Would you use a CM with a Rottweiler?

[McBear]

I'm thinking of a career change and would love to be a CM.

My issues are that I don't have a 'play room', I'd just be using the front room but that's what my CM does so no worries there really.

My other is that my pooch is a rottie. He's very small for a rott and he's very very lovely. Mostly, I'd probably keep them separated anyway but I know some people hear Rottweiler and run a mile.

Would something this trivial put people off? Most CMs have dogs from what I see...

No, I wouldn't use a cm with any dog. We have a big strong lab and he spends all day in whatever room I'm in with the DC but I am wary when other children come to visit. I'm also never relaxed when we visit friends with dogs. I'm fine with my dogs, my kids, my responsibility but the reality is we all have bad days, but the can't talk and have very big teeth that's just the kids

Also do you have a link to the stats about more bites by labs than any other breed? I'd be really interested.

BTW i've just been through the registration process, got through all the courses and paper work and got to the final visit. I have a dog and no play room and the social worker said absolutely no way to shifting dog from room to room. She suggested i build a dog run in the garden or keep him in the back hall all day otherwise she couldnt register me so i decided not to proceed with the registration. I'm not sure where you are but here dogs have to be absolutely separated with no chance of the mindees getting access to them.

No, never. And especially not a breed like a rottie.

And I am afraid your reassurances that he is soft etc. worry rather than reassure me.

We have two gorgeous soppy dogs, but they are kept completely separate from any visiting children because I am aware that no matter how historically lovely they are, dogs and children can be unpredictable.

Not in a million years.

And I'm a dog owner. I've used a child minder with dogs before. Large dogs, one of which bit the window cleaner. But there's a world of difference between a retriever and the powerful jaws of a rottie.

Why was a social worker involved?

And I agree that other breeds f dog are just as likely to bite as a rottie but its the possible damage which would concern me.

No fucking way.

I'm fairly aware of the realities of different breeds and likelihood of attack. I know a rottie is no more likely to attack than other breeds, and is actually less likely to attack than some other dogs. My fear isn't about the likelihood - I accept the chance is fairly miniscule. My fear is the potential for serious harm if the worst did occur. My child would probably be far more likely to be bitten by a Jack Russell, they tend to be snappy, but the likelihood of a life threatening injury is slim. A rottie can kill an adult if it chooses to, or feels threatened. It's very unlikely to, but still, it can.

I'm sure your rottie is a lovely family pet, but I just wouldn't want to send my child into its territory, because my child might annoy it.

Absolutely not. Even if I weren't worried about my dc being eaten bitten, most doggy houses smell of dog and that alone would be enough to put me off!

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2254479/Sausage-dogs-are-the-most-aggressive-dogs.html

Not sure of the science of this...

www.dogbiteclaims.co.uk/dangerous-breeds.html

More of the same but better written/source.

No I wouldn't, it would make me too nervous.

I was expecting little 'yappy' dogs to be likely to bite than dogs like rotties but, even so, I would much rather leave a dog with a little 'yappy' dog as it has so much less chance of causing serious injury. I say that as a parent of a child who is petrified of dogs partly due to being nipped by a jack Russell.

THESE US STATISTICS on fatalities caused by dog bites highlight what I mean. It doesn't say what the percentage of US dogs are rotties though.

no way

Banjo, I can only find American links and they're all raving about pit bulls. It was in an article that I read the lab thing. Can't remember wjat paper/magazine.

Im about to feed DD to the dog. She's STILL not asleep after one hour ten mins.

No, definitely not, sorry.

Why was a social worker involved?
Fidiliney i am in NI. We dont have OFSTED. All CMer registration goes through our early years team and inspection carried out by an early years social worker.

Do social workers not inspect childminders in England? I'm in NI too, I just assumed social workers inspected all childcare the way they do here!

McBear - you are still focussing on the breed rather than the fact that most people said 'no dogs at all'.

No, social workers are too overstretched to get involved in childcare! Childminders and nurseries are regulated by Ofsted.

To be fair- the social workers here are far too over stretched aswell. From first applying to getting my house inspection, which is that last stage, it took 9 months, however i was told to expect to wait up to 18 months purely because of the workload they have.

Well, this is a slight thread derail, but is having ofsted inspect childcare not just adding an extra layer of paper trail? If there was a child protection issue would it not ultimately end up being investigated by social services anyway? Or are they totally separate?

I love dogs but would not put my child to a childminder with a dog.

no, but mainly because I'm very allergic and couldn't cope with a cm who has furry pets.