'Hobby dogging': Germany's viral trend of pretending to walk a dog

Can you teach an invisible dog new tricks? A bizarre trend that started in Germany sees people taking a dog for a walk on a leash – but without the actual dog. Local trainer Barbara Gerlinger, admits it's "a little crazy," but is also dead serious about the concept. Stuttgart, Germany (dpa) – Taking a dog for a walk – without the dog? Believe it or not, an emerging pastime called "hobby dogging" is a new leisure activity for animal lovers in Germany who don't want the vet bills, hairy carpets, drooling or expensive vet fees. There is also no need to pick up the poo, deal with aggressive behaviour or barking when leaving your pet at home. As might be expected, it has been met with much head-shaking, scepticism and ridicule online. After all, the dog only exists in the walker's imagination. Hobby dogging – essentially dog training without dogs – follows in the wake of "hobby horsing," a previous trend that saw children (and a surprising number of adults) gallop through obstacle courses on stick horses. It sounds like some viral prank generated by AI, but it is surprisingly true (and truly surprising). In Bad Friedrichshall, north of wealthy southern Germany's car capital of Stuttgart, you can even get professional guidance in walking your imaginary dog. Disbelief and contempt The comments on the internet are equally scathing. "Whatever they've been smoking, I want some," writes one user. Some respond with humour: "I took the dog's harness off and now I can't find him." Others share their disbelief and contempt: "The world is getting crazier and crazier." Dog trainer Barbara Gerlinger simply shrugs at the ridicule. She takes her job seriously and designs her own courses for "hobby dogging", complete with cones, obstacles and a good dose of imagination. "Hop! Hop! Hop," calls the 65-year-old as her participants jump over small poles with reinforced leashes. The participants pat the air at their feet, reaching into their pockets for imaginary treats. "Good! Well done!" You can almost hear the imaginary panting. Gerlinger made the leashes herself, designed to look like someone is walking an invisible dog. "It's a little crazy," she admits. "But what isn't crazy? We live in a crazy world." The idea for hobby dogging came about on a whim in a local clubhouse. A passing joke, a quick laugh – but the thought stayed with Gerlinger. Her philosophy? The problem is never the dog. That's always at the other end of the leash. It's about mental training, about concentration. Dry run before the real dog Sometimes, the dog trainer complains, people doing dog training just don't listen to her. But when there are imaginary dogs, you are less distracted, she says. If you just imagine the dog, you are forced to pay attention to yourself – to your posture, your voice, your body tension. "It's quite exhausting to concentrate for 20 minutes on something that isn't there." For Gerlinger, it's also a good form of preparation for dog handlers – before real paws enter the course. The 65-year-old posted a few videos online with her son – and they went viral. One of her clips has almost 5 million views. Her story has even spread to the United States and Japan, noting that the craziness of the endeavour has spread. "They're not all clean anymore," she laughs, handing out dogless leashes to the participants. "You have a Rottweiler, take a bigger harness," she says. Just the leash and a little imagination "Good girl, my princess," says Anette Hilkert, praising an imaginary Chantal at the end of her leash. The female boxer has just sat down next to her. "I don't just talk to the leash. The invisible dog should have a name," the 61-year-old explains. Chantal was also the name of her deceased dog. For Hilkert, walking an empty leash and harness around the grounds makes perfect sense. With Chantal, she can practise dry runs before putting Mottchen, her real dog, on the leash. No mistakes, no stress – just the leash and a little imagination. Meanwhile, Mottchen waits patiently a few metres away in the boot of a car – whether he's wagging his tail in approval or shaking his head in disbelief remains unclear. The following information is not intended for publication dpa poi xxde mew coh

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