keep a dog and bark (oneself)
To hire or pay someone who is ostensibly responsible for some amount of work, but then do or oversee most or all of that work oneself. Why are you paying a copy editor when you end up disregarding all of their changes anyway? Why keep a dog and bark yourself? Cleaning your bathroom when you have a cleaning service is like keeping a dog and barking yourself.
keep a dog and bark yourself
pay someone to work for you and then do the work yourself. 1991 Purchasing and Supply Management He does not solve the subcontractor's technical problems, keeping a dog and barking himself.