Dear LPG,

I have an aunt who lives alone and has a dog which is her closest companion.  I believe that the dog’s need to go out each day has helped by giving her a reason to go out each day even though she often only travels as far as the local park, and when members of the family visit, old or young, we often offer to go with her when she does one of these walks with the dog.

They have been together since his puppyhood, about four years ago, when a few of the members of the family noticed that, though there was no physical reason, she was staying in more and more and so we decided that it would be a good idea to join forces one Christmas.

We bought the dog with the hope that he would become the motivation needed to get her out a bit more and just having him around gave her something to talk about and the motivation to leave the house more, but I have noticed that it is becoming physically harder for her to get out these days.  Luckily she still lives in her own house and has a back garden which is gradually getting overrun and the dog now uses it as a toilet a bit more than before.  

We (relatively) younger ones have always visited fairly regularly so one solution has been that we go prepared to walk the dog and sort the garden but, now that she is attached we really want to be sure that her pet stays with her and is happy.

We were fairly sensible and had the forethought to choose her a small mongrel and we have now found one of her young neighbours who also helps after school a couple of times a week, but I was surprised to find that there is a lot on line which helps.

Apart from dog walking services, which can get a little expensive, we found some information on line which might help anyone else who finds themselves unable to walk the dog each day and I hope that sharing it will help other dog owners who might find themselves in a similar situation.

PL, Lewisham

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