Self isolation and dogs

[3teens2cats]

So like many other people we are making plans incase we or others have to stay at home. From what I understand covid-19 can be transferred via pet fur if touched by an infected person. What are others planning to do with regards to caring for their dogs and maintaining a level of exercise and stimulation? He's only a year old.

[BiteyShark]

I am not doing anything different at the moment other than making sure I have plenty of dog food in but I generally have several months worth anyway as I get it delivered in bulk.

My dog will still go to daycare for as long as they can take care of him. If he can't go out we are fortunate that we have a garden where we can exercise him. However, having had to put him on restricted exercise for up to 3 weeks at a time when younger I know he can generally cope with limited exercise if we are unwell.

[iVampire]

If we were so ill we could not take care of DPuppy, she would go back to my family member (who bred her).

I am likely to go into self isolation as vulnerable. The DC could still take her out for walks if it’s only me.

You could see if walkers might take the dog if you handover from your doorstep (and you are isolating as vulnerable population, not because of exposure, so there’s no reason to think you have contaminated your dog)

If none of those options work for you, then you’ll need to google for doggy brain games and try to tire them that way. And dream of treadmills,,,,,,

[3teens2cats]

We already use a dog walker once a week and they have already said they won't take them if anyone in the household is showing symptoms. Thankfully we have a reasonable sized garden.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

I'd have to hope we'd be allowed to walk our dogs in isolated places or on a friend's farm. I rarely see anyone during the dawn walk anyway, and I know from experience with an in-season bitch that it's easy to avoid people.

Otherwise our younger dog will drive us up the wall, brain games and training notwithstanding.

[3teens2cats]

I was wondering this too. We have plenty of fields nearby where you rarely see anyone else particularly if you avoid peak dog walking times.

[tabulahrasa]

If you’re self isolating for symptoms you’re not supposed to be walking them.

Not being funny, but rarely seeing someone isn’t the same as your property that no-one else accesses...

If you’re self isolating because you’re vulnerable then you get to decide whether to walk your dog or not, but if it’s for symptoms then it’s not what self isolation means.

My current foster doesn’t like to toilet in the garden, that’s worrying me more than keeping him occupied tbh, lol, but we’ll just have to manage.

[Hoppinggreen]

I walked my dog twice so far today
First time I saw nobody and second time I saw 2 people 100 yds away across a pond. In those circumstances I don’t see why I couldn’t continue to walk my dog if I was self isolating or we were on lockdown

[Wolfiefan]

If you’re on lockdown it doesn’t mean lockdown unless you fancy a stroll.
I may meet nobody.
I may bump into someone.
Can’t take the chance.
If I’m actually unwell I have someone on standby to collect the dogs. I’m immunosuppressed and likely to be very poorly if I get it.

[Hoppinggreen]

But what if you take your dog for a walk to an area where you can see people coming from a good distance away and not go near them?

[BiteyShark]

Tbh no one has actually defined what 'lockdown' will mean for the UK.

In other countries 'lockdown' has meant different things at different times so I don't see any point in arguing over the meaning until that happens.

[Wolfiefan]

Different countries have put different things in place at different times.
But those who say they’re self isolating but HAVE to walk the dog are being very selfish and putting everyone else at risk.

[simbobs]

Sorry but that sounds like nonsense. We live in a fairly rural community. It is quite easy to walk a dog without being anywhere near another person. I appreciate that this may not be possible for everyone in other areas. In such a case how am I posing a risk to other people? Even if we are on lock down dogs will get walked.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

If I was self-isolating for symptoms, then I'd ask my farmer friends, and agree a field away from footpaths where no one else should be. I'd drive there and back.

That is, unless I could find someone I trust to walk them.

[MasakaBuzz]

My intention is to get up early and walk her round the park before anyone else gets there. She might have to manage with less walks. This is going to go on for months. If I don’t take exercise my own physical health will rapidly deteriorate.

Given the knock on effects of this are going to mean the wait for the joint replacement surgery I need is going to be even longer than the year I have been quoted, I need to keep as mobile as possible. It’s a balancing act.

[tabulahrasa]

“In such a case how am I posing a risk to other people?”

Because the virus can live and then be spread outside your body...

[jinxpixie]

If self isolating you should not be out walking your dog.

There are loads of things you can do with your dog without walking them - and they will be fine. I have collies and working cockers (and a lazy lab) they will be absolutely fine (and possibly calmer) with games rather than exercise. Try it.

Facebook groups that may help are:-
Beyond The Bowl - Canine Enrichment
Canine Enrichment
Dog Trick Training
Canine Brain Games and Enrichment
ScentworkUK
If you want to spend money absolute dogs has fantastic online courses and games to play with your dogs

To keep your dogs fitness
International Dog Parkour Association and
Canine Conditioning and Body Awareness Exercises
also on facebook will have loads of ideas and training to do along with Canine Conditioning and Body Awareness Exercises

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I have a dog reactive dog so I’m used to self isolating 😀. Handy. I don’t go within a fields distance of anyone so we will carry on as normal. Quite rural though.

As for touching fur that’s different. My dog aggressive dog loves humans and being stroked. If someone came to the house with it he might carry it, but then I guess it will have been passed on to us by the patter /carrier anyway.

[RB68]

Dog walking is allowed in lockdown I believe (vrtainly in Italy it ha been

[tabulahrasa]

Lockdown is separate from the self isolation because of symptoms though.

[jinxpixie]

No dog walking if self isolating info here

RSPCA advice - do not take your dog outside of your garden when self isolating

Lets work together to keep our community safe our dogs will be fine for the hopefully short time we are self isolating and are ill.

[PolloDePrimavera]

I'm probably being stupid, but, if we have full lockdown , could we walk the dogs as long as avoid other humans? Fields etc...

[simbobs]

If I am not touching anything being touched by others, and am not in contact with anyone, are you saying that the virus will be in the air that I have passed through or on the ground on which my shoes have walked? This is all theoretical at the moment as I am fit and well. If I had the virus I assume that I would be too unwell for dog walking, but I would still find someone else to help.

[TooExtraImmatureCheddar]

I think you’d be vastly unlikely to infect anyone or be infected if you’re somewhere rural with very few people and don’t touch gates etc. However, that’s a bit different to walking in a busy city park, even if you go at quiet times. So i guess it depends on where you are and how isolated you can be.

I could drive to somewhere 5 miles away that’s really isolated and pretty much guarantee not to see anyone or touch anything that had been touched by humans.

[tabulahrasa]

If you cough... which you’d likely to as that’s one of the symptoms you’ve to self isolate for, anything it hits is contaminated or anything you touch afterwards.

If you’re self isolating for symptoms and in contact with your dog no-one else is supposed to touch your dog either, it can be carried on their fur.

[Madvixen]

Lots of people here are missing the point. If you are in quarantine because you are showing symptoms, you should not be leaving your property full stop. Regardless of if you walk in an isolated area or not. This virus lives on surfaces for hours and is highly contagious.

A dog won't die because he doesn't get walked. Humans will if we ignore quarantine rules