Dogs in the Workplace

Taking your four-legged friend to work—what could be better for a dog owner! A few years ago, a U.S. professor conducted a study on “dogs in the workplace,” and the results were very positive. That’s because having a dog in the office creates a more relaxed atmosphere, and petting a dog helps reduce stress hormones.

In our office, we sometimes have just one dog and sometimes four dogs. To make sure things go smoothly in the office with your dog, we've put together some helpful tips for you.

If you have a large team or multiple dogs, it’s especially important that your dog has a spot where he can rest or sleep undisturbed. At first, it’s a good idea to bring a blanket or a bed from home, since your dog is already familiar with it. With a toy that your dog really likes, he’ll surely feel right at home in no time.

We recommend letting your team know that no one should feed your dog. Most dogs figure out very quickly where they can get a piece of a roll at 9:30 a.m. or who’s eating their yogurt at 10:00 a.m.—and where they might be able to snag a bite. This generally carries the risk that your dog will be eating all the time and that he might accidentally end up eating something toxic to dogs. If someone is going to give your dog a treat now and then, just give that person a few treats that your dog can safely eat.

If your dog has been sitting quietly in the office for 4 hours in the morning, he needs a chance at lunchtime to do his business and really let off some steam. The fresh air is good for us humans at lunchtime, too. At our store, sometimes even team members without dogs join us on the walk. While the dogs run around, we clear our heads a bit and often have great conversations.

You can’t bring your dog to certain training sessions or specific business events. For such events, it’s always good to have someone who can keep an eye on your dog during that time or quickly take him home if the event is short. If someone here has to leave the office on short notice, there’s usually someone who’s happy to keep an eye on the dog. Even employees who don’t have a dog of their own are often happy to watch the dog for an hour or so.

Whether your dog roams freely in the office or is kept on a leash near your workspace is a very individual matter and depends on a number of factors. I’ve listed a few for you here:

1. Could your dog get hurt somewhere (machines, etc.)?
2. Could your dog slip away without you noticing?
3. How does your dog react to strangers (people at the counter, package delivery people, etc.)?
4. Is there anyone on your team who might be afraid of dogs or allergic to them?
5. How can you help your dog relax better?

We have two dogs at home who run around freely—or rather, they’re just always lying around somewhere, sleeping. We also have a dog who is kept on a long leash because otherwise he can’t settle down. Overall, we don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to do it, since everyone knows their own dog best and therefore knows what works best for him.

We hope these tips have been helpful and that things go great with your dog at the office.