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Original poster

*****VERY UPSET CHILDMINDER HADLEIGH*****

111 replies

lovingmumof1 · 01/10/2006 21:17

I have been childminding for just over a year now and haven't had the best of starts, I have been told on a number of occassions by my colleagues that people have been telling friends not to use me as I have a dog. Now I think that is totally unfair towards me and the dog as this is my living and if these people came to see us they would realise he is not bad, OFSTED wouldn't have registered me if the dog was bad. I know with what has happened resently about dogs that may put people off, it would me, but how am I supposed to make a living as I love working with children and being at home with my DS. PLEASE COULD HADLEIGH PARENTS GIVE ME SOME INFO AS IT IS GETTING ME DOWN

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cece · 01/10/2006 21:19

That is ridiculous!

My cm had a dog and when that one died she got a puppy. Certainly didn't put me off.

What breed is it though as that might be influencing people's opinions?

foundintranslation · 01/10/2006 21:22

I'm not a hadleigh parent, but tbh I wouldn't use a childminder who had a dog. However nice the dog, there is always that potential for something going wrong - and if you are looking after several children you could always be distracted and something could happen in that moment. i think I would also prefer to be able to assist my child to build up a relationship with dogs on my terms, not someone else's. HTH.

KellyKrueger1978 · 01/10/2006 21:26

my cm has a dog. The kids love it, but I msut admit I don't. Dogs can turn, they can get worms or fleas, they jump up and lick, and scare my toddlers, and they often smell.I know for a dog owner, the dog can eb a big part of the family, but many parents who don't have dogs prob feel the same way as me. However, there are lots of ppl out there who do keep dogs or may be happy for their children to be around a dog, so focus on them. Emphasis the positives of the children beign around a dog. Either that or can you keep the mindees and the dog seperate?

cece · 01/10/2006 21:30

There are people like me though that don't really give it a second thought. However, cm dog was a lovely old plodder of a labrador. And I really like dogs.

The only reason we don't have one is becaus eDH doesn't like them...

zoeuk1 · 01/10/2006 21:35

im a childminder and no-one has ever been put off because of our dog

Katymac · 01/10/2006 21:38

I'm sorry Lmof1 - but if you have a dog you will put off some people

If you have a cat you will put off others

& if you have a snake/tarantula you will put off loads

I'm afraid that's life

Have you policies for keeping the dog away from the children (eh when you go to the loo)

& for keeping part of the garden poo free (no scooping them up won't be enough)

& for handling struggling children/buggy/dog on lead

Original poster
lovingmumof1 · 01/10/2006 22:23

To answer some questions he is a pointer, I have his bed under the stairs and a gate on the living room door to keep them seperate. I am quite lucky I have a large garden with a fence between the children and the dog, he is trained to walk with the pushchair ever since DS was born he may pull occsasionally, In my opinion all children should get the chance to learn how to look after a cat or a dog,no offence about cats but cats can be just as bad as dogs even worse.

OP posts:
NastyNemo666 · 01/10/2006 22:27

personally..wouldnt use a CM with a dog even though I am a dog owner. I would worry about a strange child doing something to the dog which could make them turn. I am sure your dog is lovely and placid as ours is but you can never 100% trust them even if they have been in the family for years.

Original poster
lovingmumof1 · 01/10/2006 22:29

I also have drop in's at my home were there could be any number of children between my colleagues and me, he is fine around them, may sniff but what dog doesn't.

OP posts:
Twiglett · 01/10/2006 22:30

I wouldn't use a childminder with a dog either

but I'm sure other people would

misdee · 01/10/2006 22:31

i wouldnt use a CM with a dog. even though i have had dogs in the past, i have seen how my kids can be around animals, even ones they know.

hunkermunker · 01/10/2006 22:32

"may sniff, but what dog doesn't" - that sort of remark is exactly the reason I wouldn't use a childminder with a dog.

