Taking your dog to work can seem like a dream; you’ve found an environment that’s dog-friendly and an employer who will allow you to have your four-legged friend by your side – what could be better? Especially, as the cost of dog day care is soaring and the costs can be extremely unaffordable.
The fact is that while the idea of taking your dog to work might seem like a dream, the reality can be very different. Yes, you get to spend all of your time with your fluffy friend and you don’t need to worry about the implications of leaving them home alone all day, but taking your pup to work can end up being a little stressful at times.
If you get the approach right, taking your dog to work can work exceedingly well, it’s simply a case of making sure that you’re clued up about the process of taking your pet to work, caring for them in the office, and ensuring that your co-workers and your dog get on seamlessly.
Before you decide to start taking your dog to work, there are a few things that it’s important to think about. Here’s everything that you should know before taking your dog into work – read on for lots of actionable tips and ideas that should help to make taking your dog to work a seamless transition.
Think the decision through carefully
Before you make the choice to take your dog to work with you, it’s important to take the time to think the decision through carefully. Just because your office allows dogs, that doesn’t mean that you have to take your dog into work with you or that you should – it’s your choice and it’s something that you need to think carefully about.
You need to ask yourself questions like ‘is my dog going to cope in a busy environment full of strange people?’ and ‘am I going to be able to work effectively while also focusing on caring for my dog?’. Take the time to think about the answers to these questions and whether your dog is a good fit for the office environment in which you work.
Be considerate of your colleagues
If you do decide to take your dog to work with you, it’s important that you are mindful of how your colleagues might feel about it and what it will take to ensure that your dog behaves.
Of course, most of your co-workers will probably be exceedingly excited to meet their new fluffy co-worker, but you might also find that some co-workers aren’t keen on dogs – perhaps they’re allergic, maybe they’re scared, or they could simply just not be an animal person – and that’s okay. It’s important to be mindful of each co-worker’s boundaries when it comes to your pooch.
Make sure that while you’re at work your dog is behaving themselves. Speak to your co-workers to let them know to come to you if they have any concerns about your dog or want to discuss anything – don’t let small issues become big problems, tackle them at the time and have an open and honest conversation with your co-workers about any dog-related issues.
Think about the other office dogs
The chances are that if your office is a dog-friendly place, there will be other dogs in the office. So, when it comes to bringing your pup into the office it’s important to think about the other dogs that are already there.
It’s important to make sure that your dog is fully vaccinated, wormed, and treated for fleas, so as not to spread any issues around the office. (After all, no one wants a flea infestation at work, do they?)
If you want to be extra cautious when bringing your dog into work, take them around the office on their leash to meet the other dogs. That way you can make sure that there aren’t going to be any issues between the dogs, and that everyone can feel safe and comfortable at work.
Create a safe space for your dog
It’s a good idea to create a safe space for your dog at work; somewhere that is their dedicated space. Think about building your dog a small nook under your desk or next to your desk – you want this to be somewhere that they can relax and chill while you work.
You could bring a bed in for them, along with water and food bowls. Or, you could opt to bring a crate in for them, so that you have a safe space to shut them when you have to go into meetings or aren’t at your desk.
Make sure that your dog has a space to relax in where they feel comfortable – somewhere that they can use to relax and sleep in while you’re busy working.
Be prepared
If you’re going to take your dog to work with you, it’s important that you are prepared for every eventuality. The last thing that you want is to be stuck at work and unable to get your dog something that they need.
That’s why it’s so important to be prepared, whether it’s having enough dog food stored under your desk or it’s having dog fireworks anxiety medication on hand ready for an upcoming event nearby, it’s vital that you are prepared for everything.
Don’t forget that you’re at the office to work
The most important thing to remember is that you are at the office to work, so it’s vital that you don’t let having your dog at work distract you. The last thing that you want is to end up in trouble at work because you’re focusing too much on your dog – you need to be able to focus on your work while you’re there, despite having your dog with you. If you’re unable to do that, then taking your dog to work might not be the best idea.
There you have it, a simple guide for taking your dog to work and making sure that it’s a positive experience had by everyone – you, your co-workers, and most importantly, your dog.
