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Paid childcare

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

Original poster

Childminder's dog has bitten DD

462 replies

Jugglingitall85 · 27/03/2025 17:07

Last week my childminder's dog bit my DD on the face. What would you do? I feel like I have lost trust in their judgement and allowing this to happen.

OP posts:
ScrewedByFunding · 27/03/2025 20:10

mummysmagicmedicine · 27/03/2025 19:45

That’s awful and illegal please find alternative childcare

What's illegal?

whatkatydid2014 · 27/03/2025 20:10

WinterMorn · 27/03/2025 17:38

Well, there are if the dog was secured away from children, was provoked in some manner and then bit to defend itself.

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Not really. If it’s a space used to care for children there should be no possibility of them accessing the dog to provoke it in the first place.

Togglebullets · 27/03/2025 20:15

Silentdream · 27/03/2025 19:52

What on earth made you decide a child minder with a dog was appropriate? You might as well ask someone who likes to play with knives to do the job next time.

Do you think nobody should have dogs if they have children as well?

Plenty of families have pet dogs. The op has done nothing wrong here.

Iamnotalemming · 27/03/2025 20:17

Call the police and find a new childminder.

Silentdream · 27/03/2025 20:20

Togglebullets · 27/03/2025 20:15

Do you think nobody should have dogs if they have children as well?

Plenty of families have pet dogs. The op has done nothing wrong here.

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You sound like the sort of person who excuses a dogs behaviour as being out of character when they maul a child.

Both parties are badly at fault. The poor child deserves so much better.

Togglebullets · 27/03/2025 20:25

Silentdream · 27/03/2025 20:20

You sound like the sort of person who excuses a dogs behaviour as being out of character when they maul a child.

Both parties are badly at fault. The poor child deserves so much better.

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You couldn't be more wrong. I fucking hate dogs actually. I'm scared of them.

But it's extremely common for families to have dogs - for dogs and kids to coexist in the same space. Therefore it isn't inherently irresponsible for someone to choose to use a childminder with a dog.

Keiththecatwithamagichat · 27/03/2025 20:25

If the child was taken to hospital then police would have been called by them.

If this is real I wouldn't send my child back unless the dog was pts or rehomed.

BlueBatBlossom · 27/03/2025 20:27

Silentdream · 27/03/2025 19:52

What on earth made you decide a child minder with a dog was appropriate? You might as well ask someone who likes to play with knives to do the job next time.

Not all dogs are vicious child killers, surprisingly enough.

Tiredmomma86 · 27/03/2025 20:33

I’m sorry this has happened to your child OP and I understand it’s obviously a stressful situation especially when your child was in a place you would have thought they’d be safe. But I’d also like to say my family’s dog throughout my childhood bit my brother on the face (he had hugged her) once after a stressful day (we took her to training classes and did not realise she had severe ptsd from abuse in her previous life) but she never bit again. My family didn’t even consider destroying her as they knew it was completely out of character. I mean this dog could be a dangerous dog sure but it may also have been a mistake. But now I’m a mother I probably wouldn’t send my child there again as it’s a serious concern that your child was allowed to get close enough for this to happen.

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 27/03/2025 20:35

socks1107 · 27/03/2025 17:19

I’d loose all trust and be looking for a new childminder

Lose

Maray1967 · 27/03/2025 20:41

Mrsbloggz · 27/03/2025 17:40

I wouldnt use a childminder who has a dog in the first place.

Same here. Not a chance.

MoreDangerousThanAWomanScorned · 27/03/2025 20:43

beardediris · 27/03/2025 19:15

But the child shouldnt have been allowed to torment the dog. The CM should have been supervising the child sufficiently that this couldn’t happen. If she couldn’t supervise the child maybe because she had more than 1 child in her care and was busy with the other one then the dog should not have been accessible by the child.
Its not the dog or the child at fault here it’s the CM. Children of an age to go to a child minder cannot always be expected to understand how to behave around a dog. Any dog whoever docile can do something completely out of character. Size breed etc is irrelevant the CM had a duty to keep the child in her care safe and that means keeping dog and child apart unless she is able to constantly supervise what’s happening and even then I think they should be kept apart.

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Agreed - and for this reason I don't understand the posts saying that they wouldn't send the child back unless the dog was put down. I wouldn't send them back whatever happens to the dog as it's the childminder's judgement and supervision I would be worried about.