I don't want to be sniffed, thanks. Nor do I want the children sniffed.

In fact, I don't want to be near a black-gummed toothy thing with a wet nose and a penchant for jumping up and scrabbling at me (or worse, shoving his nose in my crotch or licking my face).

I don't particularly like dogs though. Perhaps you can tell that?

justamindlesszombiemum · 01/10/2006 23:20

lovingmum, i actually chose my ex cm because she had dogs!! (and she was rated ofsted excellent) I am a dogless dog person and wanted ds to grow up comfortable with them. (in the vain hope that our combined influence may one day convince dh to let me have one) my cm was very clear about her policy about her dogs, in the light of recent news stories it may be worth reiterating your pet policy or creating a special policy document to give to prospective parents.

moondog · 01/10/2006 23:22

I wouldn't choose a childminder with a dog either.
Sorry.

Murphee · 01/10/2006 23:30

I am the opposite of Hunkermunker - I do want to be sniffed/my child to be sniffed etc. because I want her to grow up unafraid of animals and to have respect for them. However, DD is 2.9 and although I desperately want a dog she isn't yet old enough to be aware of neighbour's cat ie. she pesters him (despite constant requests not to) and occasionally he scratches her, then we have floods of tears. For this reason I won't yet buy a dog, for fear she will be bitten. I expect there are parents who avoid you for the same reason - it's a shame though.

mysonsmummy · 02/10/2006 00:47

when i was looking for a cm for ds i would have not chosen one who had a dog. we all have our prefernces and you said it yourself about dogs having a bad press. not sure what a 'bad' dog is? but also i wouldnt have chose a cm who smoked or had no garden. the list goes on and its different for each of us.

sallyscarystrawberry · 02/10/2006 01:06

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sallyscarystrawberry · 02/10/2006 01:07

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CalifornifamousFanjo · 02/10/2006 02:04

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CalifornifamousFanjo · 02/10/2006 02:05

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aitch71 · 02/10/2006 02:27

it's your choice to have a dog, so surely you don't object to other people exercising their right to choose not to have you as their childminder.
i know it's not what you want to hear, but i'm another person who wouldn't want a CM with a dog. Or a cat. maybe a goldfish.
when i was three or four i was bitten by a dog who had never bitten anyone in his life before. he was a sweet thing, totally accustomed to children and i wasn't tormenting him but i remember that i did run past him quickly so i think i must have jumped too quickly into his line of vision, iykwim? he just snapped at me, bless him, i really only got a bad pinch but i do remember it shaking my confidence for a long time.

WriggleJiggle · 02/10/2006 02:40

Dd doesn't go to a CM, but if she did I'd love her CM to have a dog. However, if she kept spiders ........

...... each to their own.

hunkermunster · 02/10/2006 09:38

It's the attitude of "he's a dog and we all love dogs and if you don't there's something wrong with you" that I object to, rather than the actual sniffing in itself.

Marina · 02/10/2006 09:47

Not from Hadleigh either, but I'd rule out anyone with a dog too I'm afraid. Especially a large working breed like a pointer, sorry.
I'd never "warn people off" you though - it's a personal choice issue and some people are fine about having a childminder with a pet. I'd also be honest and polite about it with you as well.
Cats aren't just as bad though IMO. Cats don't have the potential to kill a small child. Their excrement does not potentially contain a parasite that can blind a child.
We don't have either BTW - I'm not keen on pets in cities full stop. I am guessing you are a semi-rural location, I would expect that might mean more potential customers are OK with dogs.
Thing is though, if you look at the balance of opinions here, I think more people are put off dogs than not, and if there are other local childminders who don't have them, then that does narrow your likely clientele.

dmo · 02/10/2006 09:51

i'm a childminder and dont have any animals at all not even a fish
my ds1 has asthma as a lot of children do now and i worry about allergies

my ds2 would love an animal any animal at all so we lend him out to friends to feed their animals while they are on hol he loves it