buy a dog and bark oneself

English

Alternative forms

• have a dog and bark oneself, keep a dog and bark oneself

Verb

buy a dog and bark oneself (third-person singular simple present buys a dog and barks oneself, present participle buying a dog and barking oneself, simple past and past participle bought a dog and barked oneself)

1. (informal, idiomatic) To do something that one has hired someone else to do.
   • 2009, QFinance: The Ultimate Resource, →ISBN, page 412:

     Don't buy a dog and bark yourself. Corporate sales are complex and risky. Appoint experienced advisers and get them to manage the process under your I Information.

   • 2013, Patrick Taylor, Fingal O'Reilly, Irish Doctor: An Irish Country Novel, →ISBN:

     "Me, cook?" Berties lip curled. "I've Flo. You don't buy a dog and bark yourself. Why'd you want to know that anyway?”

   • 2016, Helen Callaghan, Dear Amy, →ISBN, page 164:

     "We could indeed," I said, "but I'm left wondering why you'd buy a dog and bark yourself. What are you up to?"

   • 2016, Douglas Board, Choosing Leaders and Choosing to Lead, →ISBN:

     A large board doing its own selection is not buying a dog and barking itself, it is hiring a surgeon and operating itself.

See also

• why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free