Who let the dogs BACK out?
On or about the second week of March 2020 the world was shut down, there was lots of information, and much of that information led to panic-buying toilet paper. Then as the shut downs became eminent the questions began arising about the transference of Covid-19 from humans to pets and vice-versa. We know, this isn’t breaking news and we are sure that you have seen more news conferences by the talking heads than you care to remember. Here at Alaska Dog Works we adjusted how we conduct business, staying 6 feet from clients, training outdoors, and not touching the clients or their dogs. We also do our very best to stay informed and updated on the most current reliable information. This article is to update you regarding new information about Covid-19 and dogs.
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Did you know that we have been busy developing new programs and we even launched a YouTube channel? We also broadcast on Facebook Live every Wednesday and Sunday evenings to bring you even more content and things about dogs of course. The show today is to convey very important information regarding Covid-19, so let’s get to it.
In the beginning we were told that Covid-19 cannot spread from human to animal contact or vice-versa. Then the tiger got infected. Just last week a pug was discovered to have contracted Covid-19 from close contact with his owners. This of course raises extreme concern not only for the dog training industry but for me personally, I own 39 sled dogs. Now while I know there are some illnesses I have shared with my dogs and they have shared with me I also know that there are multiple strains of coronavirus including a strain that dogs can already be vaccinated for.
However this is a Novel strain meaning it’s a brand new strain. Which is why everyone is so upset and caution is key nowadays. That being said should we now isolate the family dog? Or even our Service dogs?
The answer is an astounding NO – we should not be isolating our beloved dogs from our homes and we should not avoid contact with them.
| We are members of an organization that overseas training and certification of dog trainers and they recently released their best practices guidelines and it is our plan to follow those as we begin to meet with clients again.
The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) are closely monitoring updates from the leading public health organizations. The recent announcements of the first confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) infection in companion animals are likely to raise concerns among dog owners about the risk of their dogs contracting the virus or transmitting it to people. There is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. The risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered low. According to the World Organization for Animal Health, the current spread of COVID-19 is a result of human-to-human transmission. To date, there is no evidence that companion animals play a significant role in spreading the disease. Therefore, there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals, which may compromise their welfare. If it is safe and allowed by your local regulations we have the following suggestions to help you continue to provide services to your clients while protecting yourself and your employees. With your clients: For employees and facilities:
We will be listing a bunch of additional resources on our show notes page and if you are interested in reading those you can either click on the description of this podcast episode or by visiting this episode on dogworks radio.com Additional Resources: Center for Disease Control Animals American Veterinary Medical Association World Organisation for Animal Health We appreciate how challenging this rapidly evolving situation is for you, your business, and your clients. By taking the appropriate precautions, we can continue to support the dogs in our care. |
There you have it. Dogs are not spreading the virus. As long as we follow the guidelines we should all remain healthy. We will get through this. Even as this pandemic and the world’s reaction is different than ever before we believe that changes happen for a good reasons and we are looking forward to continuing to assist our clients in many different ways in the future.
[bctt tweet=”There is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. The risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered low.” username=”alaskadogworks”]
What say you, are you working with a dog trainer now? What protocols are they following? Have you attended any dog training virtually during the pandemic? How did those work out for you?
As you know probably now your dog is used to you being home all day. What is going to happen when that routine changes? Will there be instances of separation anxiety? Will your dog be allowed to go back to doggie day care?
Or…I bet you haven’t even thought about this, but let’s talk about something that no other dog trainer is even mentioning, did you know that one of our biggest competitors is the ‘do nothing’ clan. Do you know what that is? The dog owner that chooses to do nothing to address their dog’s problems or training needs. We know that it’s painful to see your dog not behaving and do you know what?… and let’s be REAL here…humans are experts at dealing with pain. Let us help you and your dog alleviate some of that pain that comes from their misbehavior. We can work with you no matter where you are…virtually or in-person. Heck you can even send your dog up to us and we can train them in our beautiful state of Alaska. Let’s make your dog one of the best dogs in the country! There is also a link for this offer in our show notes too.
Okay guys, this was a pretty deep episode and one that had a lot of difficult, but necessary topics. I promise next week we will do a fun show. Heck its beautiful outside! Do us a favor and follow us on our social channels. Just search Dog Works Radio and as always you can find many more articles and tips and tricks on our website, Alaska Dog Works
