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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Would you use a CM with a Rottweiler?

160 replies

McBear · 26/06/2014 13:12

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...

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Messygirl · 27/06/2014 07:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jinxxx · 27/06/2014 09:13

It would be a definite no from me, partly due to fear of a biting incident and scepticism about whether the rather complicated arrangements for separating dog and children would be applied without fail, but also because I wouldn't want my children somewhere that smelled of dog or where a dog was allowed in the kitchen.

My younger son was bitten by a Jack Russell at the park (while the owner looked on shouting "Stand still, he won't bite you"). Dog owners do not always have sound judgement regarding their pets!

AChildminder88 · 27/06/2014 09:23

I'm in two minds...I'm a dog lover, and have always been brought up with dogs, and even when I was a tiny child, I really loved our pets and definitely think it's a valuable experience for children to be around animals.

That being said, I have also been bitten by one of our dogs, (mostly my fault, I bent down to give him a kiss, my long hair covered it's face and I think it scared him, and he bit my nose) but it really really really hurt, I had to go to hospital and have stitches, because he was a miniture jack Russell, damage was tiny compared to what could have happened if the Labrador bit my nose!!

I think when you have a house full of children, no matter how lovely they are, and no matter how lovely the dog is, it's not fair on the animal to be surrounded by so much noise and bother...what if a child scares the dog like I did??

Ofsted would want to see that your dog is securely locked up for the hours that you are open for business, is that fair? I wouldn't do that to my dogs. Coincidently, I don't have dogs now, I have cats, and they spend most the day in hiding- I feel guilty enough about that!

It seems mightily unfair because you have a dog, you may not be able to run childminding business...but that's one of the hurdles you have to cross in order to work from home.

Good luck- let us know what happens! Would be interesting to see how inspectors view this!

Only1scoop · 27/06/2014 09:26

I wouldn't ....I like dogs but would avoid a Cm with any dog at all. Especially a Rottweiler.

AChildminder88 · 27/06/2014 09:43

OP- why don't you see if you can discuss this with childminders who already have dogs in their home? There is a great childminder forum, and the people on their will be able to offer you an alternate opinion, some of which would have had to overcome the dog hurdle themselves!? X

Blondeshavemorefun · 27/06/2014 11:54

personally no, not coz a rottie but as a dog as you just dontknow that temperament of the dog and what other children do to them

you can not keep an eye on the dog and all mindees 100% of the time

also not fair to keep a dog outside/in penn/kennel all day while kids there

a dog in a family is diff

motherinferior · 27/06/2014 12:13

I also think the combination of no playroom AND a dog would scream 'unprofessional' at me.

WanderingTrolley1 · 27/06/2014 12:18

No, I wouldn't.

deepbluetr · 27/06/2014 12:19

Unfair to the dog.

Dogs are social and pack animals. To shut it out of "family life" for long periods is really unfair to the animal.
If you want to CM, find another home for the dog, where it won't spend all day feeling outcast.

Bug2014 · 27/06/2014 12:19

Certainly not. Why take the risk?

AChildminder88 · 27/06/2014 13:05

McBear- I asked your question on a childminding forum, and all the CM that replied said that they have never had a problem with Ofsted or parents. They have to risk asses and make sure there is an option for keeping dog away from children, but they don't have to be locked up all day.
They also said that when parents ring to ask for vacancies, they tell parents about their dog(s) and often this is a selling point for parents, because they want the home from home environment, and want the children to be around loving pets.
If you are seriously considering CM, I don't think it will be as bigger issue as I first thought, (and as others have said) It certainly won't mean your business is unable to thrive! You just have to be honest with parents, and if they don't want to use your service, don't worry, someone else will! X

TheSteveMilliband · 27/06/2014 13:14

I consider myself pretty dog friendly and ds goes to a childminder with a dog. Saying that, when he was a baby I saw a cm with a rotty and couldn't quite bring myself to take the very tiny chance, chose someone else. Probably not rational but then where children and babies are concerned, most aren't! Sure there are people it doesn't bother though

whiteshirtandkhakipants · 27/06/2014 13:17

nope. it would, I'm sure, almost certainly be fine, if not a great big positive for the child to hang out with a dog, but i wouldn't take the risk esp as I'm not there to gauge the behaviour/interraction etc.
wouldn't take the risk, sorry.
and yes, its the breed in particular that would make me decide sooner not to iyswim. id probably deliberate further with another breed, and wouldn't mind, say, a lab (coz i have experience of them prob).

