Direct answer
Adults should prevent children from hugging, lifting, cornering, climbing on, or disturbing a resting or eating dog. Supervision means actively managing distance, not only being in the room.
Resting dogs need protection
Children should not climb into a dog bed, wake a sleeping dog, corner a dog under furniture, or follow a dog who has moved away.
Lifting is an adult decision
A child should not pick up a dog who is uncomfortable, wriggling, hiding, growling, or known to bite. Small dogs are not automatically comfortable with being carried.
Supervision means active attention
An adult should be close enough to interrupt calmly before contact becomes unsafe. Being in the same home or looking at a phone nearby is not active supervision.
What to avoid
Keep the response gentle.
Avoid asking a child to hug the dog for a photo or to take away food and toys.
Safety boundary
When to get more help.
If a dog has snapped or bitten around a child, separate safely and seek qualified veterinary behavior support before further contact.
References
Evidence and professional guidance
Related reading