or would it be reasonable to assume that if a parent isn't happy about a CM getting a dog then the same parents would .....

[Dillydaydreamer]

move house if one moved in next door or the next door neighbour got one?

that is my view also - on the dog and where it will be kept - I do think dogs should be part of the family, otherwise what is the point in having one ? I know that is why we all want one so much.

Can i ask again, would people never consider a childminder with a dog, or would it depend on dog breed/cm/if they already had it etc.

For the record, I can't have a dog right now, but we would all love one in the future. I cm and would love a greyhound/lurcher.cross breed type.

If you had an established dog and i came round with my kids and liked you and the dog then I'd be happy-
but I'm a dog lover and would love to ahev one myself.. but I'm working part time and can't take it with me so it wouldn't be fair.

Oops thats probably the most hilarious thing said all evening. She is certainly not a give in to the husband type he hasn't been allowed a dog for all her 20yrs as a CM as he worked away lots. He will be at home permanently once he leaves his present job which is why she has said he can have one as his 40th Birthday present from her. She also certainly isn't a poor me type either, but then as someone who doesn't know her, I couldn't expect you to know that. Hurt at the lack of trust but a victim type definately not.

My CM has chickens. We were in an avian-flu watch area last Summer - DS was there, feeding the chickens. CM made sure hands were washed. Added to his experience of life. But I trusted (and trust) my CM. Maybe it's not the Staff but the CM that's getting the thumbs down?

Chatkins, I personally wouldn't exclude a CM based on the presence of a dog. But it would depend on the breed, arrangements, training etc etc.

Honestly DillyDayDreamer's scenario would not be acceptable for me and as I am the paying client, that's it as far as I am concerned, would simply take my business elsewhere.

Oops the choice of staffie is so it won't be so big as too pull her over and it has to be short haired and her DH wanted this breed for years. It will be with the family every evening and overnight in the house, out before children arrive. During the day it will be out with her DH 75% of the time.

I am a dog owner (got the dog after the kids were born) and he is great with the kids and they love him. However, I would hesitate to choose a childminder with a young dog. Puppies are bouncy and excitable, kids are nervous, this can lead to problems. If the dog was older and trained and she had been childminding with that particular dog for years then I wouldn't have an issue. This is regardless of breed. It is the owner and their established relationship with the dog that is the issue.

Saying that her DH would have the dog with him most of the time wouldn't make any difference to my feelings. Best laid plans and all that. They haven't got the dog yet and it isn't trained. And keeping the dog cooped up also not fair on the dog.

No, I'd definitely still consider it Chatkins - dh would regard it as a positive tbh - he'd love US to get a dog (not happening. Ever.)

For me though, my initial reaction to the idea of a CM with a dog would be pretty negative. I might be persuaded, but if CM B down the road was otherwise just as good & had no dog, I'd be going with her!

I don't think the breed would be all that important - any dog's potentially dangerous.

To be fair, those posting on this thread, because of the nature of the thread, are probably those like me who aren't confident about mixing children & dogs.

PAAN no its definately the dog not my friend as my other friend was the family who decided against putting their dds with her. They were adamant they only wanted her to look after their dd2, having had their dd1 (3)with her from 6mths until she went on mat leave to have her dd2 (now 11wks) When CM was origionally moving areas this year my friend was gutted and kept saying 'what will I do?' Didn't want to put her in nursery or another CM (would have had me but doesn't like mixing business with pleasure and I plan to stop CM this year)

Jasmeen the dog would be no more couped up than in a kitchen, the run is bigger than most kitchens where we live!

Yes maybe ravenAK 1
What I am getting here then is people are not so worried about a cm with an established family dog, but more anxious about their current cm suddenly deciding to get a dog ?

Which, I have to say as a parent myself, makes total and utter sense.

However, a cm with an established dog, would at some point have been a cm without a dog, possibly ? All the cms I know with dogs have been cms for years, and also had dogs for years, so they would fall into that category. If I got a dog I would fall into current cm deciding to get a dog. I have no idea which, if any of my current parents are anti-dog. Guess I better find out !

Dilly - why does the DH hank Is he not worried about the safety side of things? And do you trust him to do the proper training?

Sorry, Hanker

Sodding keyboard. "Hanker after this particular breed".

Sodding sodding sodding stress-induced tourettes sodding....

Re the couping up, it is true that a run may be bigger than a kitchen. However, to keep a dog in that space all day would still not be right.

Your CM friend doesn't have the dog yet, doesn't know how the training, DH support, kid friendliness of that dog, etc. Whatever you say, puppies and kids are hugely excitable/nervous.

How will your CM friend and the kids she look after feel when they can hear the puppy whining because he wants to be inside where all the fun is?

A CM who already has a dog is different to a CM who wants to get a new dog. I wouldn't worry at all about a CM who has had a dog for a few years and whose behaviour with the kids I could see before taking a place with that CM.

If my CM got a new puppy I would be looking around at alternative CMs. If I was looking around CMs and two were pretty much the same and one had a young dog, I'd probably choose the one without the dog - based on my experience.

I think it also depends on the child's point of view. You might be happy with the CM having a "nice" breed of dog, but is your child? I was, and still am, not very keen on animals. My CM had a cat when I was young and I HATED it as it made me feel really uneasy.

I'm not a dog person and am naturally wary of dogs so personally wouldn't choose a CM with a dog.

However i do feel sorry for your friend and her DH but i guess thats part and parcel of being a CM. My babysitter who is a CM is going to stop it because she's fed up of her house not really being her home as everything has to be tailored to her mindees.

Is she planning on cm'ing for much longer or could she perhaps work as a day nanny somewhere so they can get the dog they want.

I never used childminders but if I had then I would not have chosen one with a dog, Dogs and children and not a good mix.

I think it would also be a tad unkind to a dog to have to deal with hordes of screaming playing children every day.

I never used childminders but if I had then I would not have chosen one with a dog, Dogs and children and not a good mix.

I think it would also be a tad unkind to a dog to have to deal with hordes of screaming playing children every day.

A thread about a thread is odd, but to take up the fight for your MN friend is bizarre.

CM is a business. Shoshe has to decide if her business is less important than getting a dog. Simple.

My CM has a dog. I'm fine with this. But I would not be happy if it were a staffie, or she planned to get a staffie.

I'm not a dog person and for this reason would never choose a CM with a dog, whatever breed.

But I do feel sorry for CMs. My own house would never stand up to scrutiny, and I would hate to feel my private life being assessed and judged.

Haven't been through all of all of these threads so I apologise if this has been said before.

Childminders are selling a product - childcare.

If a CM decides to get an animal then they may have to come to terms with the fact that a lot of parents don't like the thought of their DCs being with animals.

This means that the product the CM is selling becomes less attractive.

I suspect that all CMs hope that they are such an important part of their charges' lives that them getting a dog would not be an issue. I know that would be how I would feel if I were a CM - I would hope the children I looked after would love me and love coming to me. And what's the saying - love me; love my dog?

However, the bottom line is it's a business arrangement. Parents, given the choice between paying £5 per hour for loving childcare in a dog-free house, and £5 per hour for loving childcare in a house with a dog, are more likely to choose the former if they have very small DCs. Because childcare is about safety and the former is offering better safety for the money.

I am SO glad to get to the end of this thread to find someone (LOU) has mentioned Shoshe!

Has no-one on this thread considered that this is a thread about a thread? You are all discussing this childminder when you all no she is a MN user and hasn't postered once to defend herself'

Unless I am missing something glaringly obvious, this is most odd.

sorry- didn't know it was about somebody on here...
all quite strange...