Mary Allen
We live in a “crazy world” at the moment. The media report multiple times and extensively about the coronavirus every day. We should stay at home and avoid social contact with other people to protect our health. Few people are on the road and you take care of the things that are essential for survival. In addition to shopping, visiting the doctor and the daily commute to work, often only a little exercise in the fresh air is allowed. But what about the dog? How much social contact does a dog need? The popular lessons in the dog school now have to be canceled. This is a test for dogs and humans. After all, many dog schools have stopped operating as a precaution, or because they had to, and have postponed courses and individual lessons until further notice.
No Dog School – What Now?
If your dog’s school is affected and the dates had to be suspended for the time being, you don’t need to panic. At first, it may be a change, but you can master this situation with your dog. Even if the dog school is closed to personal contact, the dog trainers will certainly still be available to you via telephone, email, or Skype. The technical possibilities are very diverse and can help you in these turbulent times not to stray off course – in the truest sense of the word. They can support you by phone. They can give you small tasks to do with your dog. You can then record this on video for control and send it to your dog trainer. Many dog schools even offer online courses or private lessons via Skype. Just ask what options your dog school has for you. So you can still do training sessions with your dog at home or on short walks. This is a physical and cognitive exercise for your dog. A good chance to prevent cabin fever.
The current situation is also a new experience for your dog. After all, maybe he was used to going to dog school regularly and having fun there. Whether training or utilization, your dog had variety and social contacts. For now, this is no longer possible. So now plan B comes into play. Take your time and think about what you and your dog need now.
If you are ill yourself or in quarantine as a suspected case, you need someone to walk your dog regularly. After all, he needs movement and must be able to detach himself. A garden, if there is one at all, can only partially remedy this. If you are not affected, you can of course continue to walk your dog in the fresh air (but you should still observe the general rules of the game, that these are short laps and at a great distance from other passers-by). You can do many things in the current situation but in an adapted form. It is possible to do sports outside with your fur nose, but not in a group. You can go for a walk or jog with your four-legged friend, ask about individual exercises or mentally challenge him, for example with the clicker or with small hidden object games.
At home, you also have a wide range of alternatives to choose from: from home agility to small search or intelligence games, to clicker and marker training, or even basic obedience. There are hardly any limits to creativity. Your dog will be happy if you spend some time together and have fun despite the stressful everyday situation. It might also help you to relax and switch off for a moment.
If you don’t have any ideas for exercises to do at home, you can also find a large number of creative suggestions in books or on the Internet. You are also welcome to consult your dog trainer on this. He will certainly help you if a training technique is perhaps not quite clear.
How Much Social Contact for My Dog?
How much social contact the individual dog ultimately needs on a daily basis cannot be generally defined. After all, every dog is an individual and many factors influence this desire for contact. Depending on experience, upbringing, personal character, breed, and age, there are dogs that want more contact with their own kind than other four-legged friends. We enable our fur noses to be close to other dogs through walks, dog school, or other get-togethers. At the moment we cannot offer him that to the usual extent. Instead, focus more on both of you and support your bond. Both of you are important now. So a little tip for more quality time: leave your cell phone at home when you take your dog for a walk. Be there for you and your dog! Enjoy the weather and also the quiet time around you. There are fewer cars, fewer planes, etc. Everyone is currently sharing concerns about the future. But try to put them away for a moment on walks or small daily training sessions with your dog, because that’s a real win for your dog when he realizes that you’re all there!