Sounds like fun to me. I love dogs but don't want to commit to owning one.

Sounds like a good idea for the dog and the human. My friend used to borrow a neighbor’s dog when she went on hikes. She liked the company and the dog liked getting out. One of the few things I miss about owning a dog is having a companion on long walks. However, I don’t miss picking up poop.

It certainly would take just the right dog to go along with this plus the reassurance that the human would be very respo.

I'd no sooner entrust my dog to a stranger than I would my child. It sounds like an irresponsible thing for a dog owner to do unless they accompany the dog.

Looks like a program a shelter would do,not an individual owner.

^^Yes, because if I liked the dog, I would be very tempted to keep him. j/k, sorta'

I'm with Elmer. My dog is a member of my family. I would not trust a stranger with my dog. My dog would make a great therapy dog--she is so kind, gentle and calm but I would have to be with her every step of the way. I went to to visit a neighbor at a Catholic Hospice once. The nuns had a lovely yellow lab that wandered the building freely and the patients were always thrilled when the dog would pop by for a visit. Can't remember the name of the dog but she was a love bug.

Hmm, maybe an adoption strategy for a shelter? That makes more sense. But still a risky thing to do, no telling how well or how poorly a stranger might treat and be able to handle a dog.

Maybe it's from a shelter. I would no more give my dog to a stranger than my child! Not everyone knows how to handle a dog, how to walk, how they might slip their collar, how they might bolt and run away.

If anyone wants to rent a dog, they should have some interaction with someone like a trainer who can see if they are capable, appropriate.

In California, I have hunted at clubs that rent dogs, some with a handler, some without.

I do not think this company is renting out local resident’s companions, but is renting dogs as a business.

In business, a dog is an asset, much different than the owner/companion relationship.

I love dogs but don't have one. I'm not home a lot and I love to travel. And I have two cats. I get my dog fix from a couple of my neighbor's dogs. They're working from home now, so I'll take them out for walks (separately). I treat them as if they were my own. I'm not a creepy stranger to my neighbors - they know how spoiled my cats are. It's a win-win because my neighbor's dogs get out for a good walk, and I get my dog fix met.

I think it's really stressful for a lot of dogs to be with different people in different circumstances. There needs to be a constant for them, like "come to the shelter and walk the dog" or "the same person takes the dog for a day". But different people taking the dog to different places once or twice just creates stress and uncertainty.

Looks like a program a shelter would do

Yes, it is a shelter program.

Oh dear, a shelter program. I would never have the heart to return the dog. However, it would be wonderful for the pup to get out and about.

I own a dog and when traveling with my dog, I stay at pet friendly places. I almost always meet someone who: left a dog at home, lost a dog, wants a dog. They volunteer this information.

I let them play with my dog while we talk,I would not let them take my dog/companion “for a walk”.

I love dogs.......other people's dogs.

I always thought I wanted a dog. When I babysat Gino for 4 days while his mom went on a trip I jumped at the chance. He didn't stay overnight though, I didn't know how he and the cats would get along through the night.

I said I'd either really really want a dog; or am really really glad I don't have a dog. It's the latter! LOL

A shelter program. Well, I hope and assume the shelter takes the time necessary to get to know the individual dog first. I've had dogs who would gladly go anywhere with anyone anytime -- what fun! -- and those who would comply but NOT enjoy it. I also hope and assume the shelter doesn't let just anyone waltz in and waltz out with a dog. They probably take id, make you sign something, etc, sort of like when you test drive a car. Trust, but they can find you if you abscond with the goods. Oh and they know you can drive a car, lol.

Same as Elmer & Jim above. I would never trust anyone else with my dog, ever. I have volunteered at the local shelters to walk dogs when I lived in the city, and the little guys always knew when I came into the building to take them out. Otherwise, for a shelter, most likely-as a friend for someone not able, likely-but to just take some strangers dog and walk it-not likely.

I don't ever want to own a dog - way to needy for me, but I do like them. For the last 6 years I have been walking my niece's dog 3 days a week. My niece didn't think twice about letting me walk her dog and the dog didn't think twice about going with me. Win, win, win all around.

Would I look at this type of program? sure if one was in my neighbourhood.

I have heard of hotels that will loan you a cat for your room but that is all in house. I would be concerned that people would lose the dog or just not want to bother to return it.

BL if I had a dog I would have no worries about loaning it to you.

