Real dog in dd's nursery class- how would you feel about this?

[galaxy]

I dropped dd off at her private school nursery yesterday and was greeted by a black labrador roaming free round the classroom. It seemed very friendly and didn't smell (can you tell I don't like dogs)? I was in a rush so I didn't pass comment to the teachers.

dh is allergic to dogs and last night dd started with a really bad cough which went on all through the night and sounded like hoopng cough. dh kept her at home today and she's been fine and I'm wondering if the two are connected.

Regardless of whether the cough and the dog are connected or not, I'm feeling rather perturbed that they had a dog in the nursery class full of 3 year olds, (even the friendliest animals can turn without warning) and that they hadn't asked whether parents had any objections.

Am I just being an old bag or do I have a point?

When they take dogs into childrens wards in hospitals, do they ask the parents first?

DD's nursery have got a bunny which lives in one of the side rooms where they keep paint and stuff. It has helped her confidence with animals no end, rather strangely (we had a dog until she recently died) she is terrified of all animals but seeing this bunny every time she has slowly been able to build up to stroking it and will now hold it for a few seconds. but then if it was a dog i doubt i would have got her in the door. We weren't asked about allergies at the time but the form we had to fill in at the beginning asked for them

Just say your DH is allergic to dogs, might be a family history, please can you be informed if the dog is going to be there in future.

Allergies aside, there seems to me to be a huge difference between bringing in a dog as a teaching point for the children (dog under control of adult; maybe some simple explanations about what dogs like, what they eat, how to approach them; making play-dough models of dogs etc.) and just letting a lab run round with a bunch of over-excited three year olds.

A police dog was brought into DD1's class (as part of a project on 'our community' rather than to track down 5 year olds in possession of illegal drugs). DD1 thought it was fantastic, particularly when the police demonstrated how the dog could apprehend an escaping villain by seizing his arm. The 'villain' was another policeman, although personally I argued that his place should have been taken by the headmistress for greater authenticity!

Rhubarb: "I have worked with dogs, they do not just turn."

I agree - but you've got to have a pretty laid back dog if it's not going to get worked up round lots of children. My dog is lovely (I would say that ) and I worked a lot on bite inhibition when he was a puppy - but he can get a bit hysterical if people start doing things to him that he doesn't like - even if it's something comparatively stressfree and painless, like removing the sleep from his eyes.

DS would have been terrified - wouldn't have gone into a room with a loose dog!

If they were studying animals, or having a special session with a dog, then I think that's fine - but I wouldn't expect it to be running loose, and i would expect them to check for allergies.

Is it just in with the staff member because she can't leave it at home or something?

they do just turn though!

we had a golden retriever when I was small, he was the most cute cuddly dog, we used to ride on him and dress him up in hats and glasses etc. One day an old lady patted him in the street and he went absolutely mental and really went for her

never did it again after that

I would hate it you should say someting to them

Definitely no dogs.

yuk. dogs are mingin'.

Oooh, dogs, no, please, cringe.

I'm a bit scared of dogs.

gerbils can be quite cute, except the psychotic rodent possessed by Satan that i had as a girl.

but dogs are just gross.

I was bit by a dog (when I was 5) that was aloud inside a school building because it was 'very friendly'. So no, it definately not on imo.

Only just been able to get back to this been away with work last couple of days. dh is going to mention it politely next week - seems to be Wednesdays only so may be that the teacher has no-one to look after it on that day. Glad to see that our views are not in the minority though!

You should definitely have been asked first galaxy for allergy reasons, but whenever this was arranged at ds' old, excellent, nursery, the children all loved seeing Harvey the labrador. But we knew beforehand and he was contextualised in the pre-school curriculum (poor old Harve)

Marina - that's the bit of me that has held back from complaining - the kids seem to adore this dog.

dh just phoned - dog there again today. 1 teacher in classroom, other 2 outside. dog licks dh as he tries to get through door, he pushes it away and teacher is totally oblivious to all this. What does he say? "Nothing".....we just had a row..Apparently, I agreed to phone the school and complain anonomously. I don't think I did.

Gross! No telling where that tongue has been.

Eeew, dog.

rofl @ Harvey being contextualised

I'd be horrified to find a dog at dd's nursery. Surely there are some rules and regulations about this, what happens at snack time for instance. I'm an animal lover, but a bit nervous around dogs, another one with a bad experience when I was a child. We dont actually know any dogs and dd is quite nervous of dogs in the street, the best way to be until you know the dog properly I believe. I would most certainly complain and quite strongly, it wouldnt be so bad if that had all the parents pemission to start with.

I know I need to raise this but dh thinks it should be done anonomously as he's the one who does the drop off/pick up and he doesn't want to be ostracised (sp?) I think we should just be open and say we have a problem with it.

I have no problem with child friendly pets being brought into my DD's nursery once in a blue moon so long as they are on a short lead or in their relevant cages/being handled by someone who knows what they are doing. But I think the with regards to your DD's allergy then I think a letter should have been sent home to parents just forewarn them/give them a chance to notify the nursery staff of any phobias or allergies.

Galaxy - I can see why you're cross with DH! can't for the life of me think why any comment should be anonymous! You can see from this thread that to be unhappy with this is not a far-out or bizarre reaction - and no-one needs to be rude or unfreindly - just explain that you are surprised to see a loose dog, and not very happy with it!