I own one, a spitin image, used it a few times and don't recall getting bit on it, I prefer a Pop-R only because it caught me "lots" more fish, when is it a better time to use a walk the dog style bait instead of a Pop-R or even a Buzzbait?

 

I am hitting a new lake for me and time will be precocious, I was thinking about starting with the buzzbait for roughly 30 min and then moving to the Pop-R, but maybe I need to tweak this plan?

Quite simply, I use a WTD when the fish are active. Be it fish busting the surface (whites and largemouth) or when they are waiting to ambush along a rip-rap bank. 

 

I use a buzzbait around low hanging trees, stumps, weeds, pads, things where a treble hooked bait would just create a mess. 

 

I use a popper (usually a Pop R) when the fish are in a slower mood or real dark water where they need the sound to help locate the bait. 

A walk the dog bait falls inbetween for me.  A popper I tend to let sit after a pop or two, and I can do the same with a walk the dog, but I can't walk a popper all the way home without pause.  It also offers up that wide, struggling pattern that you don't get with the buzzbait.  

 

They each have their place, and if you don't have confidence in it, honestly I wouldn't use my limited time on a bait I don't have faith in.  Maybe after you get a chance to fish it in a place you know better and land a few and build that confidence up.

I use walk the dogs when you see baitfish or bass busting the surface or any time you feel like other than that. BassResource has a good video about a spook. For me I love the pop-r but really only get it to work during and right after spawn once it gets hot the fish are down in the cover.

I never caught a thing on a Spit-N Image either...LOL

J/K, I've had a blast on this lure!

My time on the water is limited so I might use it some this outing, I can walk the dog with it just never sure why to use it over a popr or buzzbait, but the responses clears that up some.

Sorry late post...walk the dog is best on choppy and heavy ripple waters...in water depths 5 to 25 ft.  not a great very shallow bait makes alot of commotion.What i love most about it is it works all day for a topwater bait even in bright sunny days