Dogs and self-isolation

[YoureAllABunchOfBastards]

I am isolating because of contact with a positive case. Luckily, I have no symptoms (well, I have a stinking cold, but no Covid symptoms) and so DH is still able to take BastardDog out.

Which got me thinking - what do you do if you have to isolate and don't have access to a garden for your dog? BastardDog is pretty laid back but our back garden isn't usable at the moment. If we did end up having to all isolate, wtf would we do?

You'd get in touch with your local volunteer squad, and one of us will come and walk it for you! I've just finished helping out with a lovely Labrador a couple of days ago.

I'm not sure, I'm a lone parent and ddog would completely freak if a stranger came to take her out. Thankfully my dad would be able to come and walk her (although I couldn't expect him to do it for every walk she needs) not everyone has that option either.

Walk at 2am when all other people are fast asleep!

You'll need to hire a dog walker or get a friend or family member to help you out. Lots of communities have volunteers set up to help in this kind of situation too.

I'm a dog walker and will happily take dogs from isolating households as long as we can do contactless drop offs and collections (eg. in a garden or porch area).

RSPCA, PDSA and various other organisations published advice at the start of lockdown on how he tomentertain your dog and keep it healthy even when you cannot go out.

So you either find a walker/volunteer who will do lightning doorstep handovers, or play extensively with your dog - brainwork can be just as tiring.

And worth knowing where to find that info as a general precaution - it's not just covid that could make you temporarily housebound

Personally I think there's far less risk of passing it of if you were to get up and out at 4/5am and then again at 11pm than having to have a dog walker pick your dog up (even if it was contactless).

It's tricky. Dog walkers and volunteers are all good for the main walk of the day, but my DDog goes outside about 5 times a day. We have a small garden which is ok for the necessities but if you don't have a garden at all then I can see why that would be a problem.

@Lavenderteal271

Personally I think there's far less risk of passing it of if you were to get up and out at 4/5am and then again at 11pm than having to have a dog walker pick your dog up (even if it was contactless).

Maybe, but one is breaking the law and the other isn't. I suppose it depends on whether you're willing to risk breaking quarantine and the fines that can go along with it.

A contactless drop-off with a dog walker is virtually risk-free. Current guidelines stipulate we have to use our own leads anyway, so the only contact we'd have is touching the dogs' collar when we attach the lead. If the walker then keeps the dog on the lead (which they should do if they don't know your dog), then what kind of risk are they posing?

Maybe a family member? My DD has already agreed to take our girl if we have to isolate.

A contactless drop-off with a dog walker is virtually risk-free. Current guidelines stipulate we have to use our own leads anyway, so the only contact we'd have is touching the dogs' collar when we attach the lead. If the walker then keeps the dog on the lead (which they should do if they don't know your dog), then what kind of risk are they posing?

I don't see how that would work in reality though. Does that mean I'd have to let my not fully recall trained puppy out in to the street loose to be caught by a stranger (she's fast they likely wouldn't manage). She wears a harness which means I'd have to touch that to put it on her directly before they collect that they'd then have to touch or alternatively they'd have to have a selection of harnesses in all sizes and know how to fit them and they'd then have to try and wrestle her in to it. I can see a contactless hand over to someone she didn't know ending in disaster. It just wouldn't work for anyone without a garden or with a dog wary of strangers. (Both apply to me)

If you cannot make a handover work for your puppy, the you will need to use the RSPCA etc advice for when you have to keep your dog in for a while.

@midnightstar66

A contactless drop-off with a dog walker is virtually risk-free. Current guidelines stipulate we have to use our own leads anyway, so the only contact we'd have is touching the dogs' collar when we attach the lead. If the walker then keeps the dog on the lead (which they should do if they don't know your dog), then what kind of risk are they posing?

I don't see how that would work in reality though. Does that mean I'd have to let my not fully recall trained puppy out in to the street loose to be caught by a stranger (she's fast they likely wouldn't manage). She wears a harness which means I'd have to touch that to put it on her directly before they collect that they'd then have to touch or alternatively they'd have to have a selection of harnesses in all sizes and know how to fit them and they'd then have to try and wrestle her in to it. I can see a contactless hand over to someone she didn't know ending in disaster. It just wouldn't work for anyone without a garden or with a dog wary of strangers. (Both apply to me)

Not at all.

You could manage for example by doing a meet and greet indoors with both of you in different rooms (you in one, walker in another) and wearing masks. If you have no outside space it does make things harder but I do lots of contactless collections and drop-offs as a walker and it's always been fine.

I think you'd also be surprised how many dogs will happily go off with a walker without a second glance. A good dog walker will be experienced with nervous dogs and will probably arrive armed with treats and goodies for your pup too.

Obviously a dog walker isn't for everyone but don't assume that as your dog is nervous they won't be interested in going. I walk several nervous dogs and they all come with me quite happily once they see I have chicken

I'd break the law on this one. My family is over the boarder in Wales so thats a no-go. I'd take my chances with a 4am/11pm walk. No one about and certainly no police about.