the most important lessons children can learn.

If the dog walks away, the interaction stops.

Do not:

• follow them
• pull them back
• block them
• call them back for another cuddle
• encourage the child to chase them

Walking away is useful communication.

The dog is making a choice.

We want that choice to work.

My Does My Dog Want to Be Petted? guide looks more closely at recognising whether a dog wants physical contact to continue.

Should Children Hug Dogs?

I generally discourage children from hugging dogs.

Some dogs may appear comfortable with close physical contact from particular people, but hugging restricts a dog’s movement and often brings a child’s face very close to the dog’s face.

There are safer ways for children to build a relationship.

Depending on the individual dog, that might include:

• sitting calmly nearby
• gently stroking the shoulder or chest
• helping scatter food for a sniffing game
• throwing a toy the dog enjoys
• taking part in simple reward-based training with adult supervision
• simply sharing the same space

Children do not need to constantly touch a dog in order to have a relationship with them.

Teach Children to Notice When a Dog Needs Space

Children do not need to become dog behaviour experts.

Adults should, however, learn to notice the quieter signs.

A dog who is becoming uncomfortable might:

• turn their head away
• move away
• turn their body away
• lick their lips
• yawn
• lower their head
• tuck or lower their tail
• become unusually still
• stop interacting
• close their mouth suddenly
• stiffen
• hide
• freeze
• growl

One isolated signal cannot tell you exactly what a dog is feeling.

A yawn can simply be a yawn.

A dog turning away may have noticed something elsewhere.

Look at the whole dog, the situation and what is normal for that individual.

My Dog Stress and Threshold Signs guide explains this in more detail.

Quiet Does Not Always Mean Comfortable

This is particularly important around children.

A dog does not need to bark, growl or snap before an interaction has become too much.

Some dogs become very still.

They may:

• freeze
• stop responding
• turn their head away
• remain rigid
• avoid eye contact
• lie completely still while a child touches them

Adults sometimes interpret this as:

“He doesn’t mind.”

But staying still does not necessarily mean the dog is enjoying the interaction.

Look for voluntary engagement, loose movement and the ability to leave.

What if My Dog Growls at My Child?

Take the growl seriously.

Calmly create space and separate the dog and child.

Do not punish your dog for growling.

Growling is communication.

It tells you that your dog is uncomfortable enough to ask for something to change.

Punishing the warning does not solve the underlying problem.

It could leave you with a dog who is still uncomfortable but is less willing to warn you.

My Why Do Dogs Growl? guide explains this in much more detail.

Then consider what happened immediately beforehand.

Was the dog:

• asleep?
• eating?
• chewing?
• being hugged?
• followed?
• cornered?
• startled?
• touched somewhere uncomfortable?
• trying to get away?

Do not recreate the situation just to see whether the dog does it again.

If growling around a child is repeated or concerning, seek appropriate professional help.

What if My Dog Snaps or Bites?

Separate the dog and child safely.

Do not punish the dog afterwards.

If somebody has been bitten, seek appropriate medical attention.

Snapping or biting around a child needs individual assessment.

Contact your veterinary practice because pain and other health problems can change behaviour.

For behaviour support, the Animal Behaviour and Training Council practitioner directory is one route for finding appropriately assessed professionals.

If the concern specifically involves relationships between children and dogs, Kids Around Dogs also provides a directory of KAD Approved Professionals. KAD Approved Professionals are different from Affiliates like me and are the appropriate KAD route where specialist support is required.

I am happy to signpost you.

I would not treat a biting-risk situation as an ordinary dog-training problem.

Babies and Dogs

A new baby can change a dog’s world considerably.

There may be changes to:

• routine
• walking times
• sleep
• visitors
• household noise
• furniture
• access to rooms
• how much attention people have available

Where possible, introduce practical changes gradually before the baby arrives.

That might include:

• introducing gates
• establishing a comfortable resting area
• changing routines gradually
• practising calm settling
• helping your dog become comfortable while you are busy elsewhere

Your dog does not need unrestricted access to the baby in order to form a successful family relationship.

