Choosing a childminder with a dog- advice needed please

[Jenniferb21]

Hi

I went to a childminder today who is lovely she is similar to me her house was great and I really feel like I could see her looking after my DS (9 months old). She has a smallish putbull dog that stays in the kitchen behind a babygate. If the children go in the kitchen it goes outside first. She told me the dog doesn't have contact with the children. I trust that but I'm still feeling a bit unsure.

Compared to another childminder I've see and nurseries I really like her but it is putting me off because I'm cautious about dogs behind dangerous with babies

Any advice/ thoughts?

Thank you

Arent pitbulls a banned breed or you have to be registered with the police to keep one or something like that?

I personally wouldnt. I grew up with dogs in the house. Im not a dog person, i dont like pet hair on clothing etc.

When you are working and yr DC is with childminder, you need to be able to relax, knowing DC is safe and happy. Sounds like you would always be worrying about this particular childminder. So I'd suggest looking for another.

I'm a childminder, with a dog and I would still be put off this family. Childminders can work 14 hour days... does that mean this dog is in the kitchen or garden for at least 8 hours a day, up to 14?
I have a policy that my dog is never left alone with a child, and the dog is not allowed in the children's eating space. Other than that, my dog has free roam of the house and only gets shut out of the particular room that we are doing an activity in. Otherwise, if it's an activity such as playing with toys, drawing etc he just goes to sleep somewhere in the room. If the door goes, he comes with me, if I need to take a child to the toilet, I call him out the room. It has become second nature for both me and him.
He is well behaved, does as he is told, has a bed he can go to if he gets tired of the children and it generally works really well.
Some parents are put off by me having a dog, some see it as a bonus.

Our old childminder had a dog (old childminder as we moved). The dog was kept in the kitchen, behind a gate. Children never went into or near kitchen. I never saw it in the 10 months DD was cared for there. Wouldn't have known it existed if childminder didn't tell me!
However, we visited another childminder who had a dog. She was lovely but I refused to send DD there because the dog wasn't kept separately to the children and it growled at me when I went in. The childminder boasted how good the dog was with the kids, and how they play with it. Major alarm bells went off in my head!
We are dog owners ourselves.
Only you can decide if it's a risk you are happy with.

Does the childminder have children herself?

My dog isn't allowed anywhere near minded children but ce they go, he is in the house with my own children (youngest has just turned three)

Once they go

Our childminder had a dog, that was a family dog and totally integrated with all the children. No way would use someone who kept the dog separate.

Our childminder has a dog and DD adores her. It also has the advantage that we won't be nagged to get her a dog at home (hopefully)!

Seriously though, it depends what you are comfortable with. It would be a dealbreaker for some people.