Isolating and have a dog

[Didireallyjusthearthatcanthave]

Both my husband and I and our two children have covid, we are all therefore isolating. It’s day two today. We have a dog to walk and can’t. Even if we can get a dog Walker (where we live they are so popular it’s hard to find one, especially this close to Christmas). Our dog is also in season so it makes it even trickier as it either has to be at 6am or 9pm when no one is around. How on earth are we going to manage? She is a high energy breed that is 9 months old and needs walking twice a day. Any suggestions please? We have no one near by to help, my parents are both frail and would be dragged along by the dog.

I'd still walk your dog, early in the morning and late at night. Cross the road and avoid passing anyone.

I thought outside exercise was permitted even if you were isolating?

Shocked people still don't know this after all this time. Fwiw I haven't had covid either but am on my 3rd round of isolation- actually allowed out today so will be enjoying a nice long walk . 1st time ddog was in season too so that was convenient timing really. She was bored as still under a year old at that point so we learned lots of new games and training. This time she's a bit older and is happy to sleep much of the time. My dad has been to walk her most days and the rest of the time I've stood at the door with a long lead as we don't have an enclosed garden and no amount of training will ever fully take away the risk of her chasing and not coming back immediately if she spots a neighbourhood cat so she's never off the lead in the street. I have taken her out a couple of times late at night as she's obviously needed a poo and won't do one in our garden area but it's very quiet here in the evenings and I am still testing negative on ltf every day alongside. I don't think I'd do that if I actually had covid though. Re the advice to find a teen to take ddog out - absolutely terrible idea for an in season dog. Could end very badly

No it is not legally allowed. You might find a dog walker, as you want solo walks at odd times, but expect to pay a premium for it. Ask round all your doggy friends to see if there is anyone who can help (maybe a patchwork of paid walkers and sensible friends).

@wetotter , your above comment may be strictly correct legally, but it is completely devoid of any common sense and your suggestion, is surely far more of a Covid-risk (unless possibly you can be confident that the walker can stand in your garden and call the dog from a distance on first meeting and then take them on the walk, and then to do the same in his return).

Sometimes bending the rules is ok. It's reasonable to use judgment and common sense.

@Hothammock

You shouldn't be walking an in season dog around the neighbourhood anyway.

Total nonsense. You can’t not walk a dog because it’s in season- you just become mindful of the time of day, keep on the lead and avoid busy areas. Not everyone has open fields for their dog to run freely in!

Aside from that if I get covid I’ll still be walking my dog, at an hour I wouldn’t see anyone (and if I did I’d avoid them). If Boris and those in charge can have a party then I’m sure walking your dog: or even walking for mental well-being shouldn’t result in any negative comeback.

A few of my friends have covid and are taking walks alone at 6am or 9pm because their mental health is on the edge.

Pop a mask on, go out at a time you won't see anyone and don't touch anything (like gates etc).

I've had it with complying with his rules to the letter, the emotional blackmail to save the NHS that they fucked up in the first place. This government are very adapt at shifting the blame from themselves to the general population.

I don't know who all these people are who insist of obeying every Covid rule to the absolute letter, irrespective of the actual risk.

Go walk the dog! Do it when you won't be coming across people.
None of us are miracle workers and sometimes the care needs of our dependants mean we must use cautious common sense.

Just go out when nobody else is around. We have a dog and that's what we'd do, seems a lot less likely to infect anyone than having dog walker coming into close contact to get rookiedog. I don't want to give a self employed person relying on their income covid.

@wetotter

No it is not legally allowed.

You might find a dog walker, as you want solo walks at odd times, but expect to pay a premium for it. Ask round all your doggy friends to see if there is anyone who can help (maybe a patchwork of paid walkers and sensible friends).

With the hours you want, a sensible teen should be able to cope (as it'll have to be an on-lead walk), so you could try through neighbourhood/babysitting sites and apps. But if you mean by strong 'has not yet learned to walk nicely on lead', then that might limit options

Also look at sites (as you are doing) as all the main pet welfare charities had pages of information on how to keep your dog happy and healthy during enforced periods indoors. Training tricks and scentwork are possibilities

@wetotter

Most of those options wouldn't work with an in-season dog, unfortunately.

