childminders with dogs?

[Libby08]

Hi, I have now done everything- crbs back finally so should have my cert in a few days!
A family friend of ours has ms and has a small dog that she is struggling to care for and has asked if we will take her, possibly forever. What is the deal with having a small dog and minding? Iv always had dogs growing up and now my youngest is a bit older would love to so that our friend does not have to give her to strangers! I can't decide what to do as I don't want to loose work if parents are put of minders with dogs? Advice please? Thank you.

[flowerpots]

i havent got any dogs myself but i think if you want the dog get the dog and if parents dont want to use you because of it then they are not the parents for you. :thumbsup:

[mufftie]

i have a large dog only a black lab but still a large dog
anyway ofsted dont give 2 hoots about the average dog which surprises me as they are a danger if you ask me . i spent time and money puting precautions in place for my dog , he lives in the garden at all times so i fenced off a space for him to run when children are in garden as he used to be quite boisterous only for ofsted to seem very uninterested .

as for parents since 03 ive had only 1 parent put of by him so not an issue if you ask me

[lisal5632]

I have a German Shepard dog she's 3 and I haven't yet experienced anything bad from parents:) i always tell them i do have a dog when they first contact me, incase of any allergies or some children are very frightened.
I had one lady call me about looking after her 3 children and all 3 were petrified of dogs, but she and the children came and mum said she didn't want them scared of them. So i had all 3 children for over a yr and now they have moved to a bigger house and have bought a dog! so unless it's the parents that are scared i don't think they mind. I would go for it :thumbsup: x

[birch24]

I have a cairn terrier and the kids love her. One set of parents chose me as their minder to help their children overcome their dog fear and now they love her and have a dog of their own!!

I am sure that it won't affect your ability to get children as long as you can reassure parents that the dog is controllable and can be put in a safe area if need be, my Kitchen is securable so the dog can be put in there if the children are sitting having a snack or babies are laying on the floor etc.

Good luck:D

[onceinabluemoon]

I've got a huge scatty lab and it hasn't been a problem. Ofsted just told me to risk asses it and only one parent objected but they were the parent who expected me to run my whole business around their child so...

[gigglinggoblin]

One of the great things about us cms is that we all offer a different experience. You might get some people put off by dogs, you might find some people who prefer you over others because you have a dog and they dont. I would never leave a dog alone with mindees, just make sure you risk assess it well and have somewhere for the dog to be so you know mindees and dog are safe and cant get to each other.

[TinyTinker]

I think if you risk assess everything to do with the dog being there, including how you will keep the outside play area free from doggy poop! etc. And how you will keep them away from food preparation areas and where the children will be eating, it shouldn't be a problem.

I have 2 cats (I know it's not the same as dogs, but) i thought it would put some people off, but turns out all 3 of my mindees parents have cats too!

[caz3007]

I have an old yellow lab and she loves the children and spends all her time asleep in her bed with her legs in the air. I keep her in the kitchen which is gated or in the back room and never had a parent not choose me cos of the dog. In fact some children have come being nervous and later on have got over their fear and got their own dog.

Only one parent ever commented about the dog and that was cos her hubby was bitten as a child and she wanted my assurances that she wouldnt be mixing with her child and I explained how I keep them seperate and he has been with me for nearly a year and its not been a problem.

Like others have said, I always mention her on the first phone call contact, just in case someone has a problem

[westbrom44]

I have a small friendly dog and it has only put two parents off in 6 years of childminding. I dont mind at all as the children I care for and their parents think my dog is lovely.

[charlie potato]

I have a small patterdale terrier with a fantastic temperament. Mindee now goes to stroke him but i would never leave him alone with him. You never know what may turn any dog and toddlers/children can push those buttons. I would never leave my own kids alone with him let alone a mindee. Apart from that he is a valued part of our family. I'd go for it! :jump for joy:

[PixiePetal]

we have a 15 yr old patterdale - bless her. Almost blind and deaf but otherwise ok :rolleyes: she keeps out of the way and sleeps most of the time - I use a gate across the dining room doorway so mindees leave her alone

Also have a just turned 1 yr old terrier cross. She has a crate in our large kitchen with her bed in. Keeps her and mindees separated. She does come out of the cage for walks and often goes with DH to work on the farm.

Had Labradors before them and never had a problem with getting mindees - RA and lots of hoovering up dog hairs needed!

[buildingblocks]

Hi, I have now done everything- crbs back finally so should have my cert in a few days!
A family friend of ours has ms and has a small dog that she is struggling to care for and has asked if we will take her, possibly forever. What is the deal with having a small dog and minding? Iv always had dogs growing up and now my youngest is a bit older would love to so that our friend does not have to give her to strangers! I can't decide what to do as I don't want to loose work if parents are put of minders with dogs? Advice please? Thank you.

I don't have pets but I don't think it would put parents off as such. To be honest if I had children I would actually choose a childminder with pets as my children would miss out at home on pets so they would benefit (hope that makes sense)

[TheBTeam]

I have been minding for 7 years and always said i would never have a dog whilst minding, but three months ago I changed my mind and we got a puppy, at that point between my husband and I we had 8 sets of parents for the children we mind.

Not one of them had a problem and some were even impressed and overjoyed that their child could experience a dog without them having one. We got him as a puppy and have a crate for our peace of mind (we would have had this even without minding), and the kids absolutely love the dog!

I think if you know the temperament of the dog would be okay with children around and you can supervise or exclude the dog from the children when needed then go for it!

I stopped for years because minding came first, but my change of heart put my family life first and i made a way to work minding in with it, and it is the best thing i have done.

I thought that it put one parent of a small baby off, but in reality i think our whole set up was too busy for her and she turned down others without dogs too, so i think i was wrong on this. We have not received any negative comments and from childminders i know at least half have dogs, so it must work for a good proportion of parents.

[fiona]

we have a very excited Llasho Apso, she is 18 months old and still very excited to see people, i have always told parents at first contact about the dog, and they have all been fine, i even have a child whos mum thought he was allergic to dogs, this was a issue for me, but not her, as she said not sure if it is dogs we have never been near one! just what the dr said! i also have 3 cats so a busy house, ofsted have never asked, but i am due a inspection in september!!! so we will see.

[Libby08]

Thanks for all your replies! Im not so worried now, i really thought it might create a problem but obviously not! She's a lovley little dog and not a puppy so fully trained and everything so will just wait and see now! my son has always wanted a dog but we wanted to wait untill our little girl was old enough to understand that she would have to leave it alone and not bother it too much! (we had a cat who she would not leave alone and he ran away!)
Thanks again!