Waggy Tales - Borrower Sharon, Swindon

Following on from owner Sarah’s Waggy Tale with her gorgeous pooch, Skype, we now have their borrower Sharon’s pawsome story.

With a job in the RAF, Sharon’s lifestyle won’t allow her to have her own dog, so she joined BorrowMyDoggy and matched with Skype. Fast forward one year, and Sharon borrows Skype on a regular basis whenever she has time and Skype is around. As she says, “BorrowMyDoggy is an incredibly fun and valuable experience. I’m getting the benefit of having a pet and some friends as well.” High paws!

What type of BorrowMyDoggy arrangement do you have?

I’ve been borrowing Skype, a Collie Cross and Dogs' Trust rescue dog, for a year. With my job in the RAF, I’m here, there and everywhere all the time so it’s very ad hoc. Sarah and her husband, Brian (Skype’s owners) can take Skype to work with them as they work in the veterinary sector, so he can go with them if necessary, but Sarah asks if I want him because he might be a bit bored. I’m welcome to have him whenever I’m free and in the country!

I have had Skype overnight a few times if his owners are away for the weekend. I quite like having it like that and they’ve been really good about it. It’s kind of become a friendship between me and Skype’s owners. When I got back from Cyprus, where I had been with work, we all went for a walk in Cirencester then had a meal afterwards. They came to my birthday party too! It’s not just about the dog making friends, I’ve made friends out of it as well.

Admittedly, when I first went away after having signed up to the site, I was worried that Skype might find somebody else in my absence, but they didn't forget about me and kept in touch while I was away and I was able to pick up where I left off when I got back.

Why did you sign up to BorrowMyDoggy?

I signed up to BorrowMyDoggy because when I got my own house it felt a little empty without a pet! I’ve always had dogs, but with my job there is a lot of travel involved so I can’t have one of my own. I saw BorrowMyDoggy on Facebook, decided to check it out and ended up signing up. It took a little while before anything came of it and then when Sarah and Skype got in touch it really blossomed from there.

What were your initial thoughts when looking for a local match? What did you like about Skype’s profile?

I’ve had Labradors growing up and I’ve done some dog handling with German Shepherds as part of my career so I was looking for a bigger dog. I missed going out and wanted exercise too and wanted something adventurous! Skype sounded like a lot of fun and what really sold me was the picture. Also, Sarah is only 10 minutes down the road from me, which is great.

How did you find the verification process?

I think the verification is a great idea. The third party insurance puts a lot of people’s minds at ease. Even as a borrower, I think like an owner so I would want to see those measures in place and it seems to be working. I would want to have that level of trust and I got that from the verification process.

How was your 'Welcome Woof' and first borrow?

We messaged back and forth on the site then arranged our ‘Welcome Woof’. When I met them, they were really lovely and friendly and it seamlessly fit into place. I wasn’t worried at all. We met up for a walk in the field near their house and spoke about what Skype’s like on walks and lots of other stuff. We chatted about ourselves too and got to know each other. Skype seemed to like me, which was peace of mind for his owners so they were happy.

For my first borrow, I had Skype for the afternoon. We went with some friends to Lechlade by the River Thames and had a walk by the river. Skype was kept very entertained by a lot of ball throwing and he was happy on the walk. I sent some photos to Sarah during the day and she was grateful to receive them. Everyone was in high spirits when I returned Skype.

Tell us a bit about Skype

Skype is a very energetic dog, he doesn’t stop, just like the energiser bunny. He’s very confident and knows what he wants. The first time he was in my house, he inspected every square inch! He loves the ball more than anything in the world so when he comes over to my house, he comes with breakfast, dinner and a couple of balls. I have about 5 tennis balls in my living room - he finds them everywhere. He’s met my family dog Harley and they got on well. Skype’s great with everybody and he’s an absolute star!

What do you enjoy most about your dog match?

It’s made a big difference. I do feel like I have a pet, even though it’s not all the time, he’s there when I want him. I’m getting the benefit of having a pet and some friends as well. I’m not from Swindon originally so it has been nice to make friends in a new area.

Would you recommend BorrowMyDoggy to friends? What would you tell them?

Yes, absolutely and I have done! I mention it in conversations with work colleagues and friends and I explain the benefits.

Describe your BorrowMyDoggy experience in one sentence.

An incredibly fun and valuable experience.