Tips for Bringing Your Dog to Work

We all generally love dogs. No matter the size or shape, all of them are loveable dogs – We adore them and they are our closest companions. And if you ask anyone why they love their woofers so much and care about them every day on a deep level, those people will tell you that there is a strange bond between men and dogs. In the end, we all know that our dogs care about us in return, offer us company, love, and loyalty. You can’t experience that kind of love with humans.

This love is very important to a dog. Loyalty is not a joke. Separation is one of the greatest fears for many dogs and it causes a kind of anxiety. Dogs become upset because of separation from their guardians, or the people they are attached to. This anxiety sometimes culminates with the dogs urinating, defecating, barking, howling, chewing or trying to escape. And the separation is inevitable because we have to go to work. How are we supposed to solve this problem?

Well, Bring Your Dog to Work!

Dogs are a great source of happiness but they can also become a source of stress. And having a time-consuming job can make the dog parenting an impossible mission. The only solution for that is bringing that dog (or some other pet) to work. But there is a problem with that idea – some people don’t like animals. There are plenty of reasons for that. Some people are scared and others don’t like the smell or some other aspects of those beautiful creatures.

What are The Possible Obstacles?

Dogs are our best friends but sometimes leave quite a mess behind them. This is why some employers wouldn’t like them around the workplace. Apart from running around, throwing up, or defecating, or urinating, they also leave their hair around the entire place. Some breeds don’t have those kinds of problems like that Bullmastiff of mine. As you may already know, Bullmastiffs have a short coat and they don’t shed too much. Their main problem is drooling. And my boy Ares drools so much that I have to carry a towel at all times with me. But Ares goes to work with me every single day. And my boss is ok with that. But how could you make your boss tolerate these kinds of things and why should he?

Tips for Bringing Your Dog to Work

A study in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management discovered that workers who are allowed to bring their pets to work had stress levels that slowly decreased throughout the day. On the other hand, the same study found that the workers without their pets had stress levels that ratcheted up throughout their workdays. This is one of the good reasons for bringing your dog to work. You might tell that to your boss?

Natural Icebreakers

Who can resist saying hello to a canine? This is how you could use your dog to build a good relationship with your coworkers, bosses, vendors, or clients.

Preparing for the day at work

1. First thing first – you need to make sure that no one objects. Not everybody loves pets and some people suffer from allergies. So, if it bothers one person, don’t do it.
2. Make sure your dog is vaccinated and microchipped.
3. Pack the food, a water bowl, a toy, and a dog’s bed.

Your Dog Needs to Have the Right Personality

You should be careful with this one. You should make sure that your pet is relaxed in front of strangers. If your dog tends to be anxious in new environments or uncomfortable in front of new people, she might be happier at home – alone. Think about this, plan it, and consider a short trial before going full time.

Training

Training is always very important. You should make sure that your dog follows important behavior cues like “Come”, “Stay”, “Sit”, “Stop”, etc. Good behavior is the key if you want to socialize your dog.

Take breaks

Sometimes, bringing your dog to work involves taking her outside because… well, nature calls. However, sometimes accidents happen, we have all been there. Just apologize and move on.

Distractions

Be prepared for distractions. I mean, you will be happier and more productive, but dogs bark – especially if there are more dogs in the same office. Some people find it difficult to work near dogs that bark, whine or just run around and play with toys. In case that someone calls you because of those distractions, approach this conversation open-minded. 

Pet-Free Zones

Establishing pet-free zones would be a nice idea. It is a far better idea than letting them wander the main floor or offices.

Don’t Bring Sick Pets to the Office

Sick pets will spread the germs or flees all around the place. This is why you should leave your dog at home if you know that there is something wrong with him or her.

Clean up After Your Dog

You should bring bags to take care of dog poop and fur remover brush because of, well fur. You do this and your coworkers will thank you later.

In the end, bringing your dog to work is an awesome idea if your coworkers are ok with that. A research shown in an infographic made by Petco suggests that bringing dogs to work can improve employee health. The presence of friendly animals might reduce the average heart rate and blood pressure, and some scientists claim that petting animals reduce cholesterol and stress. However, this is not as easy as it looks. You have to be careful, clean up after your dog, and make sure that your dog is friendly towards other animals and humans.