Lock down - dogs are allowed exercise but not children?

[Strangerthanstrange]

So it sounds like in countries in lock down people are allowed out to exercise their dogs but children must remain inside? Surely fresh air and exercise is as important as food and water? Is this right? How can we expect elderly people to also manage with no access to fresh air or exercise for 4 months? Especially those who live in flats.

If you start comparing children to dogs and wailing why dogs will be allowed something children won’t, then it is a logical question.

Woman up and keep your little darling(s) in.

Get the children to walk the dogs ...

And do the same for your dogs. Woman up and walk them round the lounge.

I don’t have to.

You have no idea what the rules will be if we get to that stage.

Neither do you, so why don’t you have a cup of tea and relax a bit??

Dogs need to go out to urinate and defecate.

On full lockdown on some country's models, you get a sortnwalk round the block for purely utilitarian reasons.

RSPCA (and others) are providing info on indoors games for dogs to help keep them stimulated and happy.

All I know is preventing people from going outside for weeks on end will have a detrimental impact on health and well-being.

Humans need fresh air and exercise. Dogs need fresh air and exercise. If health deteriorates people will be more likely to die from coronavirus.

Neither do you, so why don’t you have a cup of tea and relax a bit??

I suggest you read the news

I'm in a lockdown country. We lived on the 5th floor with a dog, no balcony. We're sure as shit going to walk her 3 times a day so she can do her business outside, no off-lead running and chasing pigeons, or on the beach.

Our child is not allowed out, of course. We have access to the roof where clothes hang to dry, we go up there when it's quiet to do some daft yoga! And look at the sea. Otherwise all windows are open and we're playing games. Just Dance has been popular on YouTube.

You can’t have it both ways, lockdown and fresh air.

What is this? What happened to common sense and stiff upper lip?

I suggest you stay away from the news.

And why don’t you get a dog if it bothers you so much that they get preferential treatment?!

Dog owner certainly don't have an advantage over parents in the common sense stakes. Dog owners are as likely to be daft or sensible as parents, and as likely to be blinded by sentimentality (in fact often more likely) and of course many people are both parents and dog owners.

It's because there are less dogs than children.

Think about it, if we say kids can exercise there'll be no point in having a lockdown !

WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo not by much actually - there are about 11 million 0-14 year olds in the UK and around 9 million dogs.

I started a thread on mental health in these situations yesterday so it’s good to see @Strangerthanstrange taking that into account too. I understand close restaurants, bars etc but I don’t think we should be locked in our homes. We should be able to walk in parks, woods and on the beach as much as we like or else suicide rates are going to rise hugely. Also fresh air is GOOD for the immune system and as long as you keep your distance from others, perfectly safe.

Question for those in lockdown with dogs and young children.... are the children allowed to come out with you when you take the dog out, or do you have to leave them home or ask someone else to take the dog out. Are you even allowed to have the dog switch between walkers (non household), or is that deemed risky for transmission?

The problem is that when we had a less stringent lockdown people weren't obeying the rules and were meeting up in parks - and the death rate shot up. The stringent rules are there for a reason.

But the children can exercise in the house, IF it’s a decent size. They can watch dance videos, exercise programs, play hide and seek (if they have access to a garden and a three bed house) play statues, table tennis on the dinning table (adds to list of shopping )

It’s those in tiny flats I really feel sorry for as I know they’ll be climbing over the top of each other. Unfortunately children, by their very nature are little germ spreaders, so they will put people at risk. The small ones don’t know how to cover their mouths and quite often have runny noses. They, understandably want to touch everything, such as metal gates, cars, etc and therefore may leave traces of the virus in those things for the next person. And most of us have experienced one of our children shooting off in the opposite direction, away from us, when we least expect it. Children are defiant and push boundaries. Do you really want to be out with a child who might struggle to get away from you or run off towards someone and put them at risk.

Under these circumstances, dogs will be easier to control and I doubt people will actually be going out for long walks, but will just do a quick walk around the block in order for the dog to toilet.

Kids not allowed out. If you're a single parent, then yes take the child with you. I just took my dog for a ten minute walk, past three police cars, no questions. Couple cannot walk dogs, only one person.

The thing is with young children - even mine who's 8 - is they will touch things: pedestrian crossing buttons, street door handle (we live in a flat), lamposts: touch touch touch! Its second nature to him!

We've offered to take a neighbour's dog out if needs be, but so far we're all healthy.

We haven't got to the point where we need passes to walk the dog, go to work, go to the pharmacy etc, like I think they have in Italy (I could be so wrong!).

We're just making do. Netflix, Duolingo, crafting, science experiments, ds plays in the bath - that kills an hour! We're going to decorate our front door and put paper flowers in our windows, make the street a little more cheerful.

I don't even like dogs and think it's ridiculous to compare the 2.
I have an energetic 1 yo and a baby, live in a flat, I'll manage. DS can poo indoors....

put paper flowers in our windows, make the street a little more cheerful.

What a lovely idea.

This is my fear at the min, if we go on lock down can I not walk around the woods with my children just for some fresh air?? And abit of sanity, I live in a Flat just me and 3 children,no garden I'm pretty antisocial anyway so don't expect to speak to anyone let alone get close!

Thanks @elQuintoConyo

Im a single parent, and my DC are older (teen and pre-teen) but have SNs, and whilst they are usually ok to leave alone for ten minutes, that's not a safe option if they are feeling anxious or stressed, which a hypothetical lockdown situation would most likely cause them.

We would probably look like we were just going on a family stroll I guess I'd just carry their diagnosis information with me.

This is making me think of the opening scene in the glorious film Roma (one to watch if you are stuck at home)...not something I want to recreate!