Would this put you off a childminded? (Dog)

[newbieminder]

Would it put you off a childminder if they had a dog? My exact situation is that I have one dog, a king charles cavalier spaniel. He would be kept in the kitchen behind a stair gate when the mindees are in the front room (where they spend most of the time). When we are in the kitchen I wouldn't usually (with my own kids) think to shut him out as he is very chilled and just lies in his bed, comes over for an occasional stroke but I obviously could if this is what the parents want.

I have 2 kids myself and the dog is no trouble, he's a total softie but appreciate some parents might be put off? I'm hoping not all?

That’s a pretty early drop for school. Does that mean parents would have to drop own child to you before 7.45am? And then when would breakfast for childmind children happen? After school run?
For school run of other children surely they wouldn’t go to a breakfast club so you would need to do another drop off at 8.45-9am also.

Yes it would put me off ... and having the dog in an open plan kitchen diner is surely not appropriate if you are preparing food etc? Do you have to have premises inspected?

Yes it would have put me off. My son had been with his childminder a couple of years by the time she got her dog (a King Charles spaniel) and was older by then (maybe about 8/9) but I wouldn't have chosen her if she'd had the dog from the beginning and especially if he'd been pre-school age.

Don't know about the school run issue - my son was school age when he went to her but she definitely had younger kids as well so it clearly didn't put their parents off.

Yes I'd drop my son off for 9am rather than breakfast club at this point, he goes to breakfast club now for other reasons but won't at that time

Mumsnet is funny about dogs. I wouldn't base your whole business plan on these responses!

I have a dog, a medium sized one who we've had since puppy hood, he has no interest in the children and they him, bar the occasionally minor interaction, they go about their separate days.

I'm full and never had any trouble filling spaces. You'll be fine!

Yes, I would rule out using a childminder if they had a dog.

I know about 4 cm with dogs. I know many with their iwn dc. Evrry single one i know does school runs becuase they do wrap around. I have never met a single cm that does not do the school run and i have met about 10 and personally know 4 well.
The cm with dogs take the mindees on the walks with them during the day if not school age.
My dc old cm had 5 dc of her own and 2 dogs for goodness sakes. She got a puppy during our time too and it was bonkers, me and dc loved it.
People are often very risk averse on here and often dont reflect reality. Mn is quite a bizzare place. The cm above are all fully booked and never have space. One cm i personally know has 2 dc of her own with sen and disabilities and she is still fully booked and well respected. Shes amazing with all the dc and is loved by her families. She looked after my dc at times and i still keep intouch with her.
You will be absolutely fine op.

All the childminders where I live are full with waiting lists.
Lots have dogs
Some have their own babies/school children
Almost all do school runs regardless.

It wouldn’t bother us, our childminder has two dogs, I would however be put off by a childminder with young children as I would be concerned about how often you would need to cancel due to your own child/ren being unwell. If you’d have a day off from the office due to an unwell child, you need to treat it the same way when you childmind.

Yes it would. I don’t want my kids exposed to dog home smell all day. Plus I’d not trust your hygiene.

Personally, it would put you lower down a list that others without a dog.
However, I'm sure there are other parets who would like the opportunity for their kids to interact with a household pet.
So, you win some, you loose some. The childminder near me with a dog is pretty much always full.

Also i often have multiple dc in my home as i offer to help school parents out ad hoc when off work. Sometimes dc have a hord of mates round. 6 or 7 rambunctious dc. I have a large dog who has free range. No one has ever batted an eyelid. The dog or dc have never had issue in many years.
Its not like you have an anxious bull type who is not used to dc.

It would a bit. I wouldnt even condider a childminder with a large dog. Even a medium sized dog would put me off. A small dog like yours not so much but I would still prefeŕ no dog.

I used a minder with a dog (Labrador) and it was lovely. He left when he was just approaching 3 (my son not the dog) and whilst he no longer remembers the minders name at age 4 he still talks fondly of the dog and calls her name when he sees one similar. I'm a dog person though! We don't have one due to time out of house, thought it was lovely he would have some dog contact.

Contact was supervised, separated when minder had to leave the room to take another mindee to toilet, put for nap etc

A small, well trained dog wouldn’t be an issue for me. I’d like to meet them first to see for myself though.

Would not put me off. In Fact the nursery our baby is going to has a nursery dog which I thought was lovely.

We have dogs so it wouldn’t be a deal breaker but I would want to know a lot more information from you to ensure the well-being of my child and your dog. I would want to know what rules are set with the children around the dog (we have the rule that she can’t bother the dogs on their beds). I would want to know how you plan to give your dog space if you have a child that doesn’t respect your dog’s space.

Doing the school run wouldn’t bother me. But the times for school run might bother me because I drop off at the moment between 8 and 8.40 depending on what I’m doing that day.

Having your own children would. How often will you be off sick with them? When it’s school holidays, you will have both of them so you will be doing things to entertain your older one during the holidays and my child will just be dragged around. I worry about dealing with behaviour if my child is biting yours or your child is biting mine, would you react the same regardless of which side is biting? I wouldn’t like that your child would have special privileges such as going upstairs.

The main thing that would put me off is that you want part time only, pre-school only and only want to do it for a short time.

It would be a selling point for me , as long as I met the dog myself and observed it's interaction with the children

I'd see pets as a positive, however I would be wary of a dog especially with very young children. A soppy spaniel and your assurance that dog would never be alone with the kids I would be happy with.

OP, I’ve got a cavalier and I’m confused you class yours as a dog. Don’t you mean “canine looking cat”?

As someone who has tried to find a childminder at various points, can I say don't be put off?
There are plenty of people who want kind, friendly and warm carers for their kids in a kind friendly home. If there are ofsted(?) rules about dogs, follow them. But don't be put off. You sound like the ideal type of person to do it!

Some of the responses on here are ridiculous . I thought the whole idea of going with a CM rather than a nursery is that your kid gets more of a normal home based upbringing which would surely include picking other siblings up from school , shopping etc as well as going to groups , the park etc . For those people worrying about the dog having pooed on the grass where the kids will play - do your kids never play in the park , go to the woods or a NT place - it’s the same thing , dogs may have pooed there . Start your business @newbieminder , see what kind of interest you get and adapt from there . I think some of the people on this thread are confusing CM with a private Nanny .

These are people that wouldn't use a childminder anyway. To hate everything about a childminder and essentially just want a nursery, then you would use a nursery!

There are plenty of families that do want a family setting and these would all be pros for them.

Not all do school runs, which are a great educational and school readiness experience....number)colour hunts familiarity with school etc. Would you use a cm?