To put a dog lead on the baby?

[WhiteTrash]

A friend of mine took her (then) toddler to a festival, he was just walking so had reins on him, and attached to that, a retractable dog lead. It meant he had a little freedom but stayed safe and she could sit with her friends.

We've booked a short camping trip, the baby will most likely be walking by then and Im not sure if all babies do this but our first, once he started walking would literally aim for the horizon and just go. Over and over again. No amount of distraction would prevent it. It lasted 5 or so months and he was a bit easier. Im assuming DS2 will be the same, and we'd love to sit on the beach have picnics etc.

Anyway when my friend told me what she did, I thought it was a genuis idea. But apparently, she said people hurled abuse at her for it so clearly not everyone agrees that its a good idea.

IS it unreasonable? Totally prepared to be flamed. But I figured Id ask her first then have abuse hurled at me on the beach.

Have only skimmed the thread but I don't like the idea at all. You wouldnt be able to relax- you would have to constantly watch for trip hazards, possible tangling or any other hazards your child might encounter- broken glass/ dog shit on beach? Things which you would spot close up if you were shadowing your toddler but which you wont see while sitting picnicking while he roams.

But then I never liked reins anyway and preferred to have one of us walking with the child.

Also, if he's actually interested in running off, then the restriction of the small radius you'd safely be able to give him on a dog lead will surely only frustrate him further?
He'll get a few metres away and be pulling at the lead and yelling because he's just as restrained as if you're chasing him and bringing him back? I really think the only answer is to walk with him if you want to let him roam freely.

But it won't happen like that, callmemrs, because children are not untrained dogs. They love to be able to roam and feel they're within safe limits. OP was talking about being able to enjoy her picnic without forcing DS to sit in one place. If he can ramble off within a radius of 10ft or whatever, he gets the chance to find weird creatures in the sand while she gets the chance to eat her sarnies.

Same with walking at the water's edge - he'll have more fun on a lead than glued to his mother's side, surely? And she won't have to worry about him getting out of his depth or being out of reach if he slips.

Nonsense- I don't think toddlers are aware of safe limits at all. I think if they are roamers they'll resist being put on a lead

I think you misunderstood me - the adult sets the safe limit. I agree they'll resist, though: almost every toddler I've cared for has whinged about being put in reins! I'd rather face a 5-minute tussle than a child bolting into danger.

You can buy these cool little animal backpacks with secure clips at the front which have a long tail which are ideal for this purpose I have found!!

yanbu, sounds like a great idea. Sod what anybody else says/thinks

it seems there are lots of toddler versions in the market now compared to when my eldest was small .thx fluffette and midwife i will certainly being looking to buy these soon when my wee man gets on his feet

the very fact that these are on the market shows there is a need and demand for them from parents and they would have undergone safety checks

any device you buy for your child comes with the understanding that it will have adult supervision during use

you wouldn't buy a bath seat and leave your baby unattended
you wouldn't buy a rocking horse and not stand beside your child
nor would you buy a baby walking device and just leave them to it
even a bog standard bouncy chair needs supervision

nobody ever said that the use of reins would take over the supervision...common sense needs to prevail

...and what i find most shocking from op is that some complete strangers think it is ok to go up to a mum and toddler and hurl abuse at them in public for her choice of parenting. to me that is far more detrimental to a youngster than being in a set of reins which are meant as a safety device

Oh I agree, hurling abuse at a stranger is vile.
But, if there are loads of toddler versions on the market, then why would you use a dog lead?! Surely the toddler versions have passed the necessary health and safety checks for toddlers and the dog leads for dogs though?! I would have thought if you believe reins are a good idea, then you'd buy proper toddler ones which will probably be designed to fit more comfortably than a dog lead.

I don't think this is the sort of issue you'll ever find compete agreement with though. Some parents just don't like reins - they prefer to let their child explore without restraint, and to accompany them (not 'glued' to them as someone suggested upthread, but just at a safe distance, and obviously holding the child's hand if near a hazard such as water or height). Then at times when the child needs to be restricted to one place, they can learn that there's times they need to be in a pushchair or holding an adults hand.

All depends on your parenting style and your child. But I would go for a proper toddler restraint if thats what you choose to do. Apart from anything else, if something did go wrong and your child escaped/hurt himself/caused a hazard to others... you'd have more redress if you are using a product designed for that purpose

i think at the start of this the op didn't know there was a toddler version available so she was considering improvising

i used to live in a cul de sac with toddler twins as neighbours..open plan cul-de-sac and everytime mum took them out the door one went one way and the other went the other way.. she always tried to hold their hands but walks were obviously a nightmare and she couldn't just put them in a pram all the time.
it was also a nightmare for the rest of us as you never knew if they were going to run out in front of your car or behind if reversing
..not a nice thing for a driver to have to live with if the worst were to happen...i used to think that reins would have made her outings so much safer. obviously it was her choice not to use them but i would have found them a godsend in that situation...and of course they don't have to be used all the time just when appropriate.

This thread is vintage Mumsnet

There was a poster a way up the thread who said she's got 3 under 4 - I now have visions of her with all of them on retractable dog leads, doing a sort of maypole dance round her.

there is a picture of me on my lead, grinning at my mummy, being all round and pregnant, and my older sister holding hands, looking like a naughty little madam, and the dog, off lead, because he was the only one with any sense of self-preservation...

(border collies, don't you love them?)

manatee at one point, with dog lead in one hand, baby in backpack, toddler on reins, and child holding onto my coat, i felt exactly like a bloody maypole.

all wound up....in some weird fertility ritual...

Haha

I used to put the dog in the buggy with DC4.

Solved a lot of problems

ah, with a buggy, i can get the toddler on the front, baby inside..and with dog trained to pull ever-so-slightly she can tow us up the hill (with her lead in my hand of course, i would never tie her to a pushchair)

happy days!

My dog is too small to much good as a husky.
He fitted nicely on DC's lap though.
He likes to sit in the basket underneath too.

Lazy little bugger

The length/thinness of the line on a dog lead is irrelevant, small dogs have been killed by the handle bit on the retractable lead hitting them if it was pulled out of the owners hands.

Can't see a problem with a safe designed=for-children line though.

our sheepdog did pretty much that :)

he taught my brother to climb stairs, and used to act as a support for newly walking toddlers. He let my brother sleep with his head on his poor arthritic body.

that dog was fecking genius.