Pet Sitters International celebrated the first annual Take Your Dog to Work Day on the Friday following Father’s Day in 1999. The original goal was to create awareness of the bond between humans and dogs to encourage adoption. The yearly event also sparked an interest to welcome more furry friends to workplaces.
Studies have shown there are benefits in allowing dogs in the workplace like stress relief. However, a few things need to be in place to make the office comfortable for you, your dog, and your colleagues. FOUR PAWS, the organisation working for animal welfare worldwide, put these hints together for dog lovers and their colleagues.
Follow this A-to-Z guide to set up a dog-friendly workplace:
Allergy: Send out a notice beforehand to remind colleagues who might be allergic to dogs to bring their allergy medication along.
Bed: Be sure to put your dog bed into the washing machine before the Big Day to make sure it smells fresh next to your desk.
Chocolate: Ask colleagues with a sweet tooth to clean out their treats on their desks so that all chocolates can be put in a safe place. Chocolate is toxic to dogs.
Dog-zone: Create a dog-zone beforehand close to your desk where you can keep your mutt’s toys, water and food bowl as well as his dog-bed.
Elevators and escalators: These are spots where dogs can easily be injured. Your furry friend should not be exposed to the danger of escalators. Rather take the stairs. Also, be aware of elevator dangers when stepping in or stepping out. The dog should be kept very close to you on a short leash.
Flea and tick treatment: Make sure your dog’s possessions like his dog-bed is free from fleas and ticks.
Good behaviour: It would benefit all if your dog understood at least three commands: Sit, stay, and come.
Hazards: Clear the floor from office stationery like paper clips that dogs can choke on.
ID on collar: Circulate an e-mail beforehand with your cell phone number, the dog’s name as well as where you work in the building. This should be the same as the information on his collar or ID-tag.
Junk: It is a good time to clean the office out and get junk that might be dangerous to your K9 such as old boxes out of the way. Fasten electrical and computer cables to the wall.
Keep to a certain space: If you have a removable dog gate at home, install it at your own office door to keep your dog from roaming.
Lids of garbage bins: These should be tightly fitting to deter your furry friend from a sniffing inspection.
Meeting place: Agree beforehand with other colleagues bringing dogs where you can meet and introduce possible future friends.
Noise: Do a noise check on the office beforehand to curb dog noise anxiety.
Office protocols: Make yourself familiar with company policy for bringing animals to work.
Potty breaks and poop bags: Be sure to take your dog for walks at regular intervals. Make sure that you take poop bags and a poop scoop along to clean up behind your dog.
Quarrels: To prevent conflict, socialise your dog beforehand at a doggy date with a friend’s dog.
Respect: Respect colleagues’ wishes who are afraid of dogs and maybe arrange just a visit to the office for an hour in an outside area.
Space: It is important to check with the company’s landlord that bringing a dog to the office is not against your lease and the office space you are in.
Toys: Squeaky sound toys are popular with dogs but might be unpopular at the office. Rather bring one that can be quietly chewed.
U-turn: Put a “Dog-in-the-office’ sign on your door for in case a colleague might prefer to make a U-turn at the door and rather phone you.
Vaccination: Check that your dog’s vaccinations are in place. Double check that your dog has been vaccinated against kennel cough.
Walkies: Plan a route for a neighbourhood walk-around which takes in plenty of open green space.
X-it: Agree on an exit plan beforehand for in case you and colleagues need to take the dogs outside in an emergency.
Yapping: Make sure that you know how to calm your dog down should a yapping spurt happen in the office.
Zone: Name a pet-free zone, like a meeting room, where colleagues would not be distracted by dogs.