Porter is spooked/scary around small kids (since I messed up)

Yesterday, a friend of a friend came over with her two-year-old son. The boy LOVES dogs, but eventually he started to play "scientist." First, he walked over and dropped a big block on Porter's nose. It made a horrible clunk noise and his mom put him in time out, and Porter walked over to me to get protection.

I really messed up, because after his time out, the boy came over and I didn't catch him/keep him from stepping on Porter. Porter lashed out with a growl and a jump. To be honest, I don't know if he tried to bite the boy, but the boy was not bitten. (I hope that makes sense.)

After that, Porter was very skittish around the boy. We did not let them really near each other, but Porter would growl and walk away when the boy was even in the same room. Thankfully, they FINALLY went home.

So, today Porter growl/jumped in the same way around my neighbor's kid--who is five and who he has hung out with since he was four months old! (We share backyards and our dogs and kids are "bff."

What should I do? How to I rebuild Porter's trust in kids AND ensure that this defensive behavior does not escalate into something offensive. I feel like such an idiot for not protecting him and for being confident that he would take that little tyke's abuse. :-(

My kids and the neighbors are 4, 4, 5, 7. 7. and 8. I can't believe I forgot how different a two-year-old is.

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