Calm coexistence is perfectly acceptable.

Toddlers and Dogs

Toddlers can be particularly difficult for dogs to predict.

They may:

• wobble
• fall
• grab
• shout
• run
• suddenly change direction
• reach towards a dog’s face
• take toys
• follow a dog who is moving away

A toddler cannot reliably take responsibility for dog safety.

Adults need to manage the environment.

If you cannot actively supervise, use appropriate separation.

Do not rely on continually telling a toddler:

“Leave the dog alone.”

Set the situation up so both child and dog can succeed.

School-Age Children and Dogs

Older children can gradually learn more responsibility.

Teach them:

• not to disturb a sleeping dog
• not to take food or chews away
• not to climb over dogs
• not to corner them
• not to put their face into a dog’s face
• to stop when the dog moves away
• to recognise some simple signs that the dog needs space

They may also enjoy suitable reward-based activities.

A simple search game or easy piece of training can create a much healthier relationship than expecting the dog to accept constant cuddling.

Dogs and Children Around Food

Food needs sensible management.

Children should not:

• put their hands into a dog’s bowl
• take food away
• remove a chew
• deliberately test whether the dog will allow them to take something
• approach closely while the dog is eating

There is no benefit in proving that a dog will tolerate having food removed.

If guarding is a concern, separate the dog and child and seek appropriate professional help.

Toys and Chews

The same principle applies to objects the dog values.

Children should not be responsible for taking toys from dogs.

If your dog is guarding:

• toys
• chews
• stolen objects
• food
• beds
• particular spaces

manage the situation rather than turning it into a confrontation.

Guarding around children warrants professional advice.

Sleeping Dogs Need Rest

Sleeping dogs should be left alone.

That includes dogs sleeping:

• on their bed
• on the sofa
• under a table
• in a crate
• beside an adult

Do not allow children to:

• sit on the dog
• climb over them
• pull them
• poke them
• shout near their face
• wake them for physical affection

If your dog regularly sleeps somewhere that makes safe family management difficult, change the environment.

Management is much easier than repeatedly waiting for a problem and correcting it afterwards.

When Other Children Visit Your Home

Your own children may understand the house rules.

Their friends may not.

Before visitors arrive, decide what your dog needs.

That might involve:

• a gate
• a quiet room
• a comfortable bed away from the activity
• brief controlled greetings
• no greeting at all
• suitable enrichment elsewhere
• letting your dog sleep somewhere peaceful

Your dog does not have to take part in every gathering.

Sometimes removing them from the excitement is the kinder option.

What About Dogs Children Meet Outside?

Children should never assume that an unfamiliar dog wants to meet them.

Teach them to:

• ask the owner first
• stay calm
• avoid running towards the dog
• avoid squealing near them
• keep their face away from the dog’s face
• not reach straight over the dog’s head
• accept “no” immediately
• let the dog decide whether to approach

Even when the owner says their dog is friendly, the dog still needs a choice.

My How to Greet a Dog Properly guide explains how to make greetings less pressured.

What Should a Child Do if a Dog Runs Towards Them?

This is an area where Kids Around Dogs has a particularly useful child-friendly resource.

Their free Be a Statue! guide is designed to teach children what to do if a dog jumps, barks or runs towards them. =

Rather than teaching children that every approaching dog is dangerous, the idea is to give them a simple behaviour they can remember if they feel unsure.

You can find Be a Statue! and the other free Kids Around Dogs resources on the KAD website.

Dogs on Leads Need Space Too

A dog on a lead cannot always move away easily.

They may be:

• nervous
• recovering from surgery
• elderly
• in pain
• frustrated
• learning
• simply uninterested in meeting children

Teach children not to run towards dogs on leads or reach out as they pass.

My My Dog Is on a Lead: Please Give Us Space guide explains why giving unfamiliar dogs room matters.

If Your Own Dog Is Nervous Around Children

Do not force interaction.

A frightened dog does not need children to repeatedly stroke them in order to learn that children are safe.

Start with management.

