I was out and about in the truck the other day and I stopped in to see a lovely little dog who had an ear infection. The lady who opened the door was unfamiliar to me and was not the owner of the dog I was expecting to see. She introduced herself as the little pups’ grandma and we laughed about the terminology.

Pet owners are certainly seeing their pets as family members, but it did get me thinking about the many benefits of sharing your pet with people on different schedules.

This lucky dog’s grandma told me how she comes over every day mid-morning, has a cup of tea and reads the paper whilst the dog naps.

The true owner of the dog has small children, a busy job and is at a hectic time of life — I certainly know the feeling.

The dog loves all the hustle and bustle of family life, playing with the children and chasing about, but when Grandma comes over, the air settles and he gets to have some quiet rest time whilst still feeling part of a pack.

It seems to work very well for all concerned. Grandma loves to be useful and enjoys seeing all her grandbabies including the furry one.

The dog is very content to have company and enjoys the quiet time before the lively kids come home from school.

Dogs do not naturally enjoy being alone for very long and it always saddens me to hear of a dog at home for hours at a time whilst owners are at work.

Retired people could be a useful resource for busy pet owners, and it gives benefits for the retiree as much as for the dog in terms of companionship, encouraging mobility and giving useful purpose to the day.

As with regular grandparents, pet grandparents or extended pet family members may contribute to the care costs of the pet or provide treats or a nice new collar for instance.

They can be there for appointments such as groomers or vet visits if the true owner is otherwise busy.

There are a few pitfalls to the pet sharing lifestyle, however.

I have, from time to time, had to explain gently why the dog doesn’t need all the treats in the treat jar to very well-meaning pet grandparents as their beloved fur babies’ weight rose by 3lb since the last visit.

But other than that, there are many more positives than negatives when sharing your pet.

It’s a good idea to discuss the practical requirements, such as who gives any medicines needed, who is feeding the dog and how much they get, how much exercise and the type of exercise needed, and how much rest time should be allowed for. But generally, pet sharing works very well for everyone, not least the lucky pet.

If your pet spends a lot of time home alone due to your busy schedule, maybe consider reaching out to your older neighbor and see if they will sit with them for a while.

It could be a mutually beneficial arrangement and will certainly result in a happy pet.

• Lucy Richardson graduated from Edinburgh University in 2005. She started CedarTree Vets in August 2012 with her husband, Mark. They live at the practice with their two children, Ray and Stella, and their dog, two cats and two guinea pigs. She is also the FEI national head veterinarian for Bermuda