I would love to try a program like that. I love dogs, but I don't want to live with one full-time. In the past, I would watch over my friend's dogs when they travelled. They no longer live nearby and I miss my visits with the pups.

I would think certain breeds would be happier in this sort of program than others.

I have loaned a dog before. To a friend of mine who wanted to walk in the local park but was afraid to do so. She had tried to before but as a VERY attractive woman, she found herself being catcalled and otherwise harrassed. The place where she was living did not allow pets so she could not get her own dog.I loaned her Buster, my 80 pound blue nose pit bull. No one bothered her when he was with her. No one. He looks very intimidating even though he is quite the lovable goober. Buster loved it. And it was easier on me. I used to take Sammy to that park(my now deceased pitty) and walk 3 miles, go home and grab Buster and walk for another 3 miles. During that arrangement, I took sammy on a 6 mile walk in the morning and Buster went with her in the evenings. Now we moved put to the sticks on acreage so no need for walking in the park and she moved into her own home where she can have her own. She got a pit bull named Cupcake. I dont talk to her anymore for various reasons but I am glad Buster could help her at the time. And I would never ever ever loan a dog to a stranger. I do not allow anyone to pet my dogs either unless they are family who may have to care for them one day.

my dogs wouldn't go with someone else, no matter who it happened to be. with curbside service at most vets' offices, i still have to lead my dogs in.

i don't even like this idea for shelter dogs. there are many, many dogs with behavioral issues (a big reason they end up in rescues/shelters) that the average person (dog owner or not) simply doesn't know how to handle. handled incorrectly, many behaviors will get worse. i think the "going to the shelter and walking a dog" idea is ok but it's not ok to turn a dog over to just anybody.

The city shelter did rely on volunteers for things like walking the dogs. When I had to take a moma cat and kittens there because she was attacking my oldest I had to wait outside until I was called to enter. I heard the walkers talking about their schedules. So while there would be regular people there was no guarantee that the dog would be walked by the same person on a regular basis. The premise behind this is the hope that the dog will be adopted by the walker and decrease the amount of staff hours dedicated to walking that could be used for other things like cleaning cages.

The shelter changed management at the first of the year so how they handle personnel may be different. Apparently some of the volunteers were doing their school required community service there.

As an example, my aunt took in a dog that was in a breeder farm, and she had never been out of her cage. Ever. She had never felt grass, been inside a home, been hugged, etc.

I would visit and pet her etc, but anytime I tried to walk her etc, she'd lay flat on the ground and wouldn't move. she wouldn't go with anyone except my aunt.

I don't think my dogs would go with a stranger as if I'd ever let them. But I think it's a good idea for a shelter program. That way the person can get to know a dog and the dog gets much need exercise.

We have 2 male Australian Shepherds. These are our 4th & 5th Aussies. The older (3 years) is very suspicious of strangers and never leaves our side. The younger (2 years) is Mr. Happy Go Lucky, an escape artist and would get into a car with anybody. We have a GPS collar ordered for him. He is a beautiful blue-eyed red merle and would be a prize for anyone (ha ha - try living with an Aussie - he'd be returned in no time).

seagrass

I wouldn’t want my dog in a program like that. Even if someone is a nice person, they may have a different way of handling a dog and it may not be a way I want my dog handled. I think if someone is in need of some one on one time with dogs, they should help out at the shelter or offer pet sitting so they can be vetted first.

Seagrass I posted in your new thread which appears to be gone, feel free to message me.

Sounds like free dog walking! Could put those places out of business.

I once fostered a cat for a month just to get them out of the shelter. It was a program they had. It was good for the cat to live in a regular place and it went mostly well. I spent a lot of time showing kitty off and taking pictures of her... and someone adopted her. It was a win-win for everyone involved. Cats are also hard to handle, so I don't see a lot of difference. I was glad to give it a break and a chance to showcase her.

My friend used to borrow a neighbor’s dog when she went on hikes. She liked the company and the dog liked getting out.

my neighbors used to do that when they wanted to walk in the woods. I think it was more that she thought our girl would warn her of snakes or other critters she didn't want to meet up with on the walk. But we always let her out to run over to them for a walk in the woods. She was used to them and I did trust them to take care of her. She often had dinner with them... they had steak, she had the bones! I didn't learn about that until after she got her wings. for her that was a free 'take out' snack within walking distance.