Why stop at dogs?

It's good to know that, even in the midst of rapidly declining readership, an endless series of staff buyouts and a fast-shrinking news hole, the Boston Globe has found one area in which it can beef up its coverage: Spotting the trends that matter to the Boston area's rich. Because Lord knows this is a group that has been sadly neglected in the past.

Thankfully, the Globe made the right choice in assigning the local Robb Report beat to Sarah Schweitzer, because she's quickly established herself as the fearless journo not afraid to pursue the stories nobody else would touch. Last month, you may recall, she exposed rich Back Bay residents risking it all to become Vermont cheesemakers and move to the Natick Mall. Yesterday, she gave us an eye-opening look at the travails faced by a Wellesley resident made claustrophobic with a $3.4 million house who is struggling to build a $21-million house in Weston.

And today? Today, Schweitzer breaks the news that come this spring, Boston professionals will finally be able to rent dogs:

The company says its target market is busy professionals without time to care for a dog of their own.

But as much of a fan of her work as I've become, I wonder why Schweitzer didn't push the story forward and ask: Why stop at dogs? After all, as she quotes a company official:

"Bear in mind that these dogs are in need of homes, and they understand that," she said. "They are happy to not be caged up, to receive top veterinary care, to be regularly groomed, to be active, and to be playing with other dogs."

Now, she is referring to the dogs understanding their need for homes. But substitute "children" and the quote reads just as well. And why should busy professionals be denied the joys of watching young ones develop into mutual-fund managers just because they're too busy with their own careers?

Of course, you'll always have your troublemakers, like David Ertischek, who provides the phone numbers of the city councilors for West Roxbury, Roslindale and Hyde Park for whiners who want to try to keep this company out of Boston.

But maybe Schweitzer did ask the questions about children - and we'll read all about it in the Globe tomorrow.