The advent of the coronavirus pandemic has changed how we live our lives. We have to wear masks in many public places, we are a bit more thorough when washing our hands, and we think a little more about what restaurants and other public places we frequent. We spend more time at home, and for most of us here at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, we even work from home at least the majority of the time…
…and my dog absolutely loves it.
Before coronavirus, my alarm would go off at 5 a.m. to the tune of "Get Schwifty" from the Cartoon Network series "Rick and Morty." I would likely hit the snooze button no less than three times, get up at 5:30, shower, shave and get dressed in about 30 minutes, give my dog food and water and head out the door for my 45-minute commute to the other side of town. My dog was less than enthused about our morning ritual. No time for treats. No time for belly-rubs.
This has drastically changed over the course of the last few months. Teleworking gives me back 45 minutes worth of time I used to spend commuting in the morning, and another 45 minutes in the afternoon. I am typically logged in to my laptop by 7 a.m., so that means, more time for me and my four-legged friend, who I will introduce to you in a moment, after I hit the snooze button just…one…more…time.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to Conway Twitty – the scourge of the local squirrel population, the terrorizer of stray cats and the destroyer of my flower gardens. Conway is mostly English bulldog, with a little bit of beagle mixed in. He's adorable. Go ahead and show the photo to your friends. It's okay. He is aware of how handsome he is.
My wife has not been able to work from home like myself, so most days, it is just him and I here at the house. He has been absolutely thrilled that we have had so much extra time together, even more so since my grown children can stop by to have lunch with me during the day and take him for walks while I am working. Conway is really digging this whole coronavirus situation.
It's not always a rose garden, though. I was on a telephone conference last week, when a deliveryman rang our doorbell. Any time my dog hears a doorbell, even in a commercial, he transforms into a vicious, fierce protector and howls and barks and growls and snorts in spectacular fashion, and is nigh-inconsolable for about 10 minutes before he returns to his spot at the end of the couch where he lounges most of the day.
Conway makes my day better by just being there, though. Having a dog has given me just a little bit of companionship during the quarantine which many people don't get to enjoy. It's easy to get cabin fever, and I will admit that I talk to my dog as if he were a grown man, but at the end of the day, I can't imagine how much worse quarantine would have been during the day without him.
Many folks who were thinking of adopting before decided against it during the pandemic, amid fears that the disease could be spread by pets, but according the Food and Drug Administration, "there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19." There are so many pets in shelters that need a loving home. If you want a pet, and you've have been working from home, this provides a unique opportunity to be home more with your new pet as they learn the rules of your house. You may never have a chance like this again prior to retirement.
For the rest of us who already own pets, it is comforting that researcher haven't found any evidence of animals being major vectors in how humans contract coronavirus, however, we don't know much about how our pets can contract it from humans, either, so the Food and Drug Administration recommends the following guidelines to protect your pets until we know more about the disease – you know, just in case.
-Don't let pets interact with people or other animals outside the household.
-Keep cats indoors when possible to keep them from interacting with other animals or people.
-Walk dogs on a leash maintaining at least 6 feet (2 meters) from other people and animals.
-Avoid dog parks or public places where large numbers of people or animals gather.
You couldn't ask for better weather for a global pandemic, though, so enjoy the sunshine and take your dog for a walk outside. Contrary to popular belief, it has not been proven that sunlight kills coronavirus, but you both need the exercise, the fresh air, and a reminder that the world is still larger than the home you have quarantined yourself to.