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Below are some tips to help make encounters between children and the new dog go smoothly.

1. 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. Puppies are squirmy and wiggly and may easily fall out of a young child's arms and be injured. If held insecurely, a puppy may become frightened and snap or scratch in response. After the child is sitting, the parent can place the puppy in her arms. It would be good to have a treat or chewie handy. When puppies are teething, they tend to chew on everything, including hands and arms. An added benefit is that the puppy will come to associate pleasant consequences (getting a treat) with being held by the child.

   For larger dogs, it works well to have the child sit in the parent's lap and the dog to approach them. In this way, the parent can control the child and not allow her to get "carried away" with pats that are too rough. The parent is also there to teach the dog to treat the child gently as well.

2. Giving Treats
   Kids tend to become somewhat fearful and anxious when a dog tries to take a treat from their hand. This causes them to jerk their hand away at the last second. The dog may then jump up or lunge to get the treat, which may result in the child being knocked down. Have the child place the treat in their open palm rather than holding it in their fingers. Parents may place a hand underneath their child's hand to help guide the child.