Dog walks if self isolating

[Zooforhouse]

Hasn’t happened yet, but my understanding is that if self isolating you don’t leave the house for any reason including exercise. So how would poor Fido get his walks?

If my dog walker didn't want to take him I would just exercise in the garden and do training/sniffing exercises in the house.

Having had to restrict exercise for several weeks in the past when he has been unable to go outside due to illness or accidents I don't tend to worry about missing walks even though mine is a WCS.

He wouldn’t

Super early morning and avoid others.

I would take him out. I live in an area with open fields and can go for walks where I meet nobody at all.

Early morning/late night is kind of what I was thinking should it happen (it will, I have kids!)

We have dog walkers who have been working socially distanced- have own leads etc and just open the door and call him out-suppose they might still be happy to do that-would be fully up to them.

Obviously I’d not want to put anyone at risk by taking a dog for a walk-was just curious as to what others are doing!

We are SI at the moment and the dog walker is doing extra days. She’s just picked her up.

RSPCA and other animal/dog welfare organisation NHS have published info on keeping dogs happy and stimulated indoors, so you could follow that (games, training etc)

Or find someone who wouid walk the dog for you (lightning doorstep handover) who ch couid be friend or paid dog walker.

If you need to toilet outdoors and cannot find a friend to take dog out, and have no outdoors space whatsoever, then other countries were recommending no further than 50m from your front door when no-one else is around. I don't think there's a specific UK regulation on that, but the watchwords surely must be minimal and safely

We are SI at the moment and dog has his usual run of the garden, extra ball games, tug of war etc. He's loving the sniffing games - especially when we break up his favourite chew and make him sit while we hide the pieces in the garden. He sniffs round for ages. Also keeps my kids busy as they play and have decided to do extra training with him. Win win.

I'd be surprised if your dog walker wouldn't still take your dog out.

I'm very very careful re Covid (ie still washing shopping type careful) and I have happily walked a couple of neighbourhood dogs for people who couldn't go out themselves.

I think the risk of getting COVID from a dog is incredibly tiny. I just use a separate lead or hand sanitiser when that's not possible.

Lots of doggy fuss & fun.

Win/win.

But if I had my own dog & wasn't actually unwell, I'd just mask up & walk them late at night & early morning (but I'm always awake about 5:30 anyway). As long as the kids were ok in the house alone for a bit.

What! Self Isolating means just that. You should not leave your home whether you have symptons or not, including early morning

Why are the rules different for dog owners?

Most dogs will have to get used to being at home, they can go in the garden and there are millions of ways to keep them entertained for 2 weeks or ask a friend/dogwalker to walk your dog if they are happy to take precautions. PDSA have guidelines to help with this

Poly, as stated in my post I am not currently isolating. I’m just trying to figure out what I need to do to when it happens.

I too was wondering about this.

The horse would need looking after. I cannot afford to pay someone to do that I'm afraid so .....

Dog walkers in my local area charge roughly £12 per hour, so to use a dog walker evey day for 14 days would cost around £168. I don't think everyone will have that kind of money to spare. I would do what a pp said and mask up, and walk very early, and again very late. Maybe use a dog walker once or twice a week.

@Antigonads could you pair up with another owner and offer to take care of each other’s if either of you needs to SI.
It’ll be bloody awful if I can’t get the dogs out but if I need to SI we will have to manage it. Can’t put other people at risk.

Dog walkers can take them but the official guidelines are quite strict.

I'm a walker and according to official guidance:

• I'd have to take them last. So the owner would have to be happy with that time - I couldn't do a morning walk.
• They have to be walked solo and on a lead.
• Pick ups/drop offs should be contactless and the walker has to use their own lead for the dog to minimise any risks.
• I'm also supposed to wash the dog before returning it.

Be prepared for many walkers to refuse you!

See if NHS responders or Cinnamon Trust can help. Or neighbours. I would walk for neighbours.

@CarolVordermansBum

Dog walkers in my local area charge roughly £12 per hour, so to use a dog walker evey day for 14 days would cost around £168. I don't think everyone will have that kind of money to spare. I would do what a pp said and mask up, and walk very early, and again very late. Maybe use a dog walker once or twice a week.

Oh my word and this is why it is spreading...the rules dont apply to me

@CarolVordermansBum

Dog walkers in my local area charge roughly £12 per hour, so to use a dog walker evey day for 14 days would cost around £168. I don't think everyone will have that kind of money to spare. I would do what a pp said and mask up, and walk very early, and again very late. Maybe use a dog walker once or twice a week.

Then you ask a friend or family member to help out.

If you're isolating then you can't leave your house. It doesn't matter if you have a dog to walk!

Why have you both singled me out when I'm not the only person on this thread to say I would still walk the dog? I live in a rural area, my nearest neighbours are a quarter mile away and the chances I would see anyone, especially at 5am are pretty much nill. And you do realise not everyone has family and friends nearby to help @vanillandhoney? It must be so nice to live in a world where staying in the house for two weeks would be no problem whatsoever because you have people to rely on. Unfortunately for a lot of folks this is not the case.

@CarolVordermansBum

Why have you both singled me out when I'm not the only person on this thread to say I would still walk the dog? I live in a rural area, my nearest neighbours are a quarter mile away and the chances I would see anyone, especially at 5am are pretty much nill. And you do realise not everyone has family and friends nearby to help *@vanillandhoney*? It must be so nice to live in a world where staying in the house for two weeks would be no problem whatsoever because you have people to rely on. Unfortunately for a lot of folks this is not the case.

I only quoted your post because you're the one who mentioned the cost of a dog walker being a problem, it wasn't a personal attack.

I appreciate not everyone has people nearby who can help but that doesn't mean you can just go against the isolation rules and go out anyway. It defeats the entire point. Entertain your dog at home. Hire a walker. Get a local teen to take them. Ask a neighbour, friend or family member. Speak to local volunteer groups. There are plenty of options that don't require people to break the guidance.

@CarolVordermansBum the point is if you need to break the isolation it should be for something of dire importance ie you literally have no food in the house / are having a heart attack or have broken your leg , walking a dog does not fall into that category . No dog is going to die because it hasn’t left the house / garden for 2 weeks .

My dog would just get walked late at night. I live right next to fields so he'd have to make do with a midnight ball throw. I'd maybe buy one that lights up!