How to rent a Portland backyard for your dog

If you don't feel like going to a public dog park or you don't have one nearby, here's another option: Sniffspot, an Airbnb-style service where people rent out their backyards or private land as dog runs.

Details: Sniffspot was started in Seattle about five years ago and has since expanded to all 50 states.

• In the Portland area, the app offers over 115 fields or backyards you can rent for your canine companions, including 68 that have access to some type of water.
• When we searched, the cost per dog ranged from about $5 to about $25 per hour.

Why it matters: Portland's more than 30 off-leash dog parks aren't always located in places that are convenient for dog owners. Plus, some dogs don't do well when there are dozens of other pups running around, and could use a private fenced zone to play in.

Of note: Sniffspot says some of its hosts make more than $3,000 a month renting out their unused land.

The bottom line: People are getting creative to give dogs and their owners space to roam.