Small Dog for a Day

Posted on Mar 14 in Having Fun with A Small Dog, The Small Dog-Human Bond, Where to Get a Small Dogby Jeff K.Print

You can still love a small dog without owning one. (Photo courtesy of solar ikon at Flickr.com)

We usually walk our small dogs, Royce and Kelsey, two times per day. The first walk is a long, fast-paced walk for exercise. The second walk, usually after dark, is shorter and at a more relaxed pace. Just before we depart for the second walk, we say to our dogs “Let’s go see ‘Mr. Cookie.’” Mr. Cookie is a friendly and warm-hearted retiree who hangs out in the evening in front of his house. If it is dark, you can sometimes spot the glow of his pipe before you see him standing on his driveway. He keeps a large box of dog treats in his garage. As the nightly parade of dogs passes, he dispenses cookies, belly rubs, and good humor. Although Mr. Cookie loves all the neighborhood dogs, he and his wife currently have no dog of their own, which leads me to the point of this story.

If now is not the right time for you to own a small dog, but you still want to have contact with dogs, there are plenty of ways to do just that. As a side benefit, the options I am about to offer here can also be treated as a test-drive of dog ownership if you are considering a dog for the future. Here are some ideas:

Volunteer at an Animal Shelter or Pet Rescue

Here is an opportunity to work with hundreds of different kinds of dogs without having to keep one at home. The upside is you will have contact with dogs in need. The downside is you will have contact with dogs in need. Working at an animal shelter or rescue operation is similar to working at a hospital. You will be able to help many animals and people. You will also have to deal with the heartbreak of dealing with some lost causes and sad endings. It can be very rewarding, but it is not work for people who are extremely sentimental.

Work at a Dog Care Business

At Kelsey’s Dog House, we have one employee who owned a dog that died at a young age. This employee cannot bring himself to own another dog right now because he still feels the pain of losing his first. Instead, he works at our place to enjoy the company of dogs without getting too attached to any single dog. It works for him and it works well for us.

Pet Sit

Everyone who owns a dogs has need of a pet sitter every now and then. It is one of those win-win situations in which you get to enjoy and care for a dog for a period of time without a long-term commitment. It’s sort of being a grandparent because you get to have fun with the dog, and then the dog goes home. The dog benefits, you benefit, and the dog’s owner benefits as well, knowing their dog is in good hands.

Visit a Pet Park or Pet-Friendly Business

Some folks enjoy people watching. There is a variation on this called dog watching. If you have ever visited an off-leash dog park, you know what I am talking about. Bring along some treats or a bowl of water and you instantly have an appreciative audience. It works for Mr. Cookie, and it will work for you too.

Foster a Dog

Many rescue organizations have a need for short-term dog placement while they work on getting their dogs adopted. Being a foster owner is usually a big responsibility, even though it is short-term. Dogs in foster care range from low-maintenance to extremely needy. When you take a dog into foster care, you may be called upon to socialize a traumatized dog; or tend to a wide range of canine medical conditions. A foster dog may need extensive obedience training, or simply a warm and comfortable place to sleep and eat. Many people who foster dogs enjoy it so much that the temp job becomes a lifetime occupation. Others end up adopting the dogs they foster. We have one employee at Kelsey’s Dog House right now that is about to return her fostered dog to its rescue service. The dog has lately been showing signs of aggression and is turning out to be more than she can handle. This is one job where it really pays to know what you are getting into before you start.

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Perhaps now is not the right time to own a dog. You may travel quite a bit. Or, the apartment complex in which you live does not allow dogs. Or, perhaps your budget would be strained by having to feed and care for a dog. Or, your personal relationship with another person needs your full attention. Or, you simply love dogs but enjoy coming and going as you please without worrying about the needs of a dog. Whatever your personal reason, there are alternatives to ownership. Our neighbor, Mr. Cookie, has it figured out. So can you.

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