About dogs in an office

[happymummyone]

I'm not a dog lover. I've never met a dog I've liked. Some of you will probably say this is unreasonable enough on its own.

My question is, in an office, is it acceptable to bring a dog or dogs?

I I know it's ideal for dog lovers who work the 9-5 but don't want to leave their dog to pine at home but what about those that come to work and don't expect to have a dog pulling stuff out of our bins, slobbering on our lap or filling our noses with that dog smell that can be so unappealing to some?

What about those with allergies? Do they take an antihistamine and suck it up?

I'm not talking about service dogs here, they are beautifully trained, life giving animals.

Am I the only one that would rather not work with animals in the office?

[SnapesCapes]

I own a dog but wouldn't dream of allowing DH to take her to work with him, nor with me. They are pets, you choose to have them, you keep them in your home; their fur, dirt and poop is your problem in your home, others shouldn't suffer because you chose that pet.

[maz210]

You must work in a small office. Is it a boss who's bringing the dog in? My husband's company had a driver who used to take his dog out with him but as it was just him in the van it didn't affect anyone else at all.

I work for a very small company in a building attached to my bosses house so we often have his dog running around the office. Luckily I love dogs but my colleague isn't so keen, particularly when he steals things out of her handbag or wees on the office carpet.

I can empathise as I'm extremely allergic to cats (think coming up in blisters type allergic) and there's no way I could work with one around me, I literally can't come in contact with them at all.

[LizardBreath]

I would love it, but I love dogs! However, if people have allergies or the dog is riffling through bins then measures should be in place.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

In the right circumstances I think it's lovely. It's probably not a good idea to inflict a dog on someone in a working environment who doesn't like them though.

[Becauseicannes]

No, I am not a huge fan of dogs in the office. Because the last 2 we had in office just sat under the desks and farted all day. The smell was disgusting. I don't need that while I am dealing with clients on the phone. And someone always has to walk them so they can go and pee.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

Oh Christ do you work in my office?

We sometimes have 5 dogs in here

[happymummyone]

Small office, 9 workers. Boss bring chunky chocolate lab who literally never sits down and has a metal tag so it jingles all day, and he is the smelliest dog quite possibly on the planet, and will sit with his head on your lap drooling while you eat your lunch at your desk. Other two dogs are German Shepards, they like yoghurt pouts and steal they out of the bins. The office is tiny, honestly two rooms filled with desks, it's busy enough without three hefty dogs. I'm the only non God lover though so I don't think they understand why I don't want to work with pets. I feel they might feel differently if I worked with my snake round my neck in the office

[Totality22]

We had a colleague bring her little dog in one day (he usually had a dog sitter) and we got naff all done all day as we spent the entire day digging this little mutt out of bins / drawers / from under desks.

He was a cutie but so distracting.

[Lovelydiscusfish]

I'd love some dogs in my workplace personally, but I guess they shouldn't be there unless everyone who spends a lot of time in that room/department/whatever is comfortable and happy with it,

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Were the dogs there before you though OP?

[StillStayingClassySanDiego]

I couldn't stand the lap drooling .

What line of work are you in that allows an office to have at least 3 big dogs in it?

[happymummyone]

I feel they take personal offence to me not wanting their dogs near me though. It could be a different set of dogs and I'd still rather they weren't there. But they all give me looks out of the corner of their eye like I've slighted their pet somehow. I don't know.

[happymummyone]

They were, thick and thin, didn't know that when I joined company. Mind you it was just the one dog back then but it seems to be multiplying. One knocked over a delivery man, who was carrying a big box of paper. They weave round legs. It would be less hazardous if they were confined to a part of the office put they even follow you into the loo if you don't shut the door super quick haha.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

I think if you are not a dog owner then it seems odd

We have dogs here..but the same bloody people have worked here for years and years so we are all used to it.

And the dogs are well behaved

[happymummyone]

Hi San Diego, would you believe it's a health and safety company. We basically tell people what needs to be changed about their working environment to keep in line with current regulations. Trust me, having a whole pet shop full of dogs here isn't the only way we don't practice what we preach, it's a total disorganised mess of trailing wires, stacked boxes in the lobby and in the school holidays we have up to 9 children running around the office

[Blistory]

I take my Bernese and Newfoundland to the office. I don't see why a professional office has to be stuffy and traditional. Other staff bring theirs in or their children on occasion so we've made space for them all away from client accessed areas. Any new recruits are warned at interview and if they don't like it, we're not the right place for them.

[Fluffy24]

I don't think the office is the place for many (most?) dogs.

My current dogs would not be good in the office, and I'd find it quite stressful trying to keep an eye on them and make sure they didn't annoy anyone.

A previous dog as she got older would have been fine and would have spent the day sleeping under a desk and generally being a charming old thing - but if you allow one you'd need to allow them all and - as a dog lover - I think it'd be awful.

That said i do know offices where the boss has a dog there and staff enjoy taking it in turns taking it out for a walk at lunchtime, and being encouraged to get some fresh air and exercise at lunch time is no bad thing IMO.

[dodobookends]

We had a plumber here once, replacing our central heating system. I popped out to get some milk (having made loads of the regulation cups of tea) and returned to find a Jack Russell dog running all around our house and garden, and terrorising our three cats. The plumber had called his mate to come and help him, and he'd arrived, complete with unruly dog, while I was out. He seemed to think it was perfectly ok to let his dog run amok in our house. I didn't.

[Sleepybeanbump]

I think it should be not only encouraged but compulsory for every workplace to have pets. Would improve working life immeasurably IME.

There's a limit to how serious anyone can get about cross selling this or upskilling that while a dog is licking it's balls in the corner and a cat is lying on all the paperwork.

I do agree that allergies are a difficulty though, in a small workspace where you can't get away from the animal.

[happymummyone]

Hi blistory, neither dogs or pets are kept away from clients. Clients come straight onto our office and often see a couple of dogs running around and half a dozen kids, sat on the floor/desks

[Birdsgottafly]

You should of been made aware of the possibility of there being dogs, when you applied for the job.

If that was the case, then you can't complain.

These days it probably does seem strange, but i worked in shops in the days when everyone had a GS behind the counter and people would take dogs to work and I go to rural pubs etc, so I'm used to seeing pets indoors.

[happymummyone]

Bookends, seriously? An office is one thing, your house though? I hope you told him to get out and take the dog with him! As I said, I'm not a dog lover, and so I wouldn't let one past the front door!

[happymummyone]

Birdsgottafly, I didn't know there would be dogs here. Nor kids. I'd never seen an office like it.

[CatMilkMan]

No dogs allowed in my office but I have taken one of my small dogs in a few times but we go straight to my office and we don't stay long.