Dog-sharing – Here’s how it works with Sparky and Sunny

You often tell us Hondenlief has provided valuable contacts to people who share in the care of your four-legged friend. Now you can tell us more about yourself and your experiences. First, we’d like to introduce Sunny and Sparky! They’re enjoying an exciting and varied time with ‘three’ different dog borrowers. Sandrina, their owner, and Anja, one of the borrowers who regularly looks after Sparky on weekends, tell their stories.

Why were you attracted to the idea of dog-sharing?
Sandrina (dog owner): As a student I have to work nights; twenty hours during the week and on weekends. Shifts often last 9 to 13 hours, but I can’t leave the dogs alone for so long. Now I’m coming to the end of my studies, many of my friends have already moved to other cities. My family lives in another country. This makes it difficult to find people among my acquaintances prepared to dog-sit for free. Dog-sitting services, especially for overnight stays, can be very expensive. I could walk Sunny in breaks, but Sparky can’t be left alone. Obviously, Sparky’s fear of being abandoned restricts my leisure options. I can’t spontaneously decide to go out with friends for a drink or to the movies – and the cost of a dogsitter and a movie ticket is a lot to pay. What’s more, dogsitters often look after multiple dogs, but Sunny prefers to be alone. Dog-sharing is great because there are no dog-sitting fees and the dogs are not alone. There’s someone with them who would like to have a dog, is prepared to pander to their needs, and is another regular point of reference in their lives.

How many dog borrowers have you already met and how many became regular contacts?
Sandrina (dog owner): We agreed to meet six dog borrowers. Three developed into regular meetings. Sadly, there’s always more interest in undertaking activities with a dog when the weather’s good. Before you meet dog borrowers you ask yourself “Can I say ‘no’, or is that unfair?” What do you do if you don’t like a dog borrower when you meet, or get the impression something doesn’t quite click – even if the dog borrower adores your dog? I actually turned down a dog borrower who wasn’t sure about looking after Sparky, because he was apparently loud and aggressive on the lead. Nevertheless, there are plenty of borrowers to choose from and we’ve already found some really nice people.

Can you tell us the various reasons given by dog borrowers for hoping you would ‘lend’ them Sunny and Sparky?
Sandrina (dog owner): The reasons given by potential borrowers I met were that they were students with not enough time or money to own a dog, or families in which a child wanted a dog, but the parents wanted the child to have contact with a dog, or parents who wanted to teach their son not to be afraid of dogs. There were people with jobs that didn’t leave them enough time to own a dog, but who would love to take one for walks on the weekends; and even a student whose own dog was extremely playful and needed a playmate, since there weren’t many dogs out in the wintertime.

What does a typical week look like for your dog?
Sandrina (dog owner): On a weekend Sparky often stays with Anja from Friday to Sunday. I usually take him to her place, but she sometimes collects him. On nightshifts during the week, Sparky is looked after by a female dog borrower with her own dog. She normally collects him from my workplace and, once I’ve slept enough, brings him back around lunchtime. Once a week Sparky and Sunny visit a lovely family from 16:30 – 19:30. At the moment they collect both dogs and bring them back, too. Unfortunately, Sunny is still alone a lot, but we remain on the lookout for a friendly dog borrower and are sure we’ll have met some good people by the time spring comes around.

Anja, what moved you to register with Hondenlief?
Anja (dog borrower): I was looking for a dog to look after because I’d always been surrounded by dogs at home. In the city it was something I missed a lot. Because I’m at university I don’t have enough time for a dog during the week. One girlfriend said I should talk to local dog owners in my neighborhood to see if they needed someone. That would have felt a bit weird, so I decided to check out the net for alternatives instead.

What were your first meetings with Sparky like?
Anja (dog borrower): The first time we met we went for a walk together with Sunny and Sparky. I got on with Sandrina really well straight away. After that I was able to look after Sparky alone, over the whole weekend as I remember.

How has your relationship with Sparky changed between the first meeting and now?
Anja (dog borrower): I guess in the beginning every dog needs a couple of hours to build up some trust, but Sparky and I didn’t need long at all. Because he’s with me nearly every weekend, we’ve built a strong bond and a trusting relationship. It’s wonderful to see that he’s always super-excited about coming to our place. After all, it has to be right for both of us! Sparky is a really great dog and I can hardly wait for the weekends. I’ve never known a dog that loves to snuggle and is more devoted than he is. Sandrina has obviously trained him well, and he hears everything.

What do you do on a typical day with Sparky?
Anja (dog borrower): On a typical day we get up early. Sparky will get on the bed, happy someone’s already up. After a quick cuddle it’s off to the local Green Prater park for a long walk. I get to relax, too, as I would rarely go out for a walk without a dog. Sparky’s always allowed off the lead in the dog exercising zone. He always comes when called and will come to our feet even without a lead. Back home we have breakfast. As I take Sparky at weekends, we either go outdoors, or if I have to study, we’ll hang around together at home. Before the evening meal we’ll do another big walk, before he’s allowed to snuggle up on the couch.

How do Sunny and Sparky cope having various dog borrowers?
Sandrina (dog owner): Anja was the first dog borrower we met in person. I took both dogs with me and we all went on a walk together. Anja fell in love with Sparky immediately. Back then I really needed someone for Sparky. She’s now been looking after him regularly for around 7 months. I take him to Anja between 1 and 3 times a month on Friday evenings and pick him up Sunday evenings. When I have to work, I know he’s in good hands. When I have time off, I can meet friends in places that don’t admit dogs. As soon as Sparky sees Anja and her boyfriend, he gets all excited and starts whimpering, barking and jumps up to greet them, wagging his tail wildly. They’re extra emotional points of reference, so dog-sharing has been of great benefit to Sparky. He much prefers having fun with new friends than hanging around bored at home. The other dog borrower has her own dog too, and that’s also great. I often receive photos and videos of the two dogs playing and snuggling up, and the family is very nice. Their daughter plays with and cuddles the dogs a lot. They’re often so busy that they’re tired by the end of the day.

Altogether it’s fair to say that dog-sharing has been a big ‘plus’ for us. My dogs spend much less time alone, enjoy lots of adventures and have new friends in their lives. I save the money that would go to a dogsitter, while the dog borrower can spend time with a dog without the burden of the expense of a dog’s full-time upkeep.