New Clients With Dog Concern

[tenderhearts]

I interviewed a new client, (someone my husband kind of knows). She emailed me and said that quite honestly their only concern is our dog. Apparently the mother had a bad experience when she was younger with a black lab (that is the kind of dog we have). She never expressed that in the interview.
So she asked what kind of interaction the kids have with our dog and I explained that he does come out here on occasion and usually lays under my desk, and if the kids are in full active mode he is not allowed out there if he's laying some where else in the room, and he is never left unattended with them, none of my daycare kids usually even notice he is out there, he is a very mellow dog.
So while I do understand her concern, I feel like that would cause due stress on both of us, her dropping off daily concerned of our dog, and me knowing she is worried .

what would you say to them, leave the decision up to them still or tell them you think they should find care else where? I mean everything else was great with the interview

[Mike]

If you know your dog is safe, leave it up to them. If they are worried, they will look elsewhere.

[daycarediva]

I think it would be great for the child to have positive experiences with dogs, as the mother has this fear.

I would leave it up to the mother. My labs are big sweet babies, and I had one parent concerned about even having them HERE (they have ZERO interaction with my dck's, completely separate spaces) and I left it up to her. They're still here.

[Blackcat31]

I interviewed a new client, (someone my husband kind of knows). She emailed me and said that quite honestly their only concern is our dog. Apparently the mother had a bad experience when she was younger with a black lab (that is the kind of dog we have). She never expressed that in the interview.
So she asked what kind of interaction the kids have with our dog and I explained that he does come out here on occasion and usually lays under my desk, and if the kids are in full active mode he is not allowed out there if he's laying some where else in the room, and he is never left unattended with them, none of my daycare kids usually even notice he is out there, he is a very mellow dog.
So while I do understand her concern, I feel like that would cause due stress on both of us, her dropping off daily concerned of our dog, and me knowing she is worried .

what would you say to them, leave the decision up to them still or tell them you think they should find care else where? I mean everything else was great with the interview

I would be honest and just tell her how much interaction the dog has with the kids and that you don't want ti entertain fears for something that appears to be HER issue.

Let HER decide if it works or doesn't..... but don't make changes to how you do things now with the dog for her. You will regret it.

I'd also make sure that you tell her if she decides to enroll you don't want to continually have to discuss the dog.

[tenderhearts]

Thank you. I just feel if there are concerns upfront if will be uncomfortable for all of us. But I reassured her he is not left alone with the kids. He is out there with us at times but doesn't really interact with him.
I like that being around him may help with any fears but their daughter is around other dogs but since she had the experience with a black lab that is her only dog concern

[JackandJill]

If it were me, I would pass on enrolling them. Call me paranoid, but I would feel on eggshells with mom being concerned. I grew up with my grandfather, who was a lawyer, so I always look at situations from the point of view he instilled in us :: everything is a lawsuit waiting to happen!

My only worry is the minute mom would suspect the dog is acting up, how far will she take it? Will she just leave, or would she pursue action against your or your pup?

[tenderhearts]

I would be honest and just tell her how much interaction the dog has with the kids and that you don't want ti entertain fears for something that appears to be HER issue.

Let HER decide if it works or doesn't..... but don't make changes to how you do things now with the dog for her. You will regret it.

I'd also make sure that you tell her if she decides to enroll you don't want to continually have to discuss the dog.

Thank you. That's exactly what my husband and I said that we aren't changing anything in our dogs routine for them.
I did tell her that if she had concerns that maybe finding care with no dog may ease her fears but said I can't make that decision for you

[tenderhearts]

If it were me, I would pass on enrolling them. Call me paranoid, but I would feel on eggshells with mom being concerned. I grew up with my grandfather, who was a lawyer, so I always look at situations from the point of view he instilled in us :: everything is a lawsuit waiting to happen!

My only worry is the minute mom would suspect the dog is acting up, how far will she take it? Will she just leave, or would she pursue action against your or your pup?

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[Ariana]

I would have no issues crating my dog especially if it were a big dog. I was attacked by a black lab and 2 german shepphards (seperate occassions!) so the concern is real and I would respect it personally. Thats just me!

[tenderhearts]

I don't doubt her concerns are real and i have not disrepected her fears are real, but our dog has been part of my family and daycare for 10 years and I will not crate change anything g for her that's why I wasn't sure if I should just pass on enrolling them or letting her decide with her fear.

[Blackcat31]

I would have no issues crating my dog especially if it were a big dog. I was attacked by a black lab and 2 german shepphards (seperate occassions!) so the concern is real and I would respect it personally. Thats just me!

I would respect her fear as real too but I still wouldn't change anything I do currently simply to appease a new possible client.

I would personally crate my pet too but many providers successfully integrate their pets into their programs without issue so if it works...it works! But again, I don't advocate ANY provider changing how they do things for ONE client.

[Ariana]

Sorry didn't mean to imply you weren't seeing her concerns as real, I only meant that I understand that real fear type of thing!!

If you don't want to crate your dog then she should find more suitable care arrangements.

[CityGarden]

I personally keep my dog away from the children in my program for liability reasons.... also I have a small dog so I do not want to risk any injury to her.

I pulled my daughter from private piano lessons and group music theory class (with a teacher I really liked) because her dog was a distraction. Mostly the dog would lay under the baby grand piano but when she did not it was highly distracting both for my daughter and the teacher during privates. With group theory class children sat on the floor rug at eye level with the dog and I felt the teacher was constantly competing for the children's attention vs them wanting to watch and try to interact with the dog. In the end it was just not professional in my opinion and given the high financial investment I was making I felt the distraction was not worth it.

Similarly I would not want additional distractions both as a provider or as a consumer. I love my dog and we cuddle and hang out during nap time for the children... the remainder of the time she is either in her crate or hanging out in our loft.

All that said we are in this business to set our own policies so you have do what makes you feel works best for you.

[dreamer]

The other kids have been around your dog with no problems for so long. Leave it up to her. I'm sure that after seeing that nothing happens, she'll get over her fear

[tenderhearts]

Thanks for all the advice. I would never allow my dog out there if I thought something could happen. I had a 17 mo old boy who was always trying to be all over our dog and I felt uncomfortable eveen though our dog never did anything and usually he would get up and leave but I just didn't allow him out here at all when this little boy was here.
Plus none of my DC kids even realize he's out here unless I'm sitting next to him. But I can see for liability reasons others don't allow their animals around them.