Borrow my doggy - would you, wouldn't you?

[oncountdowntospring]

DS adores dogs, for various developmental reasons a dog would be great for him but sadly we just can get one right now.

Someone suggested borrow my doggy, it sounds like a great idea, but being fairly clueless about dogs I didn't want to go into it unprepared and for it to be traumatic for DS the dog or the owner!

What do I need to look out for and do to get it right? I also have anxiety at times which is possibly why I'm worrying more than most (and also why I thought a dog may do me goid too). TIA

[YorkshireLurker]

We've used it and met a lovely couple who lived in a flat and couldn't have their own dog. They like to occasionally take ours for walks but nice to drop them off at the end of the day!

Watch out for those just after free doggy day care that make ridiculous demands!

[HarrietKettleWasHere]

I do it a lot! On my 'books' I have a pug, two poodles and a shit zu that I walk or look after sometimes. Usually house sitting when the owners are away for the weekend. I love them all! I only want to be paid in wine and dog cuddles but none of the owners have taken the piss.

[supersop60]

I did. My kids had been asking for a dog for ages, so I signed us up. The dog owner happened to live in the next road, came round for a visit, and we (mostly I) took him for a walk every week for over a year. great arrangement.

[BiteyShark]

How old is your DS?

I think in theory it sounds great but I just can't think how I would ever hand over my dog to a non professional dog walker and I say that as someone who uses professional dog walkers. Have you considered volunteering for walking dogs for a rescue or charity. Argggh I sound so negative don't I and I am and I just can't put my finger on why. I think because if it is a one off then you won't get to know the dog and temperaments and if it is a regular thing I wonder why they won't pay for a dog walker.

I think for Borrow my doggy if you go ahead I would look for owners that want to get to know you around their dog plus give you chance to walk the dog with them so you can assess their temperament around you, other people and other dogs.

[BiteyShark]

Ah I see lots of posts where it has worked. Ignore mine then as I think I am possibly unjustly negative.

[oncountdowntospring]

Thank you all, yes I'll definitely stick to my boundaries!

DS is 7, actually volunteering for a dog charity could be worth looking into as well. It's good to get a balance of opinions. I have a freind who's dog keeps her well from depression, she can afford him but money is tight so I guess she would be a good candidate for walk my doggy? She is too far away from us for it too work sadly.

[Psychic22]

I borrow 3 dogs through borrowmydoggy and I would greatly recommend it to anyone

[Laurel543]

I think Borrow my Doggie is great in theory but, as a dog owner, I am wary of it to be honest. I can just see too much potential for things to go wrong.
Sorry if this all sounds too negative but there are lots of things to consider, especially if you are not familiar with dogs to start with.

What would you do if the dog you were looking after got attacked, or into a fight? Sadly it happens relatively frequently (maybe once a year for me) where you meet someone with an out of control dog who dislikes other dogs. My Mum has a very gentle and submissive collie who has sadly been seriously attacked 3 times in the last 5 years (totally unrelated incidents). It is v v scary when it happens and is something you simply can’t predict.

How do you check the dog’s level of training? Especially recall if off lead? Whose responsibility would it be if the dog got spooked by something and ran off? Or if it chased joggers or cyclists or livestock? Or just annoyed people by running up to them unwanted?

How would you handle other little foibles (eg ‘He barks at men wearing hats’ or ‘She is terrified of hot air balloons’)? When it’s your own dog you tend to have a radar constantly switched on to quickly see and avoid situations that you know will make your dog uncomfortable. You also know your own dog’s body language and can tell if things aren’t right. As an occasional dog borrower you won’t have this sixth sense.

Registered dog walkers will gather loads of info about their charges before taking them on to minimise the risk of these sorts of issues. They are likely to have a good understanding of dog behaviour and communication and also have insurance and procedures in place in case things do go wrong.

I am not that familiar with how Borrow My Doggie works so maybe they have all of this stuff in hand (would love to know about this actually). If it is just a case of the owners having a quick chat then handing the leash over, I’d be reluctant to recommend it.

Having said all of that, it does seem to work for some people so will watch this thread with interest!

[ealingwestmum]

I have a 15 Wk old pup who has recently started day care a couple of days a week and we have been vetting local members from Borrowmydoggy. We are building relationships up slowly, getting prospective borrowers (often families who have either had dogs, can't have one of their own or considering one in future) over for a coffee and to meet our pup, getting to know her traits in our home environment.

If they want to progress, based on meeting and discussing her personality traits (as they will change), we'll go to the next step, an hour with them or another visit etc.

I believe they are fully insured by registering, and have approached it in the same way as if I were hiring an au pair or similar...it's the match assessing that's key, with no obligation to take further if your gut feel to their suitability is off. In principle, I think it's a great idea if you do your due diligence.

[Hoppinggreen]

We’ve done it and it worked for us
However, there were quite a few dog owners who were real CF who were quite demanding ( especially since we were offering to look after their dog for free) so you need careful vetting and it’s a slow process to get to know each other and build up mutual trust
We have a dog now and to be honest I can’t imaging letting anyone I didn’t know borrow him

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

If I had an "easy" dog I'd probably do it. Alas PestDog needs careful handling when out and about, so he wouldn't be suitable and he's only ever walked by three people - me, DF, dog sitter

[Faintlinesquints]

I thought borrow my doggy sounded great and i signed up, but it seemed a lot for a dog owner to pay to find someone and I wasn't 100% sure so didn't pay.
I'm disabled and can't take my dog on long walks anymore which I really miss! I pay a dog walker to take him but I'm reconsidering BMD as I really want someone to love him and enjoy taking him, for more than an hour and a half at a time.
I'm in Scotland, has anyone used it up this neck of the woods?
I think it's a great idea for your ds, he can get he experience and responsibility without the commitment. You'd have to be upfront with a lot of the owners though to make sure they'd be happy with a child of that age helping to walk and play with their dogs. I wouldn't mind in the slightest and my boy loves kids, but not everyone's dogs are suited to be around younger children so I'd be wary in that respect too.

[PoisonousSmurf]

Unless the dog walkers are over 18 years old, I really don't think that any dog owner would hand over their dog to a child.
What if someone pinches the dog, or it runs off and is run over?
Use an insured dog walker, not any old Dick and Harry off the street.

[Squirrel26]

I did it, & ‘borrowed’ 2 dogs from the same family. I took them out about once a week for a year or so (then I got my own dog).

It worked really well for us - I would have been out running anyway, and their ‘mum’ had just had an operation. It helped though that it turned out she and I do the same job, and we had people we knew in common, and also that they were very experienced dog owners and very pragmatic - one of the dogs cut herself out with me once and they just said ‘well these things happen’ (they’d specifically said I could walk them off-lead).

[Psychic22]

Dog walkers great if you can afford it...not everyone can...those of us who walk borrowmyboggy dogs do it out of love and not for money...so we love your dog as our own and dont just see it as a financial tool. Personally I take better care of your dog than I would my own because I know its your dog and thats a hugh responsability. Yes you need to talk to the borrower get to know them see them with your dog...maybe go on a walk with them see how the borrower handles your dog. The fact you are worried is a great sign that you love your furry friends and just like parents would want to feel sure they could trust any one who was babysitying likewise you need to trust those you hand your dog to. I feel privelaged that I am trusted to that level