It's not uncommon when you take your dog for a walk in the park, other dog owners will stop and pat your dog. Usually this is not a concern and a great way for your dog to socialise and make friends, but with all the recent concerns with Coronavirus (Covid-19), you will want to take precautions and stop strangers making a fuss over your dog.
The chance of your dog catching Covid-19 is rare, with only a couple of cases reported throughout the world. The true concern lies with human life. Although pets cannot catch the virus, it does live on surfaces for up to 72 hours and is transmitted through contact. Therefore if a stranger came into contact with Covid-19, its reasonable to assume they could pass the virus onto your dog's coat or collar and lead, and then it could be passed onto you.
As humans we now have a routine were we wear face masks, wash our hands frequently and keep our distance. Your dog's hygiene is as important as your own, and here are a few tips to follow.
Tips to look after your dog's hygiene
Use scent free baby wipes to clean your dog's coat, feet and any clothing your dog maybe wearing out on the walk, when you return.
Wash any pet clothing, bedding and leads more often.
Implement home grooming between your regular visits to the groomers.
Be cautious when walking your dog in the park and strangers coming up to your dog.
Walk your dog early to lessen the chance of meeting people.
Keep hand sanitiser out of the reach of your dog. It contains very high levels of alcohol that can cause your dog serious damage.
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