Rent-a-pooch business barking up the right tree

Every guy knows that a dog is a babe magnet. But what if you aren't up for full-time dog maintenance? Lucky for you that a company such as Flex Petz exists, bringing the concept of rental to the pooch world.

Flex Petz has outlets in L.A., and New York, with plans to expand to San Francisco, London, Boston and D.C. soon. It operates on a model similar to a time share- members share ownership of the fleet. Members can rent pooches for a few hours or a few days, and have a wide selection of hounds from which to choose. Perhaps Eliot Spitzer would have been better off turning to Flex Petz to fill his need for companionship, eh?

The service isn't cheap, though; members are charged a monthly fee of $279.95 and a surcharge of $45 a day for all doggy face time in excess of four days per month. For those in a time pinch, the company offers delivery and pick-up (the dog, not the doggy leavings).

The winner in this deal, imho, isn't the customer or the company. The winner is the dog, for whom this seems like a cushy job, with free health care, oodles of admiration and a perfect opportunity to network with the high and mighty.

While I can't promise the devotion of a dog, I'd be willing to rent out one of our cats for this kind of money. Does that make me a kitty pimp?