Dogs and toddlers

[NoseyHelen]

My CM has just acquired a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy (7 weeks). DH and I don't think this is a suitable environment for our 2 yr old so I now have to tell CM that we'll be pulling our daughter out by Easter (when dog may be getting big enough to be a problem). I'm absolutely gutted because we love our CM. Does anyone have any tips on how I can break this to CM without causing offence/upset?

Ask to see the puppy's registration documents. If she can produce Kennel Club papers that proves it is a pure bred KC registered staff then please please reconsider your decision. They are fabulous dogs with children honestly - see what the kennel club have to say about them.

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/87

It clearly says on the KC website how great staffs are with children, indeed the KC nicknamed them "the nanny dog" because of their special affinity with children. PLEASE don't join the masses of ignorant non-staff owners out there who have no idea what makes this breed so special.

Too many "bad boys" are bringing over illegal pit bulls and pretending they are just big staffs. But people who know their breed can easily see the HUGE difference in appearence let alone temperment. If your CM can't produce any papers or she bought the pup off "some ruffian in the pub" - tell her to get rid of the dog for her own sake as well as yours!

For the people who questioned whether ofsted allowed dogs - I had 2 staffs when I childminded years ago and the ofsted inspector i had for my inspections told me she'd always rather see a staff with a CM than a border collie or jack russel......both of which can be very unreliable and a bit snappy. Ofsted were always very happy with my dogs. They had their own section of the garden (so no poo issues for the children) and they were kept locked away when I couldn't be on the floor supervising them with the children.

I would do that regardless of the dog breed I had or how many dogs I had. No dog should be trusted alone with kids.

Sorry for the essay but I get so frustrated with the way people make assumptions about dog breeds because of a few dodgy owners. I feel sorry for your DD if DH makes her leave a CM she loves because of DHs inability to research properly......

gizmo - cross posted you there! Good to know I'm not the only one who thinks that way! Although you were much more succinct in your delivery!!

Thanks for everyone's input. I have given the CM notice - 3 months notice because at the moment my DD is a bigger risk to him than the other way around. I appreciate the comments made in favour of the Staffies. I too believe that Staffies are much maligned but I don't trust CM's son to take care of the dog and therefore I'm not confident that the dog's temperament will be appropriate. Both DH and I accept that the risk is minimal but it's a risk all the same and one of my key roles as a parent is to minimise risk for my DD.
Interestingly though, I am now looking at CM looking for faults so I can convince myself it's the right thing and now I'm looking the picture isn't as rosy as I thought. I'm sure I'll find someone just as well in the next 3 months.

noseyhelen - deciding to let your CM go for a number fo reasons is perfectly reasonable. It obviously wasn;t meant to be if the dog issue has promted you to look closer at the care beign given and noticing all is not as good as it seemed.

Glad you thought it through and came to the right choice for you - you will find someone else no problem - good luck

hi i was wondering this as i have an 8 month old spaniel and am looking at becoming a childminder i no my dog is so soft and wouldn't hurt any1 i have 2 young son's of my own that have been there constantly sincw we got the dog

we would love a dog but would never ever have one whilst cming. as a parent, i wouldnt touch a cm with a dog.

I had a staffie for many years (his whole life), and although I absolutely loved him, and he was never a problem, he was a jealous dog. Ideally they need training too, they are VERY strong dogs (muscular), run very fast, and need to know you are boss. They also get lock jaw if they bite, which is difficult to deal with (I will tell you how if you really need to know!haha).

I childmind in a flat so would never think of getting a dog. When we move to a house and I stop childminding one day I will get another staffie as I absolutely love them. But not while I have the responsibility of other people's children in my home. The kids and my living come first.

I do think CMs should let the parents know if they decide to get a dog, yes it is their house, but their home is a business too, and the kids parents need to be taken into consideration.

An aside re staffies... I come from South Africa, where they are a popular breed. There is no stigma attached there at all. They are seen as a good family pet.

In the UK it seems that staffies are given a bad rap, and I think that this is mostly due to the fact that they are a preferred pet of people who are in gangs/rough estates, who are looking for a dog for purposes other than a loving family pet...

ps: Sorry, another post, sorry... my mum had a nursery school for over 20 years and had a staffy and another dog, who were separate from the kids as a general rule.

Our concern was never for the staffy, it was for the other dog (a cross chow/labrador). Spaniels and jack russels and other breeds are more likely to bite/snip than a staffy.

At the end of the day it comes down to who owns the dog and how that dog is treated, to how they will act and react with others, kids included.

Hi - I think your cm is wrong by not telling you ... however we do have a tendancy to wrap children up in c wool these days.. Would you not let your child go swimming for the fear of drowning or a farm because the an animal could attack them??????

If you are happy with your cm and your child is happy as well why would you want to put your child through the upset of moving somewhere else .... perhaps a good alternative is to speak with the cm and set some regulations.

good luck and i hope you work it out !

Never keep an animal around children that has the power to kill them. Sad but true.
That is why i'm sticking with cats and chickens! Don't trust any dogs and certainly not Staffies as their mouths are just too big!
If you have to get a dog, get a little Papillon or something with a flat face.