That might mean:

• creating more distance
• using secure barriers
• providing a child-free rest area
• preventing children following the dog
• keeping interactions short
• avoiding unnecessarily busy situations
• ending interactions while the dog is still coping

Your dog can learn while remaining at a comfortable distance.

Repeatedly putting them into situations they cannot handle can make things harder.

Read Dog Stress and Threshold Signs for more about recognising when your dog is beginning to struggle.

Rescue Dogs and Children

A rescue dog is not automatically unsuitable for a family with children.

Equally, their previous history may not be complete.

Give a newly adopted dog time to settle before expecting close interaction with everybody in the family.

My Rescue Dog Help Hub covers the wider settling process.

For suitable local dogs, Rescue Dog Support in Finchley may provide calm practical support with routines and confidence.

However, that is not a substitute for specialist behavioural assessment where there is a safety concern involving children.

Older Dogs and Children

Older dogs may need more consideration around children than they did when they were younger.

Pain, reduced hearing, changes in vision, mobility problems and cognitive changes can alter how comfortable a dog feels when approached or startled.

A dog who tolerated busy family life for years may begin asking for more space.

Do not dismiss a new growl or reduced tolerance as:

“He’s just becoming grumpy.”

A change in behaviour deserves attention.

Speak to your vet where appropriate.

My Senior Dog Care Guide covers some of the other changes worth watching for as dogs age.

What if My Child Is Frightened of Dogs?

Do not force a frightened child to stroke a dog to prove that dogs are safe.

A frightened child deserves the same patient approach that I would want for a frightened dog.

This is another area where Kids Around Dogs offers more specialist support than I do.

KAD founder Debby Lucken developed a protocol specifically aimed at helping children and adults who are frightened of dogs, and KAD Approved Professionals can use that protocol. (

If your child has a significant fear of dogs, I recommend looking at Kids Around Dogs and their Find a KAD Professional service rather than treating it as something I would resolve through ordinary dog walking or training support.

My Kids Around Dogs Affiliation

I think it is important to be clear about what my affiliation means.

I am a Kids Around Dogs Affiliate.

That means I support the KAD ethos and its focus on the physical and emotional wellbeing of both children and dogs.

KAD Affiliates also receive access to educational materials that help them promote safer, force-free relationships between dogs and children.

It does not mean that I am a KAD Approved Professional.

KAD states that its Affiliates have not been assessed through its Approved Professional programme and should not be presented as though they have completed KAD professional courses. (Kids Around Dogs)

I include that distinction deliberately.

My experience with dogs and my KAD affiliation help inform the practical safety advice I share, but when a child or dog’s needs fall outside my role, I will refer rather than pretend to offer specialist treatment.

You can find out more about Kids Around Dogs, explore their free resources or find an appropriate KAD professional through their website.

A Simple Family Rule: If the Dog Says No, Stop

Children benefit from simple rules.

One I particularly like is:

If the dog moves away, let them go.

You can build from there:

• sleeping dog = leave alone
• eating dog = leave alone
• hiding dog = leave alone
• dog moves away = stop
• dog looks worried = get an adult
• dog growls = move away and get an adult

The responsibility still belongs to the adult.

We should not expect a young child to manage a difficult dog interaction themselves.

When to Speak to Your Vet or a Behaviour Professional

Seek professional advice if your dog:

• repeatedly growls around children
• snaps
• has bitten
• guards food or toys
• guards resting spaces
• freezes or becomes very tense around children
• appears increasingly frightened
• suddenly becomes less tolerant
• has possible pain or health problems
• cannot be safely managed around children

Health should be considered when behaviour changes.

For significant aggression or bite risk, contact your veterinary practice and seek appropriately qualified behaviour support.

The Animal Behaviour and Training Council practitioner directory is one useful route.

Where the problem specifically involves children and dogs, you can also use Kids Around Dogs’ Find a Professional service.

How I Can Help, and Where My Role Stops

I have worked professionally with dogs since 2011 and have particular experience with rescue, nervous, sensitive and what I affectionately call “awkward but awesome” dogs.

I am also a Kids Around Dogs Affiliate.

