How to socialize my dog with kids when he fears noise and movement?

Question

How do I socialize a 2 year old dog with kids that's afraid of noise and sudden movements? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

This is a rather complicated question, since there are potential safety issues here for both Diego and the kids. To be honest, with anxious dogs who don't like noises and fast movements, often the best option is to simply keep them away from children - there are too many variables and things that can't be controlled to ever really teach these dogs to be "comfortable", in general, being around kids. If there is some reason that this can't be done (i.e., a small child in the home, or a frequent houseguest with a child), it is often possible to socialize an anxious dog to a particular child with time and patience. This would involve keeping the dog at a distance where he is comfortable and rewarding for calm behavior, then gradually getting close and working up to direct interaction if things are going well - something like having the child ask the dog to do simple tricks, like sit or down, for treats often works well. If you do want to attempt this, I would recommend working with good reward-based trainer who can help you in person - he/she can help you make sure that you progressing at the right pace for Diego, and will also help to keep things safe for everyone involved.

How to socialize my dog with kids when he fears noise and movement?

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