OorWullie · 27/06/2014 13:22

I would not use a childminder with a dog full stop, regardless of breed.

It's a personal feeling from me that it just takes a second for a dog to turn- either unprovoked or maybe as a result of a child doing something careless to irritate the dog.

I maybe paranoid but I'd rather not take the risk.

Original poster

McBear · 27/06/2014 15:30

Thank you cm88. That's really kind of you! Can I ask where this forum is? I'd love to have a gander

OP posts:

AChildminder88 · 27/06/2014 15:46

I've messaged you McBear x

motherinferior · 27/06/2014 15:52

Well, you seem determined to go ahead, don't you. And you may find that it isn't a problem.

But like I say, someone who was new to childminding and had no playroom and a dog would strike me someone who wasn't really taking it seriously.

AChildminder88 · 27/06/2014 16:01

motherinferior- I wouldn't agree, I don't technically have a playroom, I have a living room that opens into garden, and kitchen. You don't have to have a huge house to be a serious childminder.

Obviously the smaller your property the fewer children you could have, but it's no less a buisness. It's certainly not unprofessional. I'm not sure what your view is based on, but it's incorrect to assume a childminder has to have separate playroom.

dorset · 27/06/2014 16:14

Hi I have been a childminder for 10yrs and always had a dog, got 2 now. Our first was a staffy, which we had before our own children, I have always been in work. Although I do have a separate playroom and the use of stair gates around the home so I can restrict access to where they go. Ofsted have never had a problem with it either. Its all about personal choice, I'm honest when people ring and always mention I have them before a visit so it's up to them. Good luck with your decision

motherinferior · 27/06/2014 16:34

I said someone who was new to childminding, had a dog and no separate space. My childminder didn't have a huge house at all. She did have (a) a room opening into the garden which was her 'childminding room' (b) a childcare history as long as your arm, starting with working as a nursery nurse. Fabulous childminder, she was, had both my girls till they started school.

But then I wouldn't want my kids around a dog. However nice it was supposed to be. And I did want someone who did childcare as a job, something they enjoyed doing and were fulfilled by, not someone who did it because they already had their own children and wanted to fit something on top.

AChildminder88 · 27/06/2014 16:52

Hey motherinferior- I know and understand what you said, but I still don't agree. You said OP was unprofessional and doubted she was taking it serious, based on what she has posted, I think that's an unfair assumption.

To be a childminder you have to go through a lengthy registration process which involves proving you have all sorts of certificates first, you can't simply be a childminder because you want to stay at home with your children. Not legally anyway.

I think you are making unfair assumptions about the OP- I would take offence if that was written about me.

motherinferior · 27/06/2014 17:02

No, I didn't say the OP was unprofessional. I said that if I were a prospective parent looking for childcare, I would feel that someone with that lack of a track record plus dog - and in all honesty the lack of a playroom would come a long way behind that - would make me wary about whether they were taking it seriously. I don't know the OP at all and have no idea about her motives or background. I wasn't calling her anything. I was saying that I would be wary in this entirely imaginary situation.

I'm fully aware that childminders have to be registered and are inspected. I'm also aware that there is a wide variation in childcare, and that people go into it with different motivations.

motherinferior · 27/06/2014 17:04

And what would put me off, in all honesty, is the OP's insistence that her dog is perfectly fine and won't cause a problem at all!

Jinsei · 27/06/2014 17:06

No, sorry. I would consider a CM with a dog, but definitely not a Rottweiler.

AChildminder88 · 27/06/2014 17:10

Add message | Report | Message poster motherinferior Fri 27-Jun-14 12:13:08
I also think the combination of no playroom AND a dog would scream 'unprofessional' at me.

Thankfully if OP wants to continue with registration process, Ofsted will take a different view to yours. As do other parents, otherwise there would be a heck of a lot of struggling childminders.

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