The Return of Live Dog Training
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I’ve sure missed working in person with clients of both the human and dog varieties. Yes, I’ve been glad to help people using Zoom and other online tools. And I’ve had a few very “limited-contact” drop offs for Board and Train. But for me, part of the reason I got into dog training is to help lots of dogs and their families and I really like the live interaction. And, while my own dogs have probably benefited from my extra time, part of the reason I like dog training is that I like to work with dogs - a wide variety of them. I like the different breeds, ages, sizes, and yes, even the different “behavior problems” and training needs that each dog comes with.
As each state, county, and city struggles to figure out the best way to reopen, we dog trainers are starting to wonder what that will look like for us. Some of my peers have already pointed out - accurately - that ours is a rather high-touch endeavor. We’re often working closer than six feet from our clients. Because it’s physical, everyone involved might be breathing heavier. We often work in our client’s houses. Going into each new house increases our risk of exposure to COVID-19. And many of us work with a wide variety of clients - from young and healthy to the elderly with more risk factors. None of us wants to get sick. And none of us wants to inadvertently infect a client. So, knowing what to do is difficult.
Some dog trainers will continue providing great classes and private lessons online. And honestly, you should take advantage of this. There are trainers I’d highly recommend who don’t happen to live near you - but now you can take advantage of their skills by working with them online. Here’s a list of top-notch trainers who are offering their services online and I’d be more than happy to make a recommendation if you have questions.
In any case,
be kind.
Other trainers will start resuming live classes, day training, and private consultations. But everyone is going to do that slightly differently. Some will have stricter social distancing protocols (often dictated by their state or county). Some may wish to work outside in your yard or a nearby park. Some may feel comfortable reverting back to pre-COVID sorts of behaviors. In any case, please be kind. Understand that these business people are trying to make good decisions which will protect you, their businesses, and themselves. They (okay, “we dog trainers”) have a lot to consider - from how to stay healthy ourselves all the way to what impact it might have on our business if we accidentally carry the virus from one client’s home to another without even realizing it.
I’m looking forward to working with former clients again and I’m excited about meeting my future clients. But let’s do this in a way that keeps us all safe.
In the meantime, let me know if you’d like any help via phone, email, Zoom, Facetime, Hangouts, or any of the many other platforms out there.