Help With Puppy Letter To Parents..Xl Breed

[WImom]

We have to let parents know anytime we add an animal to our home.

We are getting an English Mastiff puppy in a few weeks, so excited but a little worried about parents being concerned with her being so big. We currently have a beagle/basset mix that everyone loves, he's very laid back and lazy. So this new dog will be quite different size wise.

I will be crating her atleast until trained and then gating her away from daycare (I have seperate daycare space). I want the parents to know this but not make them think that's because she won't be good with kids. (It's due to her size). I was also thinking it might be a good idea to put a little info about English Mastiffs to ease their mind.

Anyone care to help me with wording? Espcially those with very large dogs?

[crazydaycarelady]

I foster dogs a lot and I never inform the parents beforehand. The dogs aren't with the dckids so I don't feel the need to let them know.

I would just be careful if you do a letter that you don't make it seem like you are nervous or there is a reason for anyone to be scared.

[Willow]

But Mastiff's aren't typically good with kids, especially ones who aren't a part of their immediate family.

If the dog won't be around the children in any capacity I'd either say nothing or only casually mention it if/when they happen to hear it and become aware of it's presence.


Please be sure to check with whoever has your homeowners insurance policy though. They are a breed that may end up increasing your premiums drastically, especially while you're doing daycare in the home.

[WImom]

Our licensing requires us to give parents in writing anytime we add a new pet. I will probably just make it short and sweet then just saying we are adding a dog and that they will be crated due to being a puppy.

I'm not worried about her not being good with the kids..I don't even really like my lazy beagle/basset by the kids. You just never know. Luckily are current dog sleeps all day so unless he smells food he likes he stays in the other room. I just didn't want it to seem odd that one dog can be allowed and the other not, KWIM?


Willow - The breeder has 4 kids, we have 2 kids, and we plan to socialize her every chance we can outside of our house. I've never heard that about the breed, just the opposite, actually. Good tip on the homeowners policy, I will have to check into that.

[MsLaura529]

But Mastiff's aren't typically good with kids, especially ones who aren't a part of their immediate family.

This is surprising to see, as I've always heard the opposite about mastiffs.

When I'm showing prospective parents my daycare (and our large shepherd/husky/retriever mix is barking away upstairs) I always say, "Yes, we do have a dog. He is gated off from the daycare. I don't do this because he's dangerous. He's great with kids and will still stick his nose through the gates to try to give them kisses and see if they'll give him any food. I do it for my own piece of mind, because he's large, and this way he's not in the way".

[Willow]

Every Mastiff enthusiast I network with does not recommend them for families with young children due to their size and inherent protective nature (which frequently transfers over into behaviors like resource guarding).

I know of none who would ever sell any of their pups into a licensed family daycare home due to their natural inclination to guard home and family even when socialized and trained to the nines.

Even coming from stellar breeding temperaments can slip once they hit maturity and all it takes is a single bite from a dog that size to cause serious damage, or worse.

If size is what you're after I'd be much more inclined to go with something like a Saint or a Newfie.


All that said, to each their own.

[Willow]

As far as explaining why I too keep all of my dogs separate from the kids in my care, I always explain it's to protect my dogs because far too many children don't know how to properly approach and handle them.

It's an across the board rule that protects me and my dogs liability wise.

[youretooloud]

Both my homeowners and daycare insurance has a list of about seven dogs you cannot own if you want to use their insurance. But, Mastiff isn't on either list. They were German shepherd, Pit Bull, Husky, Dobermans, Great Danes (I thought that was odd) Chows and any type of wolf breed. (Akitas, Alaskan malamutes, Huskies)

Honestly, instead of a note, i'd just start telling them about the puppy, and how excited you are to get this great dog.

Congratulations on the puppy.

[Lavender]

Mastiffs, like most bully breeds, tend to be very protective of their people and their property. They are not always the easiest breed to be inviting new people around all the time. Of course the temperament of each is different, but many do have an innate desire to guard which when combined with their large size can be of concern. I would simply let your parents know about the new dog, his background, and the measures you will be taking to make sure he is kept separate from the kids.

