Coronavirus — it’s on everyone’s mind and at the forefront of almost all media outlets. This respiratory illness originated in China and quickly spread internationally. Coronavirus was officially categorized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020.

As Coronavirus spreads, health and government authorities are recommending social distancing. Unfortunately, though this is better for the sake of the general public, it means dog trainers are facing waves of rescheduling and cancellations.

Things are looking rocky ahead, but you don’t have to completely close up shop while this pandemic is being monitored. There are a myriad of ways for you to keep training and not lose your income!

Coronavirus: Need to Know Info

Coronavirus — formally known as “SARS-CoV-2” (the virus) and “COVID-19” (the illness the virus causes) — is alarming for a number of reasons, but misinformation due to fear has caused confusion. Beef up your knowledge with the facts about Coronavirus so you have the right answers to clients’ potential questions.

COVID-19 in Dogs

Go ahead and let out a sigh of relief, because at this time it’s believed that dogs (and cats!) are not at risk for contracting Coronavirus. 

A Pomeranian in Hong Kong “weakly tested positive” for COVID-19 in early March. This worried pet owners with the idea that they may be able to infect their animals or vice-versa. However, as Alex Oldenburg (CPDT-KA and soon-to-be MPH) explains, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) says there’s no need to worry about your pets getting sick yet.

There is a canine Coronavirus, but it’s an intestinal disease — and there’s a vaccination for it (whew!).

There’s no definitive evidence that dogs who have been in contact with someone with Coronavirus can spread it to other people. However, “out of an abundance of caution,” the AVMA recommends that “those ill with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus.”

COVID-19 in People

At this time Coronavirus is spreading from person-to-person, so the main concern for dog trainers should be their human clients and themselves. Many trainers have started their own businesses to have flexible work schedules to accommodate personal health challenges — including chronic illnesses — and may be more susceptible to a virus like this.

The virus spreads via respiratory droplets — like saliva or mucus, which fly out when you cough and sneeze — within about a six-foot radius. In order to prevent illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are recommending that people:

• Wash hands frequently
• Avoid touching eyes/mouth/face with unwashed hands
• Use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not readily available
• Clean and disinfect touched surfaces daily
• Avoid close proximity with other people, especially in large groups
• Stay home if you’re sick

Taking all this info into account, there are a number of measures you can take to reassure your clients, staff, and yourself during this stressful time.

Preliminary Research Results on the Coronavirus

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a new mutation of Coronavirus; a virus genetically related to the virus that caused SARS in 2002. There aren’t a lot of solid answers from health and science authorities on where the virus came from, how it works, and how to kill it and prevent it. 

One study, looking at how long the virus can be transmitted through the air or on surfaces, found that virus particles could be measured in the air up to three hours after being sprayed, up to four hours on copper surfaces, 24 hours on cardboard surfaces, and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel surfaces.

This research is not yet peer reviewed. However, it gives an idea of why social distancing and proper cleaning and disinfecting are important, and starts to explain how the virus spreads.

Precautionary Measures for Coronavirus

In addition to making sure you don’t lose out on business, this is overall important information to make sure you and everyone who utilizes your services or works for you stays healthy.

Extra Cleaning

The CDC is recommending frequent cleaning of touched surfaces. This includes doorknobs, handles, light switches, countertops, desks, chairs, tables, appliances, phones, computers, keyboards, faucets, toilets, etc. 

In a dog training facility, trainers should make sure they also clean play and training equipment, clickers, registers/payment technology, treat jars/tupperware, rubber mats, and so on.

The basic guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting from the CDC are:

• During cleaning, wear single-use gloves OR reusable gloves dedicated only to cleaning
• Always clean surfaces first, using detergent/soap and water
• After cleaning, disinfect using one of the following
  • Bleach solution: 1/3rd cup bleach per one (1) gallon water
  • Alcohol solution: must be at least 70% isopropyl alcohol
  • EPA-registered disinfectants

Encourage Active Communication

Communication is an important part of any dog training service. But during this time, it’s especially important to encourage your clients and staff to communicate openly with you if they’re showing signs of illness. 

Make sure everyone knows how to reach you for cancellations, and remind them that you’d rather they stay home and get better than risk their own and everyone else’s health. Consider sending out an email blast with this information as a reminder, or make a post on your Facebook page like Summit Dog Training.

Take Sick Days

This one gets the biggest groan from dog trainers. None of us like to stop working, whether out of financial need or passion, but a pandemic is no joke.

Take your sick days. Even if you just have a cold, make yourself stay home. Having any kind of communicable illness at this time is dangerous for two reasons; colds and flus lower your immune system which makes you more susceptible to COVID-19, and spreading illness to others puts them at the same risk.

Someone you know and love is likely immunocompromised. Keep them safe, and keep yourself safe.

Additionally, look into short-term disability insurance. This is a great safety net for independent dog trainers who don’t have insurance through an employer. Short-term disability insurance ensures you still have at least some income when illness and accidents take you out of work.

Revisit Cancellation Policies

Have a rigid cancellation policy? It might be time to temporarily suspend it.

Last-minute reschedules and cancellations can be frustrating to deal with, and it’s completely understandable to have a policy to handle them. However, during this time of heightened stress and illness, people may need to cancel more suddenly than usual. 

Would you rather someone call you the night before class to cancel because they were exposed to someone with COVID-19, or risk them coming to class anyway to avoid conflict/fees?

Consider Virtual Dog Training Lessons

One thing that a lot of trainers fail to consider in general is serving their clients with virtual dog training lessons, and now is a great time to turn this scare into an opportunity.

There are a ton of reasons besides Coronavirus to have virtual lessons on your service menu: 

• Traveling, but need to keep earning income
• Moving, but clients in your current city want to continue working with you
• Want to offer assistance to people outside your local service area
• Want to reduce your workload by taking some of the commute out of your day
• Facing a global pandemic (turns out, weirder things have happened!)

Virtual lessons can easily be a staple of your dog training business, and they benefit you in a multitude of ways. We have the gift of technology — why not use it to its fullest?

This Saturday, March 14th, Ines McNeil, CPDT-KA, will be hosting a LIVE Virtual Dog Training Lessons Workshop designed to help prevent loss of income, even grow your income, and increase your reach as a dog trainer. Learn everything you need to know about pricing your virtual lessons, necessary communication, structure, dos and don’ts, technology, and much more. 

In short, though the Coronavirus pandemic is rapidly changing and a little scary, it shouldn’t affect your business and livelihood. Keep calm, wash your hands, and carry on.

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