Chris Albrecht turned to dog sharing to help Lester the golden retriever, poodle cross, who became anxious when Chris returned to work after lockdown. Photo / Supplied
Chris Albrecht turned to dog sharing to help Lester the golden retriever, poodle cross, who became anxious when Chris returned to work after lockdown. Photo / Supplied
It's your average personal profile you'd see on any dating site.
Lester, from Russell, is friendly and social and likes to go for walks or just hang out.
His reasons for searching for his perfect match also seem genuine; he's got a lot of love to give, and he's bored,sad and a little lonely.
His owner Chris Albrecht recently posted Lester's profile on social media in a bid to find a companion for his canine friend.
He noticed the 9-year-old golden retriever, poodle cross had become increasingly anxious when Albrecht returned to work full-time after the level 4 lockdown.
"He was okay during the lockdown; I took him for walks at the beach a couple of times a day," he said.
"But when I went back to work, he is pretty much spending eight hours a day by himself.
"I started feeling a bit concerned, he was getting depressed and anxious and I was wondering why, maybe it's because he's having no interaction with other dogs and other people."
Lester is a social dog by nature; he loves people, dogs and kids. Photo / Supplied
Wanting to help his best mate get back to his normal self, Albrecht set about finding a solution.
Doggie day-care was out, as he deemed that too expensive.
He came up with the idea of "dog sharing" while brainstorming with an Australian friend.
"She said they do it over there too. I thought, maybe I'll give it a go.
Albrecht said he has been surprised at the response to the post he published on Sunday, outlining his wishlist for Lester.
He wants a person or family willing to share their time with him two or three days a week, without taking on the responsibility and commitment of owning a dog.
He has narrowed it down to four local people he plans to meet over the coming days.
Dog owner Chris Albrecht wants to keep his best mate happy while he's at work. Photo / Supplied
If they checked out, he would trial them with Lester for a day and go from there, he said.
Most importantly, he wants to find someone trustworthy.
"I'm cautious ... it's like a member of your family, like your child you're giving away so I'm pretty picky. It has to benefit my dog and hopefully the person interested to share my dog."
Fellow dog lover Sandra Walker can relate to Albrecht's predicament.
She founded The Dog Share Collective after her dog died and she couldn't commit to another due to her career onboard Navy ships and being regularly deployed overseas.
Walker met a family who let her share their dog for several years.
The collective, a community-led social enterprise, has now been running for four years connecting dog owners with dog lovers nationwide.
"It's all about enriching a dog's life by finding trusted friends and finding connections that are mutually beneficial," Walker said.
"There are three main barriers why people can't commit to ownership; property, because people are renting; time of life, such as older people who don't want to commit to dog ownership; and lifestyle, where people are working and commuting.
"With dog sharing you don't have any barriers anymore; you can find a local dog and have access to a canine part-time. It's enriching the dog's life and your own life.
"It's a win-win situation for the dog, owner and borrower."
About 3000 dogs and more than 10,000 owners and borrowers are now signed up with the dog-sharing website.
People pay $20 for a year's subscription, and if they can't find the right connection the fee is renewed for free. There is no charge for those aged over 65.
Walker said responsible dog owners should do their due diligence to ensure people who want to care for their pooch are capable.
She suggests meeting in a local park for the initial introduction, then getting to know each other over a number of "doggie dates".
"Then you can assess whether the person is capable of caring for your dog, and if you can trust them."
Sandra Walker's top dog sharing tips
For the owner:
• Describe your dog's needs fully so a borrower can determine their compatibility
• Wait for the right person/best match
• Understand it's a shared love between human and dog
For the borrower:
• Describe your dog-borrowing aspirations, and your lifestyle and availability
