Hi
I am actually posting this for a friend of mine who is sadly not able to access the forum, she does not have computer access and has asked me to post for her.  She has a 1.5 year old neutered Parson Jack Russell he has never been around children and when he sees them in the park he runs the other way and if any come toward him he growls and bares his teeth she is very concerned about this behaviour as it limits her taking him to the park especially in the nice weather.  He is very protective of her and does growl at certain dogs in the park also.  She has had him from 8 weeks of age and he has never had a bad experience with a child.
Is there anything that she can do to stop this behaviour toward children as she is very concerned about it.
thanks for any advice here.

Issues like this need to be handled rather carefully as it's so easy to take a step too far and really mess things up :(  I'd suggest your friend asks her vet to refer her to an experienced behaviourist (a member of the UKRCB or APBC, or a member of the APDT with an interest in behaviour.)

Ditto what digger said above.

Whislt she is finding a behaviourist, i would suggest to her that a possible cause is that he is frightened of children (and if you are small, and even if you arent sometimes, children are high pitched, fast moving, unpredictable things), so under no circumstances must she LET him get into a situation where he has to bite them.

The growling is actually a good sign, he is warning that he is frighttened and that he doesnt want whoever is frightening him to be naer him -- things get a whole lot worse when a dog stops, or is stopped, from warning!

Em

thanks I will call her and tell her what you have both said.  I wholeheartedly agree with you both.  I am pleased at least that she is recognising their is a problem in her dogs behaviour as she does allow the dog to manipulate her somewhat.  I hope she will take him to a behaviour therapist.