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Thursday, 2 April 2020

Coronavirus, your Canine and socializing puppies during crazy times.

I've had a few people ask me about Canine Coronavirus.  You may see this in the section where the vet ticks off which vaccinations you dog has received.  DO NOT WORRY.  Canine Coronavirus is not the same as the Novel Coronavirus that causes COVID 19.  You can not get Canine Coronavirus from your dog and your dog cannot get Novel Coronavirus from you (or anyone else).

However, your dog can spread Novel Coronavirus on their fur.  The never GET it, but can carry it on their fur if someone with COVID 19 pets them.  So, in this day of social distancing, you must keep those same rules for your dogs and puppies.  I suggest NOT to go to the dog park.  That is a place where you have little control over your pet.  Certainly take your dog out for long walks but on leash.   Go on adventure walks!  That means let him smell, and roll, and jump over the logs and all the activities he can accomplish while on leash.  But keep him/her close to you when others are approaching.  If somehow someone touches your dog when you have your back turned, take you dog home and do your best not to touch him.  Take him straight into the bathroom and give him a bath.  It's as simple as that.  Wash your hands.  Wash your dog!  And to be doubly sure, be sure to wash his leash and collar as well.

For those of you who are wondering how to socialize your puppy during this COVID crisis, you just have to be a little more creative.  Socializing is not just playing with other dogs.  It is meeting new people, going into new areas, learning about new sounds, being introduced to car-rides.

The car-rides shouldn't be a problem.  We are still allowed to drive to the grocery/pharmacy so just make sure the pup comes with you.

Learning about new sounds will be easy for a lot of us as well, if you have a home assistant like Google home or Alexa.  I use Alexa from the time the puppies are 3 weeks old and their ears start to open up.  There are all kinds of sound effect apps that will help your dog learn about day to day sounds you might not get to hear at this time.  Traffic jams, horns, trucks or motorcycles driving by, they can listen to the sounds of farm animals, babies crying (for those with no kids), large crowds of people, etc.  The list goes on and on.  I even use the sound of a battle field to get them used to gunfire!  The trick is to move your Assistant to different areas and different rooms.  Otherwise the pup will think it's only normal to hear those sounds from the kitchen. You must move it to 7 different areas.  Move it across the room.  Move it into the master bedroom. Move it into the playroom.  You get the idea!  Just like you must train in 7 different locations (but that's a blog for another time).  7 seems to be the lucky number!

Going to new areas doesn't mean you have to go far away.  You can go around 4 different blocks and that's plenty of new sights and sounds for the puppy.  Stand at an intersection and look North, South, East & West.  There's your 4 blocks.  If you live near a park, bring him in from different entrances.  You can also reverse your directions.  Go clockwise one time and the next go counter-clockwise.  It's all new to your puppy!  Of course, if you have the opportunity of going other places with your pup, do so.  But for now, 4 blocks should do the trick.

And now probably the hardest part.  Meeting strangers.  Now's the time to pull out the Halloween costumes!  Someone in the family can ring the doorbell and come in with a long, blonde wig and a rain coat.  The kids can dress as their favourite superheroes and meet the dog in the backyard.  Any way you can change your appearance and prove to your dog that everything is fine, you are socializing them to strangers.  Well, you're saying, they are going to know who I am by smell!  That's true.  After a little bit.  It might take a few seconds or it might take up to a minute.  And isn't it wonderful that this scary individual turns out to be Mom!  What a great reward for being brave!

So there you go!  Everything you wanted to know about Novel Coronavirus and your dog and socializing your new puppy in these strange times.

I hope everyone is doing well.  This won't last forever but it is taxing on the mind.  I keep telling myself that what is being asked of us (staying home), is so little to ask compared to what was asked of our country during WWI and WWII.  I am so PROUD to be a Canadian!  Even more than usual.  We stand together as one for the good of the country.  Even though we are standing apart.  We are not standing alone!!


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