[Blackcat31]

I tell ALL my DCF's about my large breed dog and he doesn't even get to come to daycare! ::

Like my large breed, I think they can be great with kids but it seems their protective side is what makes people nervous.

My dog would be a threat to OTHER people's kids......if he was protecting HIS/MY children.

[Willow]

I tell ALL my DCF's about my large breed dog and he doesn't even get to come to daycare! ::

Like my large breed, I think they can be great with kids but it seems their protective side is what makes people nervous.

My dog would be a threat to OTHER people's kids......if he was protecting HIS/MY children.

See and I think people tend to see this as a bad thing when it's not necessarily. It's merely a breed trait. Doesn't make the breed bad, it's just something that needs to be recognized, respected and managed is all. Acknowledging lineage isn't condemning it, you are super right to do just that BC.



If a breeder tells a buyer lines are something other than exactly what a breed was designed to be they are either ignorant or lying just to make a buck off litters and unsuspecting families. It's super common in the retriever/bird dog world and it drives me nuts......"yes this retriever/pointer/flusher will be a fantastic couch potato if that's what you want him to be, a walk around the block a couple times a week will be all he needs to stay happy!".......and then a year later the poor buyers don't understand how or why they ended up with a neurotic drywall/garbage/furniture eating psycho zoomie bull in a china shop train wreck. The dog ends up unhappy, the owners end up unhappy, the kids are put in a dangerous position with what is tantamount to a wild animal around them in their own home and everyone loses.

Mastiff's are on many insurance carriers "dangerous" dog lists because of their inherent tendency to protect home and family. Again, not that there is anything wrong with that, heck I'd love to have a Neo myself and still might someday, but with how many people come and go right now I wouldn't feel right putting myself (liability wise) or that breed of dog (knowing how it would likely feel) in that position at this point.




youretooloud - how sad that insurance companies obviously have no idea "Northern/Arctic/Spitz" breeds aren't at all "wolf" breeds anymore than a chihuahua is a "wolf" breed.....

[LittleD]

How about something like:

Dear DCP,
we are excited to announce the future arrival of our new addition, Spot! Spot is a (sorry forgot breed) and will be coming to us when he/she is X weeks old. Spot will be caged away from the children so he/she can have a nice quiet place to get used to our home and family. As he/she gets older we may/may not allow spot periodic access to the daycare kids, as new puppies can be exciting to children!
Here is an information sheet on our new puppy! We are so excited to welcome him to our family!
Sincerely,
Me!
(Include a fact sheet with letter)

[youretooloud]

How about something like:

Dear DCP,
we are excited to announce the future arrival of our new addition, Spot! Spot is a (sorry forgot breed) and will be coming to us when he/she is X weeks old. Spot will be caged away from the children so he/she can have a nice quiet place to get used to our home and family. As he/she gets older we may/may not allow spot periodic access to the daycare kids, as new puppies can be exciting to children!
Here is an information sheet on our new puppy! We are so excited to welcome him to our family!
Sincerely,
Me!
(Include a fact sheet with letter)

I like that.

[WImom]

How about something like:

Dear DCP,
we are excited to announce the future arrival of our new addition, Spot! Spot is a (sorry forgot breed) and will be coming to us when he/she is X weeks old. Spot will be caged away from the children so he/she can have a nice quiet place to get used to our home and family. As he/she gets older we may/may not allow spot periodic access to the daycare kids, as new puppies can be exciting to children!
Here is an information sheet on our new puppy! We are so excited to welcome him to our family!
Sincerely,
Me!
(Include a fact sheet with letter)

Thank you! This sounds great!

[Laurel]

Both my homeowners and daycare insurance has a list of about seven dogs you cannot own if you want to use their insurance. But, Mastiff isn't on either list. They were German shepherd, Pit Bull, Husky, Dobermans, Great Danes (I thought that was odd) Chows and any type of wolf breed. (Akitas, Alaskan malamutes, Huskies)

Honestly, instead of a note, i'd just start telling them about the puppy, and how excited you are to get this great dog.

Congratulations on the puppy.

My insurance has a similar list but Bull Mastiff is listed on mine. Not sure if this is the type of dog the original poster means.

Laurel