Dog-lover Tiffany joined BorrowMyDoggy with her three children, and is amazed at what a difference it’s made to her family. They soon matched with Millie the Border Collie, and now enjoy time reconnecting as a family and disconnected from their electronics. What’s more, Millie adores spending time with the kids, and her owner, Jeni, enjoys peace of mind that Millie is well cared for.
How has BorrowMyDoggy made a difference in your life?
BorrowMyDoggy has genuinely made a difference to our lives. We have made a wonderful dog companion in Millie. We couldn’t ask for a nicer dog. My son Sami is 12 years old and when he comes home from school he switches on the TV or the XBox or texts his friends so it’s hard to connect with him. When we walk Millie, though, he leaves his phone at home and I can talk to him to ask about school and friends. We can just chat, which is brilliant. It’s a really good time for me to stop and make the time to do something with the kids away from work and my laptop, too. It’s a nice way of reconnecting with everyone and getting some fresh air.
Why did you sign up to BorrowMyDoggy?
Initially I signed up for myself as I thought it would be really nice to walk a dog occasionally and enjoy some fresh air, however, it soon became something for the whole family. Our house is not big enough to own a dog of our own and it’s already very busy thanks to three children, two rabbits, a guinea pig, two cats and two fish tanks! We love dogs, but I know we couldn’t commit to having one at the moment. I saw a friend post about BorrowMyDoggy on Facebook so I joined up. The sign up process was really straightforward and easy.
What were you looking for in a match?
My youngest daughter is 5 years old and she loves dogs so we were looking for something that wasn’t too big and was child friendly. We also wanted something local, as I don’t drive so it would need to be someone within walking distance. In general, we were very open minded about it and my two daughters were very involved in the process from the beginning. Leila, my middle child who is 11, has friends who own dogs so she has experience walking them and loves being around them, too.
How did you go about finding a match?
We chose a few dogs in the area to add to our favourites, including Millie the Border Collie. My Dad had a Border Collie for years so I knew their temperament and how energetic they are. She looked so lovely in her photo and her profile said she was good around children, which is perfect. When we heard back from Millie’s owner, Jeni, we were so excited. After messaging through the site, we exchanged numbers and had a chat.
How was your ‘Welcome Woof’?
For our first ‘Welcome Woof’, my youngest daughter and I went round to Jeni’s for a cup of tea. Whilst I had a chat with her about her dog and lots of other things, my daughter played with Millie in their garden. It was clear that Millie was a very happy dog and really well looked after. Jeni was so lovely and friendly. Our second meeting was a walk around a local park with Millie and Jeni. I learnt Millie’s commands and a bit more about her personality. I felt very comfortable and my daughter was so excited! I also learnt about some of her favourite places to walk, which included local areas I never even knew existed.
How do you get on with Jeni and her dog, Millie?
Jeni is absolutely lovely and definitely someone I would call a friend now. Millie is fantastic with children and the kids get on so well with with her. She’s always excited when she sees us. My son, Sami, sees Millie’s owners walking her when he’s going into school and Millie always wags her tail lots and says hello!
What is your current arrangement with Millie’s owners?
Our arrangement is quite ad hoc. With 3 children, I’m very busy so I text Jeni and let her know when I’m free. We see Millie once a week at the absolute minimum. We just do whatever works for all of us. Jeni is happy for us to take her whenever and has even said we can have her overnight or on holiday with us if we like. The kids will always check in with me when we haven’t walked her in a while!
Would you recommend BorrowMyDoggy to friends? What would you tell them?
Very much so and I have done. It’s a big committment to look after a dog properly, the way they deserve to be, so BorrowMyDoggy can be something that people do as a test run before they commit. We are really happy to have found the website.
Describe your BorrowMyDoggy experience in one sentence.
BorrowMyDoggy has meant that not only can we enjoy being around a dog, we can enjoy our time as a family more.
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