Ask Dog Lady

If your doggie dilemma has you down in the dumps…

Dear Dog Lady,
My partner and I like to entertain but our parties seem to drive our Yorkipoo, Prunella, nuts. Recently, when Jeff had his office colleagues over for cocktails, Prunie vanished for the whole time. Jeff wanted to show her off and called for her constantly but she didn’t budge from her hiding place. We didn’t even know where she was until after everyone left. We scoured the apartment looking for her and finally found her sleeping in the back of our bedroom closet.
Early in June, we plan to have a big open house and we’d love to parade our little girl for the guests. What can we do to make Prunella more sociable?
—Peter, Boston, MA

Peter, take a minute and consider festive matters from petite Prunella’s perspective. How would you feel attending a cocktail soiree in the Land of the Giants? Imagine trying to work the room when you can’t see through a forest of ankles. The whiffs of hors d’oeuvres would overwhelm your senses but the monster party people would only drop crumbs on your head—or, worse, step on you. These are the perils for a Yorkipoo trying to maneuver through any human social gathering.
Prunella is no Paris Hilton. She has sent her regrets. Don’t force her to come out and make nice. Let her go wherever she wants during the open house and don’t be surprised if you find her in the back of the closet again. Before guests arrive, trick out her sanctuary. Make sure Prunella has a soft blanket and a couple of her toys and treats so she can have her own party in peace.

Dear Dog Lady,
I am from the New York City area and am wondering if you have heard of any services that would allow me to “rent” a dog for the day? Specifically I would like to hire a certain breed of dog for the day, meaning he/she would be dropped off in the morning and then picked up at night. I would provide food, walking, etc. for the dog.
— Sara, New York, NY

Sara, allow Dog Lady to make sense of this. You seek a dog delivered to you with a full tank and low mileage? Sounds like a rental car on four legs. Dog Lady has read of a dog-for-hire business in Tokyo, but the service seems too creepy to contemplate except on waggish Internet blogs. However, just by asking the question, you might have unleashed the shady entrepreneurs eager to make a buck with a Bowser leasing venture.
If you really want to test drive a canine, go to your local animal shelter. The shelter orphans need exercise and attention so the staff might let you walk a dog for an afternoon. Of course, there are no amenities. You wouldn’t be able to specify a breed and the shelter workers have no time to drop off or pick up the dog. You would have to do all the work, which might cause you to realize that a high-end rent-a-Rover scheme is an inhumane notion.