OP - what a pain. In your case, I would definitely do first thing or late and pick a deserted area.

Good luck.

@User5329806

Just take it out when it is quiet, do people really have to come on here to ask these ridiculous questions, people can't seem to do anything without it being validated by Mumsnet or Facebook nowadays

And yet here you are, taking the time out of your busy day to read and answer!

@Didireallyjusthearthatcanthave - it truly amazes me that we've been in this situation since March 2020 and when people have to isolate they ask these questions. Did you not think of this before? Get better soon.

If you plan would be to get a dog walker to take her out at 6am/9pm then just take her out yourself.

@Hazelnutbean

I've had it with complying with his rules to the letter, the emotional blackmail to save the NHS that they fucked up in the first place. This government are very adapt at shifting the blame from themselves to the general population.

I don't know who all these people are who insist of obeying every Covid rule to the absolute letter, irrespective of the actual risk.

I don’t understand what you mean?

I’ve followed all of the rules, my friends and family have stuck to all of the rules. But now, if I was in the OP’s situation I would walk my dog early morning and late evening.

We were isolating in the summer (I had covid my husband didn’t)! We didn’t walk the dog for the first day. We then we got family to come into the garden and attach their own lead a few times and take her out but eventually my husband walked her early morning and late at night.

Easy for people to say to not walk your dog but if you have a youngish dog with a lot of energy it’s not possible no matter how many games you play in the garden, my dog was continually sitting at the back gate!

Also I don’t know anyone that doesn’t walk their dog when in heat (agreed wouldn’t take to a busy park or let off lead) but pavement walking is fine.

Number 10 were having full parties in lockdown but people are suggesting someone doesn’t walk their dog at midnight away from all other persons 🤷🏼‍♀️

First few days

I love Mumsnet

Common sense required here. You cannot pass on covid if you do not meet anyone to whom you can pass it on.

My three year old had it a few weeks ago. She was bouncing off the walls by day 7. We live in a very quiet newbuild estate. Towards the end of her isolation I wrapped her up and took her for a couple of little walks around the estate. Just to get some air and a change of scene. We didn’t meet anyone. I didn’t let her play in the park etc. No harm done.

Will you not be arrested for taking dog for a walk - wear a mask and go early / late

People on her will say otherwise.

Dog needs waking.

Just walk the dog. You are more likely to give covid over the fence to your neighbours while in the garden than you are to a random person 100m away at 6am.

@Stretchandsnap

I think this is one of those situations that you should ask yourself what would Boris do.

Absolutely this.

Honestly, the poster who says “winding up the local male dog population”. I can’t bear that argument, it’s so patriarchal. Why should my girls stay under lock and key for what amounts to a couple of weeks of their lives? if male dog owners choose to leave their dog entire (so essentially in season all year round) then that’s up to them to train them better or preferably walk then at anti social times. I’d say keep your entire dogs on a lead all the time, I can’t bear it when they hassle my girls, with the owner clearly having no control and unable to recall it. Even in season mine come back to me and don’t bother others.

A walk is a necessity for a dog even if they are in season. It's also good for your own mental health to get some fresh air. You just need to be sensible and avoid close contact with other people.

If it's good enough for Dominic Cummings, and the Prime Minster's entourage then it's good enough for the rest of us IMO.

I'm not sure how close you live to other people but I'd certainly look to do what you think is right for you and your dog and as others have said go for a couple of shortish walks two times a day when there are likely to be fewer people about and make sure you avoid others and take advantage of wide open spaces as much as you can.

@Hothammock

You shouldn't be walking an in season dog around the neighbourhood anyway.

Oh really? So do dogs in season miraculously develop the ability to use human toilets then?

I have a young very energetic dog that had a lump removed on his paw. The wound became infected and ended up taking 2 months to heal. I couldn't walk him at all for 5 /6 weeks. When the vet initially told me, I thought it would be completely impossible to not walk a dog like mine especially as he wasn't bothered at all about the wound but within a few days he got used to it. It wasn't as bad as I'd thought.
I bought a couple of games for him to solve from amazon. Ones where you hide treats in compartents that they need to open. We fed him less of his normal food and gave more treats to keep him occupied. It is possible.

There is a website called borrow my doggy. There may be somebody local to you signed up on there.