Would you use a childminder with a dog?

[PashunFroot]

Just that really. We want to use a childminder rather than a nursery, purely for logistical reasons as they can collect older child from school. However all the childminders locally have dogs. I’m not a dog person, and I’m quite wary of them. I know they will be kept shut away from the children but would I always be worrying about it while I’m at work?

aibu for even being worried about it?

Your little boy might be that child one day, you never know. My DS loved dogs and knew how to behave around them, until at age 6 he was randomly attacked in a park by an unsupervised dog. Totally unprovoked. He was playing football and the dog ran across the park and went for him. He sustained multiple wounds and needed surgery, and after that he was terrified of dogs. Even tiny dogs. It's taken him years to not cower when he sees a dog.
Not really relevant to the thread but I wanted to point out that knowing how to behave near dogs doesn't always protect you from an attack.

Yes, and I have. We have dogs too though so I'm probably happier to do so and may be more aware and realistic about the risks than someone who is unfamiliar with dogs and has only horror news stories to go on. That's not to dismiss such awful events, and no one should never be complacent, but nor should there be the assumption that all dogs are evil child killers.

I would advise visiting and observing the dogs in the childminder's home, ideally while there are kids around so you can see how the situation is managed safely. Ask plenty of questions. If you're uncomfortable at all, and it sounds like you may be already, then look for someone else. It could be a great learning experience for your child, and help them to be comfortable around dogs, which is useful when they're everywhere. My childminder's dogs occasionally had puppies, the kids absolutely loved learning all about them and watching them grow.

My nephew has been raised with dogs - they have always had one since he was born, he’s now 7. A couple of months ago he was bitten on the face by a dog in the street and he’s now “that child”, as you so nicely put it, with all dogs except his own. So don’t count on it.

We did, for 8 years. My kids adored her dogs, still do even though they left her care four years ago.. one of them still refers to the younger dog as their canine sister. Our cm was very clear about how the dogs interacted with the kids and tbh we saw it as a positive rather than a risk.

No

My cm got a dog and I never gave it a thought. I think he was only in the house in his cage though.

Depends on the cm and the dog, I think. We have dogs who are so patient and protective with our dc but may treat other dc as strangers.

I have a dog and I wouldn't. I don't know their dogs temperament or training like I do my own so I wouldn't be comfortable with that, particularly when they were trying to watch several children and the dog all at the same time. I also wouldn't want someone who thinks its OK to shut a dog away for 8 hours at a time.

Its a no from me. A definite no in fact.

For the person who mentioned it upthread, there's no obligation to tell minded families you're going to get a dog or any pet

I'd think it's courteous to give them enough warning to find alternative childcare, surely.

I'm a childminder and I would never use a childminder with a dog, but that's largely due to my own animal phobia rather than anything else.

I'm a dog lover and most of my family have dogs however I was also badly bitten by the family dog when I was 6 and needed stitches.

For me I would probably err on the side of no mostly because I think alot of dog owners are slightly love blinded by their dogs and it lets their safeguarding and caution slip.

Recently there was an article where a child was mauled by a dog and so many people defending the dog and saying it was probably a reflexive defence to a loud child or sudden movement and thinking Christ, these people still think that sort of dog will make a good pet, one you have to walk on eggshells around.

I also was out in a park and a large bull terrier dog approached my toddler, face to face height, and the owner got super defensive when I scooped my baby up, protesting "he wouldn't hurt a fly" and just thinking I'm not leaving my toddler in a vulnerable position with a potentially dangerous dog I do not know to save a strangers feelings.

I do really worry about some dog owners attitudes around their pets.

I would and did providing the correct procedures are put in place.

My DC school has a resident dog that wanders around, the children love it and it hasn’t really crossed my mind to worry about it.

Absolutely not

Definately not, and thats from a household with a dog.

I used a childminder with 2 terriers, there was never an issue with them (a whole host of other reasons why we stopped using her...)
I've also used a nursery where the owner bought her dog in, it was left to run into area where babies who pram napped were parked and was very noisy, I saw it wake babies with it's barking and the exasperation of the room staff who had to deal with prematurely woken babies.

Not a chance in hell.

My daughter is 'that child'. It's not my doing, she's just scared of dogs. We do a lot to help her get used to them.

You sound like a dick to be honest. Children are allowed to be afraid of things. Imagine judging a frightened child!

I find this interesting as when I was in school, we had several "school dogs" including a Scottie dog who spent its days in the classroom with it's owner - he slept under the desk and went everywhere with her.

Lots of schools have dogs and use therapy dogs.

It would depend on the dog. I’m a big dog lover, we have a dog, but I didn’t get him until my children were age 9 plus. I am not sure I’d be comfortable having a small child around a dog to be honest. Would depend on the set up, I’m sure she will have gates etc, but if it was a breed that I view to be those always responsible for attacks then no. I always used a nursery, I wasn’t comfortable having 1 person looking after my child, for a few reasons.

My DD's CM keeps ending up with more pets in her household.

There is now a dog as well. Luckily the CM ensured my DD learnt how to meet dogs from when she could walk.

The household dog is kept away from my DD 95% of the time and the 5% is heavily supervised.

My own CM had a much larger dog. Poor thing spent his time locked behind a baby gate in another room. Looking up the breed as a teen I found he was more likely to knock small children over than anything else.

Cm I used had a dog, she got the dog two years after dc started, the only time dc and the dog mixed was when they all went on walks together, cm home set up meant there were 2 back doors to her garden so was v easy to separate the children and dog. Dc stayed with that cm for 10 years and enjoyed walking the dog so positive experience here

No!! I have a dog but I am the person in charge of the interaction my children and my dog have. I would not trust a stranger to implement correct and safe measures all the time with several children to look after.

I know they will be kept shut away from the children but would I always be worrying about it while I’m at work?

The CM will have friends and neighbours with dogs. She and they will teach your children how to greet dogs anyway

If she has dogs herself your child may actually be more wary around them.

My own DD doesn't like strange dogs, and I don't like small dogs from childhood.

My DP thinks it's funny that I freak out if a small dog approaches there as I completely ignore a rottweiler.

You must have missed the post in the thread where the poster has a CM with dogs and then used a nursery where the owner had a dog.

The nursery owner expected every staff member to deal with their dog so allowed the dog to cause havoc, there as the CM knew she was responsible for them.