Don’t have a dog to walk? Borrow a neighbours.

Dog walking is such an enjoyable and healthy activity. It’s good for our fitness, mental wellbeing and also helps us to make new friends. Getting out and about is also great for dogs for all the same reasons. A dog that doesn’t get enough exercise is prone to boredom, digging, barking, destructiveness and obesity.

Sadly not everyone in our community is lucky enough to be able to have a dog. Their landlord won’t allow it or their work commitments make it difficult. Other people like busy parents and some elderly people just can’t walk their dog enough. So reach out to your neighbours and ask if they would like their dog walked. Even if you already have a dog you can always take another along to play with your pooch. It’s a win, win, win situation for you, your neighbour and the dog.

It is part of my ‘Pet Neighbours Connect’ idea. I’d love to see under-exercised dogs getting a little more stimulation. But even better, it would promote a closer community where we can all ask our neighbours to feed the cat whilst we are away for the weekend. In return you may be able to look after their chooks and collecting their eggs. My vision is to have a database of pet neighbours that want to connect. The database is work in progress, so in the mean time try the old fashioned way. Lean over the fence the next time you see your neighbour and just say hello.