Who let the dogs out? Rescue group wants more of us to take a dog for a jog

Wodonga Dog Rescue is calling out for those who may want a furry companion on their walks, hikes and outings to come and pay them a visit.

Wodonga Dog Rescue volunteer Shirley Giles said not only did the dogs enjoy the walks, but it gave them a chance to be adopted.

"If you're out walking a dog and someone sees them, it's walking nice, people inquire 'that's a nice dog'," she said.

"You can even put a jacket on them, Wodonga Dog Rescue dog, and they inquire, and it can get an adoption. But you just basically want the dog to get out, go for a walk, and then come back and get feedback."

Walkers are encouraged to take the dogs to different places, including out for coffee or on a trip to Bunnings.

The volunteer of 10 years said it helped to give the dogs exposure to new environments.

"You can come back and say, 'look, it didn't like the cars, it didn't like people', or 'it was fantastic on the lead and it did really well'," she said.

The dogs don't need to be taken out all day and it may only be an hour, but Ms Giles said recurring walks with the same person is rewarding for the dog.

She said although the rescue would walk the dogs, it's also a pressure off their hands as they juggled daily tasks including feeding, being on the road, microchip scanning and paying vet bills.

The idea was posted on Facebook and although it received a lot of traction, only three people have inquired.

"A lot of people commented, but we're still waiting for them to come," Ms Giles said.

The volunteer said there were many misconceptions about the dogs.

"People say, 'oh, like a rescue dog, it's a broken dog' or something, a lot of people say. But you don't know, and we don't know," she said.

"Any dog that comes from any town, they're not going to come with instructions and what they've been through and everything else.

"It's just they come in here and you've got to work it out yourself and you've got to start from somewhere.

"You can't lock them up and say, 'well, I don't know what to do with it'."

Those interested in taking a dog for some exercise can book in a time with the Wodonga Dog Rescue.