For suitable dogs, my Solo Dog Walks, and One-to-One Dog Training Support may help with calm everyday routines, confidence and reward-based skills.

However, I am not a clinical animal behaviourist or KAD Approved Professional.

If your dog is:

• seriously frightened of children
• repeatedly growling
• snapping
• guarding
• biting
• presenting a safety risk

I would rather help you find the right professional than suggest that an ordinary training or walking session is sufficient.

That boundary protects both the child and the dog.

Quick Dogs and Children Safety Checklist

• Actively supervise children and dogs together.
• Separate them when active supervision is not possible.
• Give your dog a genuinely child-free resting space.
• Leave dogs alone while eating or sleeping.
• Avoid hugging and face-to-face contact.
• Teach children that moving away means stop.
• Never punish a growl.
• Do not force nervous dogs to interact.
• Ask before approaching unfamiliar dogs.
• Let the dog choose whether to participate.
• Take sudden behaviour changes seriously.
• Seek help early if there is growling, guarding, snapping or biting.
• Use age-appropriate resources such as those available from Kids Around Dogs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should children hug dogs?

I generally discourage it.

Many dogs find being held tightly uncomfortable, particularly when a child’s face is close to theirs.

There are safer ways for children and dogs to interact.

Is it safe to leave my child alone with our family dog?

Young children should not be left alone with a dog, including the family dog.

If you cannot actively supervise, separate them safely.

What should my child do if the dog walks away?

Let the dog go.

Do not follow them or bring them back for more attention.

Moving away is communication.

What if my dog growls at my child?

Create space immediately and calmly separate them.

Do not punish the growl.

Consider what happened immediately beforehand and seek professional advice if the behaviour is repeated or concerning.

What if my dog has snapped at my child?

Treat it as a significant safety concern.

Separate the child and dog and contact your vet.

Seek appropriately qualified behavioural support.

If somebody has been injured, seek appropriate medical attention.

Should my child take the dog’s food away to prevent guarding?

No.

Do not use children to test food guarding.

Manage access safely and seek professional help if guarding is a concern.

Is a baby gate useful?

A secure physical barrier can be extremely useful when you need to separate a child and dog.

Choose a barrier suitable for your home, child and dog and use it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

I am deliberately not linking this section to an Amazon product. Child and dog safety comes before affiliate income.

Can children help train the family dog?

Older children may be able to take part in simple reward-based activities with adult supervision.

Keep sessions short, calm and enjoyable.

The adult remains responsible for safety.

What is Kids Around Dogs?

Kids Around Dogs, often shortened to KAD, is an association of dog and childcare professionals that works with families and schools to help children and dogs live together more safely and harmoniously.

They also provide free educational resources for families.

Are you a Kids Around Dogs professional?

I am a KAD Affiliate, not a KAD Approved Professional.

My Affiliate status means I support KAD’s ethos and its work promoting the wellbeing of children and dogs.

If you need specialist child-and-dog support, I recommend using Kids Around Dogs’ Find a Professional directory.

Final Thoughts

A good relationship between a child and dog is not built by expecting the dog to tolerate everything.

It is built through supervision, sensible boundaries, choice and respect.

Teach children when dogs should be left alone.

Give dogs somewhere they can retreat.

Take quieter body-language signals seriously.

Do not punish growling.

And do not wait for a bite before changing a situation that is clearly becoming uncomfortable.

I am proud to support the work of Kids Around Dogs as a KAD Affiliate, and I would encourage parents, carers and anyone working with children to explore their educational resources.

For more help understanding what your own dog may be communicating, continue with my Dog Behaviour and Body Language Guide.

Important

This guide provides general educational information and cannot assess whether an individual dog is safe around a particular child.

I am a Kids Around Dogs Affiliate, but I am not a KAD Approved Professional, veterinary professional or clinical animal behaviourist.

If your dog’s behaviour towards children changes suddenly, speak to your veterinary practice.

Growling, guarding, snapping, biting or significant fear around children warrants appropriately qualified individual professional advice. Keep the child and dog safely separated while appropriate help is arranged where necessary.

Related post: Promoting safe and respectful interactions