Why (and How) You Should Take Your Dog to Work

Why (and How) You Should Take Your Dog to Work Theyre cute. Theyre cuddly. They can melt your blues away with a single lick to your face or cock of the head. What more can you ask from a dog, one of the best possible companions in the world? Well, you can ask to take them to work, for one. In case you haven’t heard, this Friday is Take Your Dog to Work Day! Are you jumping for joy yet? Here are a few more reasons you should be… When you have your pup by your side in the office, you can enjoy: Less Stress: When researchers studied 75 employees in a manufacturing company, they found that those who brought dogs to work had lower stress levels than those who had no dogs or who had dogs but didnt bring them to work. Better Working Environment: Because of their lower stress levels, the aforementioned employees also reported increased productivity, higher morale and an overall enhanced feeling of positivity in the workplace. Better Health: Dogs â€" as well as pets in general â€" have been known to cut down the risk of depression, high blood pressure, heart disease and drug addiction in their owners. Comic Relief: Picture a dog dragging a pizza slice its own size during a meeting. This may sound like something out of a cartoon, but apparently it really did happen at Etsy! Peace of Mind: When you have a dog, the benefits go both ways. According to Louise Lee, a spokesperson for the pet charity Blue Cross, dogs feel happier when theyre able to spend more time with their owners. Of course, these benefits havent gone unnoticed. In 2015, around eight percent of American companies allow pets at work â€" including Google (Alphabet), GoDaddy, Activision Blizzard and Mars. These companies may be in the minority, but theyre a pretty impressive bunch! If thats enough to convince you and you want to convince your boss too, heres a list of items to consider before you move forward. Make Sure Everyones Cool With the Idea Not everyone will appreciate furry friends at work. Some of your co-workers may have allergies. Others may have had traumatic experiences with dogs a la an encounter with Cujo. These arent issues to take lightly, so keep them in mind when you propose to make your company more dog-friendly. Offer to bring allergy pills and make sure you have an area for your pet where he or she can be away from those with allergies. Potty-Train Your Dog Even if your co-workers are okay with dogs roaming the office, they will definitely not be cool with poo. Before you introduce Fido to them, make sure he knows where to do his business. The younger your dog, the easier itll be to housetrain them, but if yours still has accidents there’s always a doggy diaper. Teach Your Dog to be Friendly to People (and Other Dogs) As with potty-training, the earlier you train your dog to be nice, the better. If you introduce a puppy to as many people as possible, hell learn not to snap (too much) at those outside his family. Also, youll want to socialize him with other dogs too, so he wont develop excessive aggression towards them later on. If you aren’t 100% sure your dog will be absolutely friendly, work on their social skills and consider bringing them next year instead. Get Insured No matter how well-trained your dog is, its still possible for him to suddenly snap around your co-workers. To prepare for that, go over your insurance policy, and check with your provider whether they have anything thatll cover for you in case your sweet pooch ends up injuring someone. Give Them a Place in the Office Ideally, you should be the one to give them a place. If allowed to make his own place, he can become territorial and aggressive about it. Bring a pillow or bed to work for him, and set it down in the same spot every day. Set Pet-Free Zones Some office spaces should be off-limits to animals. In Amazon, for example, pets arent allowed near factories and other distribution centers because those places can be dangerous for them, even though the company is technically pet-friendly. Its okay to let pets roam around, as long as they dont disrupt work in any way. Pet-Proof the Office As far as most dogs are concerned, anything that can be chewed on should be chewed. Keep electrical wires, cords and other sensitive paraphernalia out of the dogs reach. Give them tons of chew toys. And of course, be careful when you move your swivel chair, lest it accidentally run over a stray paw. Have a Pet Rotation Schedule If everyones dogs are in the office every day, things can get crazy, so take turns instead. You can consider having more than one dog per day, as long as you keep them at a manageable number and in separate areas. Even if they’re best of friends, their playing can be distracting to coworkers. Be Responsible Dont Forget the Essentials Its not just your dog who needs to be on their best behavior. Keep these rules in mind when bringing any dog to the office: Vaccinate your dog against common illnesses like rabies, distemper and canine parvovirus. If your dog shows any symptoms of disease, let him stay at home where he can rest and not infect others. Be considerate towards your co-workers. If anyone within your vicinity squirms at the sight of dogs and other animals, keep them away from your pet. Keep a close eye on your dog. If he causes any sort of incident at work, itll be on you to clean up after him. Give your dog the attention he needs at work â€" but dont forget to actually work! Dont Forget the Essentials If your dog spends as much time at work as you do, its important to make him feel at home. Bring anything your dog might need throughout the day, such as chew toys, first-aid kits, water bowls, treats, “poop bags” (for cleaning up Fidos business), a bed, towel, and anything else they need to be comfortable and content. Having a best friend at work always helps make work enjoyable. When that best friend happens to be a four-legged furball whos happy to see you no matter what, thats even better. If you can make your office pet-friendly with due consideration for your canine companion and co-workers, everybody wins. Bringing your pet to work this week? Share your pictures in the comments, or on social media tagging me @SarahLandrum on Twitter and @SarahRLandrum on Instagram! (Even if you aren’t bringing them to work, pet pictures are always appreciated!) As always, be sure to subscribe to the Punched Clocks newsletter for all the latest news and tips about your career, and have a great day!