Child maltreatment is widely recognized as a pervasive global health problem. A major challenge for child protection professionals is providing an environment where maltreated children are willing and able to provide reports. Yet interviewers must be careful not to elicit false reports from non-maltreated children. Recently forensic interviewers have employed canine assisted interviews with the rationale that dogs create an instant rapport and provide children with needed emotional support. However, critics argue that the presence of dogs may compromise witness accuracy and that there is no empirical foundation for their use. This is addressed by the current proposal. A laboratory paradigm is necessary in order to stage events so that determinations can be made about both accuracy and quantity of children’s reports in a controlled setting. Our study will fill a major gap in the literature by providing evidence-based guidelines on incorporating dogs into forensic practices with children. The study will also inform future research in the area and improve forensic practices with maltreated children.