An obedience class may be helpful. Children often want to hug the dog around the neck. The dog may view this as a threatening gesture rather than an affectionate one. In reaction, a dog may growl, snap or bite. To reduce such risks, a child should pet the dog from underneath his chin rather than hugging him or reaching over his head, should not stare at or look him directly in the eye, and should turn the side of her body toward the dog rather than facing him.
Dogs can be possessive about their food, toys, and space.
At the same time, children need to learn to respect their dog as a living creature that is not to be teased or purposefully hurt, and that needs time to himself. He is not a plaything that should always be available to them. Just punishing the dog is likely to make matters worse. Below are some tips to help make encounters between children and the new dog go smoothly. Holding In the beginning, it's probably safest for both a child and a puppy for the child to always be sitting down whenever she wants to hold the puppy.