childminders with dogs. what do you say to new parents

[honey]

when they come to visit, i have had a few come round but i think they are put off by my puppy, advice please on what i can do or say to them to reassure them that she is as saft as a brush .

[chez1373]

My dog she is a year old and as mad as a hatter..
She is a pedagree Staffy she wouldnt hurt a fly but she is so active she will knock you down when you walk in the house so what i do is...

Lock her away while i get parents in tell them why i have locked her away and say i will get her out when they have sat down etc and she has calmed down..

I will bring her in and sit down with her and the kids so they can stroker etc and she can get to know them once she has been in the room 10 mins hs eis fine no jumpin etc..

I always make the parents aware that the dog isnt alone with the children etc but to be honest ive not had a problem with parents about my dog and if they dont like her they dont need to stay its my dogs home and always will be ..

Hope this helps xx

[fionamal]

I tend to shut mine in the kitchen until they are settled down and then let her out to see them. Shes a cavalier king charles spaniel and tends to sleep all day and never looks near the kids so have no problems with her.

Did have 1 parent a few months ago who completely freeked with the dog even though I told her when she phoned that i had one. Needles to say she didnt choose me. She wouldnt put the baby in the buggy in the house with the dog there. As if the dog would jump into the buggy.

[Pipsqueak]

I make it very clear to parents during initial contact that I have dogs.
When they come I introduce the dogs/kids/parents. Daisy is the nutty one and have to have a calming period first though.

I reassure the parents that the dogs are well cared for, trained and child friendly. children and dogs won't be left alone together for the safety and wellbeing of both parties. Children will always be supervised and good hygiene practices such as handwashing will be done.

[devoncm]

i put mine in the garden until the introductions are done and i bring him in usually when the child shows interest in him, i tell him to sit so they can have a stroke but its usually fine-the parents are usually more surprised that there child can pull his fur and he lets them!!!

I do make clear that he spends alot of time in the garden or another room out the way and i never leave him with any child on his own
i am lucky tho as he just likes the comfort of the chair and is happy to watch whats going on

[honey]

maybe thats where i am going wrong then, i keep her locked away all the time when new parents come and she is constantly barking as she wants to say hello, its just that she is so bouncy still at the moment she likes to jump up and lick you to death:blush: Thanks if i get anothere call i will certainly do that.

[chels55]

remember to let parents know your dog is friendly and has up to date injections

[Mollymop]

I have a lhasa apso, so not frightening to the eye, but has a very strong bark, so I put him in the cloakroom until he has calmed down, when parents visit. Then I get him out and he happily walks up to everyone and is as good as gold.
I have only had one visit and I was lucky as the parents had 2 dogs, an alsation and something else - big dogs so my little Bilbo didn't manage to put them off. haha

[Alibali]

Mine has his own room!! I keep him in the utility room when I am minding, with the door open and the gate on, the kids all love him and they can see him without danger. He is a bit mad and jumpy but they soon get used to it and love taking him for walks. I mention him in my brochure, and it states that 'diesel' is usually one of the kids first words. At first visit he is in his room and I take everyone to meet him. He always jumps up to say hello, and the parents can see he is friendly and safely out of harms way.

Ali x

[tulip0803]

I tell the parents before they come to visit that I have a dog. When they come I let him meet them and them meet him, then I have a pigs ear in my pocket to lure him upstairs and shut him in the bedroom! Purely because he wants to play or sit on people and if he doesn't get his own way he yelps pathetically:) . he also is scared of men which makes him bark!

[flora]

maybe thats where i am going wrong then, i keep her locked away all the time when new parents come and she is constantly barking as she wants to say hello, its just that she is so bouncy still at the moment she likes to jump up and lick you to death:blush: Thanks if i get anothere call i will certainly do that.

I have three of the idiots that do this :eek: Cos we live a long way down a track the boys are free range most of the day. As they are free range they have gotten in to the habit of barking when cars or people they don't know come up the track.

The downside of this is they can and do sound like battersea dogs home and I am always mindfull that this will put some people off.

When new people phone I explain about the dogs: the fact that they are noisy but thats all. One is kept right away all the time and two are allowed in the room sometimes but obviously are NEVER left alone. They are always wormed and vaccinated.

One of my mindees is scared of dogs but is ok with two of my boys, so my advice is be upfront and honest,do the intro slowly and if the mindee has no dog experience then make sure they are aware of whats ok and whats not.

[Trouble]

i usually tell people on the phone who ring up

just so they now first everyone has no problems with it infact 3 sets of parents have come to me because of the animals we have

1 dog
1cat
3 guinea pigs
and the baby of the family 1 baby fluffy hamster

[louise]

I've been wondering this as we are back on the want a puppy talk.

Fiona we are thinking of a cavalier king charles spaniel, what is yours like? Does s/he like long walks ect?

Thanks Lou

[theoldwoman]

when they come to visit, i have had a few come round but i think they are put off by my puppy, advice please on what i can do or say to them to reassure them that she is as saft as a brush .

I must admit I now keep children and dogs apart (except when on walks) as I would hate anything to happen, during the day the dogs are in the garage and their bit of the garden. In the past one group of mindees watched 5 puppies being born (they were bored after two!), but have decided better safe than sorry as one can't trust babies.