Pets

I have had dogs almost all my adult life but I am sorry, I just cannot get my head around this idea that the dog has to go places with you and be a part of visits with friends.
When visitors came to my house our dog or dogs were put on a chain, the dogs knew this routine and were not distressed at all by it, they would wag their tails and happily sleep until the visitors left. Some of them, as they grew older, once they had ascertained that the people were allowed in the house would go to the area of their own free will and stay there until the guests left. And in case you are wondering, yes my children were taught the same thing, adult visitors, politely say hello then go away or in the case of younger ones play quietly in the room but don’t bother the visitors.
If I go to friends houses with dogs, I do not pat them or make a fuss of them no matter how friendly or tail wagging they are. They are not my animals, why would I want to? In this time of Covid Uncertainty I simply cannot understand anyone touching another persons animals. Nor can I understand the owners wanting their animals to be touched.

GrandmaMia1 I feel so very sorry for you losing your doggy. We lost our two a couple of years ago and we still miss them so much. They’re a big part of the family and, consequently, they leave a huge gap when they leave us. I know it probably won’t make you feel a lot better, but all the vets I have known have treated the dog as if it was their own. Your doggy would have been in very kind and sympathetic hands ?

No, Nannyplum, You should not invite that friend to your home because you want to let your dog run around the garden while she and other guests are there. I have a friend who visits me with her dog. I am very fond of the dog. During the present time she has visited me twice with distancing in my garden. Once without her dog. The second time I thought her dog was coming but in fact did not. A dog will come to you expecting a pat. I intended to manage by being careful not to touch my face and washing my hands after they left. However if I had my own dog I would not want it running around several people in my garden and then running around my house. I wouldn’t want to have to wash the dog. Possibly a nonsense. But I have been washing my groceries and letting my post lie.

Lots of mink have been euthanised in one country because they were found to have Covid. I need to recheck but I think people who worked at the mink farm caught it from them. If you disinfect supermarket trolley handles etc why would you stroke a dog straight after someone else has stroked it. And if you don’t stroke it how difficult would it be to not stroke a dog that comes up to you wagging it’s tail. I miss my grand dog terribly but won’t go to their house because I can’t bear the thought of her running up to me for a cuddle that I can’t give. If I’m totally honest I think that, even though I’ve got a dog of my own, she’s the person I’ve missed the most since we self isolated. There have been cases of dogs catching the virus I believe, but it doesn’t make them ill. We have so much to learn about this virus (as has been pointed out on this thread).

I live in an appartment block and we are not supposed to be allowed cats or dogs living with us in our flats but since lockdown I have seen many people walking their dogs daily allowing them to Wee/ poo on the grass picking it up in a bag so good of them but the germs are still on the grass aren’t they or do I have this wrong ....then I see families/people coming out and sitting on those same places Of grass playing with Their children and with toys Etc How do I deal with this ???
No one follows the rules these days animals cost money how can they afford to have these pets Surely living in an appartment block with a young family is not good no outside space they should be saving for a home of their own with a garden Not buying a dog !!!

I am definitely with the friend who did not want contact with the dog.
I would also shun you because you think it is okay for the dog to mingle.

Human friends and their comforts would always come first with me. Lovely as some are, they are still animals.

When you said 'put away' I thought at first you meant put to sleep! Now that would be cruel and unusual.

The Zoonotic nature of this disease is such that I would want to be careful with both my friends and my animals in case one might infect the other. We know people can be a-symptomatic carriers even if the jury is out regarding animals.

Transmission from humans to dogs, domestic cats, tigers, and lions has already occurred. There are research papers on this. There are also research papers identifying pigs, ferrets, and primates as good candidates for susceptibility.

We know so little about this as yet. What we do know is that domesticated animals can catch it. I wouldn’t want mine to be potentially infected by my friends.

GrandmaMial So sorry you have lost your furry companion
Sodapop That's a lovely sentiment and so true.

