It’s important to use positive reinforcement to train your dog how to behave around children. Start with Socialization Puppies go through a critical period of development between the ages of about 8 and 16 weeks. They are more likely to learn to accept and be comfortable with a variety of people and situations if they are exposed to them during this time. If you have a new puppy, introduce it to children in a positive way. Make sure it meets children of various ages in a variety of situations. The children should be well-behaved and gentle with the dog. If you have an adult dog, you can still work on socialization around kids. The process is similar to socializing a new puppy, it just has to happen much more slowly. During the process, make sure to offer plenty of valuable treats and praise, but remove your dog from the situation at the first sign of stress. Don’t Force Your Dog to Accept Children, instead, place your dog on the floor with its leash attached, allow the dog as much time as they need to get comfortable, and let the dog approach the child when ready to interact. Keep Everything Positive, when your dog is behaving well around children, be sure to give it lots of praise, treats, and attention. Your dog will learn that good things happen whenever kids are around.