A pawfect wooffice - how your dog becomes the best colleague at work

1. Having your dog at the workplace reduces stress.
2. Dog-friendly workplaces find it easier to recruit staff, have employees who are happier, stay longer, have less absence and are more engaged in their work.
3. Dogs contribute to healthier routines at the workplace - they remind you that it is time to take a break, move around and play!
4. Dogs lead to better communication and atmosphere at the workplace - dog-friendly workplaces report that they have more positive relationships, both between colleagues and between colleagues and the boss!
5. Dogs increase productivity - yes, even that is proven!

After seeing this list, maybe there is no reason left not to bring your dog? But of course we also need to take into account the colleagues who have allergies or are afraid of dogs. At this workplace the problem was solved by having special dog zones in the office, where the employees with dogs could sit.

How should the office be designed for the four-legged?

To have a really welcoming environment where both two-legged and four-legged feel at home, it can be good to keep certain things in mind. It is important that all dog owners take responsibility for their four-legged friends and that the office keeps working well for those who are not quite as dog-crazy as you. Here are a few things to think about:

1. Shared rules for all dogs - agree on where the dogs are allowed to be and what they are allowed to do. Are the dogs allowed on the furniture or not? Can you bring food to work? How do you handle the situation if a dog barks a lot or disturbs the other dogs?
2. Keep lint rollers close at hand - bringing a couple of extra lint rollers for colleagues who sit near you and your dog can be a nice gesture. Hair will end up here and there sooner or later, no matter how much or how little the dog sheds.
3. Register attendance - the dog too! It is always good to know who is at the office, but it is especially important if an emergency should arise. If there are any dogs that do not get along, it is also good to know which dog is at work on which day.
4. Keep the dog's office corner tidy - a cosy sleeping spot where the dog can feel safe, and a place for a water bowl where it is okay to spill, are good to have. Remember to place the dog's things so that they do not become a trip hazard for others.
5. Have a dog-free zone - where it is calm. No matter how much you like dogs, it can be good to have a section or a room at the workplace that is always dog-free, in case someone needs to go to an important meeting without disruptions and the risk of barking in the background.

What is important for your dog to feel good at work?

Now - to the important part, the dog itself! Just as important as it is that your colleagues are comfortable with your dog, it is just as important that the dog feels good at work so that it looks forward to going there every day. Here are a few tips to make the office its new favourite place!

1. Have a safe place - many of your colleagues of course also love dogs, but some dogs can become overstimulated by new people who want to say hello, talk and play all day. Have a calm resting place for your dog, for example under or next to your desk, where the dog knows it can be left alone. Make sure that neither two-legged nor four-legged colleagues disturb it when it is in its resting place, but let the dog come out and socialise when it wants to!
2. Give your dog breakfast at work - dogs are rewarded with treats and form positive associations with places where they get food. If your workplace allows it, you can give your dog breakfast at work, but of course make sure it happens in a place that is calm and without competition from other dogs.
3. Get a smart toy that the dog likes - for dogs that easily get bored during a long working day, it is good to have something challenging they can pass the time with. It can be either a chew toy or something you can hide the dog's food in that it gets to work on for a while. Otherwise your dog might come up with its own tasks, like checking whether your colleague happened to forget some old packet of biscuits in their drawers.
4. Let your dog spend time with its office buddies - on lunch walks and breaks it is a good idea for the dog to also socialise with its four-legged colleagues (if it wants to), but it can happen in a neutral place that the dog does not consider its own. Always make sure the dog is not surprised while it rests in its bed, even if it is just in play! That makes it clearer to the dog when it is okay to romp around, and when it is time to lie down and relax - clear routines for when it is work and when it is play make it easier for both the dog and the person working.
5. Have a buddy - for dogs that are very attached to their own owner, it can be good to have a colleague that the dog gets to get used to a little extra, so that it does not become a problem if you ever need to run a quick errand and cannot bring the dog. Let the colleague give the dog food or treats, or sit and work close to you so that the dog gets used to them and they become friends.
6. Create a positive feeling - if your dog struggles with new environments, let it visit the office for a short while at first and create positive associations with treats and praise. If there are many dogs at the workplace and your dog struggles with new acquaintances, take it slowly and let it get to know one dog colleague at a time, so as not to create too much stress. Remember that your dog should always be able to go to its resting place if it needs to.

So, now we know exactly what it takes for the boss, the colleagues and the dogs to all love going to work - and lots of lovely lunch walks to look forward to!

Stay pawsome from staff member Alva and the other four-legged friends at the petgood office (who are not at all biased or had anything to do with this post …)