Tbrh · 27/03/2025 20:43

Mrsbloggz · 27/03/2025 17:40

I wouldnt use a childminder who has a dog in the first place.

This! Wtaf.

Girlmum1995 · 27/03/2025 20:45

seaelephant · 27/03/2025 18:02

Depends. A warning nip from a harrassed chihuahua, I'd scold my DD. A chunk out of her nose from a pitbull unwarranted, I'd call the police.

You realise that small dogs are typically more aggressive

Strictlymad · 27/03/2025 20:46

Gymmum82 · 27/03/2025 17:20

I would report to the police and I would not rest until the dog was put down. I’d report the childminder to ofsted and the council as she has failed in safeguarding children in her care. Why was the dog even in the same room as the children? Nevermind in a position where it was able to bite.
I would report to the parents of the other children if I knew them and I would plaster all over loca Facebook pages so parents knew to avoid this childminder.
Absolutely awful and a total failure by the childminder. Any idiot knows a dog should not be around children especially children that are paying to be cared for

This! No bite should happen in a childcare setting (no dog should be in a childcare setting imo) but to the face!! Shocking!

BellesAndGraces · 27/03/2025 20:47

Mrsbloggz · 27/03/2025 17:40

I wouldnt use a childminder who has a dog in the first place.

Christ, neither would I!

housethatbuiltme · 27/03/2025 20:48

PalmLady · 27/03/2025 17:13

I wouldn't send my child back. How old is your child and what kind of dog? Say, an 8 year old child with a tiny dog, I could forgive. However, if she has left young children alone with a large dog I would not be wanting her to continue childcare for anyone and would take it further.

I was 8 when a 15lb lap dog left me with 300 stitches across 3 surgeries, I had to have skin grafts and reconstruction. Dr said it was a miracle I didn't lose my eye and if he got my throat it could have been fatal.

Some of the most agressive breeds are very small and it only takes one well placed bite to cause serious damage or even kill.

Some people use bite when they mean a harmless nip that just pinched or barely broke skin etc... but a BITE from any dog regardless of size is incredibly dangerous, there teeth are designed to do serious damage.

Sugargliderwombat · 27/03/2025 20:48

Dweetfidilove · 27/03/2025 17:38

I didn't know children are mixing with dogs at CMs now 😳 .

Some schools have dogs now too, but I think there's a lot of red tape around it.

Im not a dog fan, I would be reporting it to anyone who would listen and want them to investigate it and decide. My Child wouldn't be going back but I didnt register him with a childminder who had a dog for this reason.

I suppose it's all quite different if you knew about the dog, the risks and wanted your child to attend anyway.

DogRocket · 27/03/2025 20:49

Girlmum1995 · 27/03/2025 20:45

You realise that small dogs are typically more aggressive

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You do realise there’s a difference between a nip from a tiny dog and getting your face ripped off by a large dog?

BellesAndGraces · 27/03/2025 20:49

BlueBatBlossom · 27/03/2025 20:27

Not all dogs are vicious child killers, surprisingly enough.

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They never are. They’re always very friendly and would never hurt a fly … until they do.

ScrewedByFunding · 27/03/2025 20:55

Are we still sure this mysterious dog bite even happened?

OP hasn't been back conveniently.

WinterMorn · 27/03/2025 20:59

whatkatydid2014 · 27/03/2025 20:10

Not really. If it’s a space used to care for children there should be no possibility of them accessing the dog to provoke it in the first place.

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That’s not always possible to ensure with older children

honeyytoast · 27/03/2025 21:01

ScrewedByFunding · 27/03/2025 17:16

I'm sure the childminder is utterly devastated and almost certainly will be dealing with this by reporting and following what she's been advised. The OP should follow up with the cm to confirm this is being done.

I'm not sure there's much value in using her energy to be nasty about things. Much better to use correct protocol and keep communication open to ensure safe and effective resolution to all.

I hope your DD is OK OP Flowers

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You don’t think she should have mentioned how she’d rectify this since last week?

Yeswoman · 27/03/2025 21:06

Your poor DD. Disgusting animal. Dont send her back of course and report her to regulator. She should report it herself as a near miss, but if she doesn't you will need to.

Im sick to death of dogs. Not everyone loves them yet we're forced to put up with them shitting all over our pavements and biting "because they're having a bad day".

Smallmercies · 27/03/2025 21:06

Police, lawsuit, new childminder.