Safety and continuity in your dog training classes: it IS possible

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Laure-Anne Jonkman

Written by Laure-Anne Viselé-Jonkman, Dog Behavior Therapist and Canine Instructor (MSc, Postgrad. Dip., BSc, KI – O&O), Jan 15, 2021

The past few months have brought us, like many other small entrepreneurs, to our knees. We have cried. We have lost sleep. We have cursed. It felt like our small company – the company we have been nurturing like a child – was being punched in the face over and over again. Our fellow entrepreneurs in the hospitality business have it a million times worse than us, but we’d be lying if we said it had been easy.  

And yet, every time more measures are announced, you have to get yourself up and work until you have a solid plan for your students; a plan that provides security and continuity.

However tough the last few months have been, it has given us the opportunity to perfect our response to new corona measures. We now have a tried-and-tested solution for problems that seemed insurmountable a few months ago.

We now have a process in place that allows us to respond smoothly to new government measures with minimal disruption to our courses:

1. *Strictest lockdown:  We seamlessly transition to online classes, with:
   1. The same content and quality as physical lessons, and equally focused on practice and interaction
   2. In the same tiny groups as the physical lessons, for maximum attention per student
   3. With extra step-by-step homework and videos (for the puppy lessons)
2. In-person lessons: We revert to physical lessons as soon as group sizes of 3-4 are allowed again, under the following conditions:
   1. Outside
   2. Micro groups, each in its own clearly separated Corona bubble
   3. 1 person per dog
   4. Minimum 2 meters distance between participants

* Under the strictest lockdown conditions, topics requiring much physical space, such as scent-tracking, will be suspended. Each student is informed clearly and in a timely manner.

Beware: you could be handed out fines in the following situations: 

• Looking at the lessons from outside the fence
• Waiting with other students in our car park. Wait in the car if you arrive early. 

After yet another cycle of restriction <-> relaxation on government action, we have found our groove. We finally feel we can breathe out, knowing that we can continue to give you security and continuity in these uncertain times.

 

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Tags: dog trainer, dog training, dog training school, puppy class, the hague

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