I agree with Shelmiss Our dog is part of our family, I wouldn't dream of shutting him away when someone visits. If they don't like dogs then don't visit us! He would probably sense their dislike anyway and avoid them. As far as Covid is concerned the risk of catching it from a pet is probably less than catching it from another person. I'm in a high risk group but it won't stop me petting my dog, his happiness is important to me, the risk is minimal.

GrandmaMia1, sincere condolences and so sorry that you couldn't be with your dog.

Couldn't agree more Shelmiss.

So sorry GrandmaMia1 don't feel guilty about leaving your dog, the situation was out of your control

"Remember that between hello and goodbye there was love, so much love "

moorlikeit

I totally agree with Ph1lomena. It is polite to make guests feel as welcome, at ease and safe as possible when they enter one's home. If that means keeping a pet away from them during their visit, so be it. Otherwise it means your friends are limited to those who like your particular pet! That seems incredibly narrow-minded to me.
I would put it in the same category as providing food acceptable to any guest's dietary requirements e.g. vegetarian, non-dairy etc.
Some replies here show people to be very intolerant of other's needs and indeed downright rude. Politeness and consideration are surely the way forward...?

If someone is scared of dogs or allergic to them or anything like that then I would put the dog away. But on some ridiculous worry they may catch Covid from them???? Just don't come if you're that worried!

I am as polite and considerate as the next person, just not to those who dictate what I do in my own home.

A little girl ran up to my dog the other day wanting to stroke her and I just backed away and shouted ‘no’. The child’s father didn’t seem to realise that I didn’t want a possibly asymptomatic child near to me and stroking my dog. People seem to be forgetting the reason behind social distancing.

GrandmaMia1 -

I totally agree with Ph1lomena. It is polite to make guests feel as welcome, at ease and safe as possible when they enter one's home. If that means keeping a pet away from them during their visit, so be it. Otherwise it means your friends are limited to those who like your particular pet! That seems incredibly narrow-minded to me.
I would put it in the same category as providing food acceptable to any guest's dietary requirements e.g. vegetarian, non-dairy etc.
Some replies here show people to be very intolerant of other's needs and indeed downright rude. Politeness and consideration are surely the way forward...?

The only way a dog can transfer the virus is if an infected person touches the dogs fur. Or a cat.
So owners who have the virus need to be extra vigilant and tell dog walker or groomer etc
The virus can only live on the animals fur for a couple of hours
My vet told me this information

I'd rather have s dog visit than most people and certainly wouldn't put my dog or cat away (they'd disappear themselves after initial greeting) & my friends kniw that. I have had two visit (separately) for a chat in the garden othet than that just stuck at home with stbxh

MayBee70 your comment puts it very succinctly.
It’s been hard to discourage my DH from touching the dogs we meet when walking across the fields. They are on extending leashes so the adults are well away, but he loves dogs and they love him.

But if you’re not going to touch the people in the group you wouldn’t want to stroke a dog that everyone else was stroking. And then the dog would go in it’s owners house having been touched by everyone. No one except me and DH will be touching my dog for the foreseeable future !

To be honest I don’t think I would like the humans touching my dog. But I am currently very sensitive as mine had to have his final visit to vet last week and W e weren’t allowed to stay with him at the end. Feel like I let him down.

I would have put the friend away.

Basic hygiene if you’ve been around an animal is all that’s needed. Our vet said they are just like hairy door knobs. May carry the virus on the surface of their fur. But wouldn’t you have washed your hands after Touching a dog before covid19? I wouldn’t put my dog out of the area unless someone had a fear of dogs.

I have always had dogs but I would never, even in normal times, assume that a guest shares my love for them. They may have had a bad experience in childhood for instance. So I would always be mindful and willing to shut the dog away during the visit. Recently, we discussed with my in laws (both in their eighties) the possibility of them coming over for a socially distant visit in the garden. We told them we would be keeping our dog inside and asked them not to bring theirs. It is not about dogs actually transmitting Covid 19 but we are uncertain, at the moment, how long it stays on a surface so, if one individual strokes a dog, then someone from a different household does, there seems to me a possibility that it could get passed. We don't know for certain, of course, but everyone has to do what they feel comfortable with and not be pressured by others.