Dogs in the office

Please just do yourself a favour and don’t work here. You won’t enjoy it and your dog loving colleagues will resent you for not liking their animals!

This sounds wonderful to me to just be able to pet a dog whenever you felt like it

might cause less work to be done though

I hated it, one my directors in former workplace always used to bring her massive dog. Whenever myself and colleagues were eating lunch, he'd come over for food and basically eye up my subway! Super annoying. Not everyone likes dogs and that's fine.

I used to be based in a co-working space that brought in a dogs-at-work regime while I was there. It was an attempt to be trendy and it was very disruptive. A few colleagues brought well behaved dogs in once or twice then gave up as the space because dominated by the untrained and unsuitable. They were noisy and once one started, the rest followed. They would make it very difficult to eat lunch or use the kitchen. They would sprawl about the walkways and leave toys about the floor. One used to chew cables. The company made rules about well-behaved dogs only, tried to bring in a passport system to limit the numbers and prevent disruptive dogs coming in. But the worst offenders started claiming anxiety and emotional support animal status (which tbh I would have anxiety living with some of them). They just couldn't (or wouldn't) revoke the policy, so I (and several others) moved to a a rival co-working space. I don't think this one has a set policy, but there are a few dogs in the building. These are kept in private offices, not in the open plan space. I have my own office now, which is in some respects a shame as I liked being around people. But the risk of dog-gate all over again is just too great!

My late mother was in a care home where they brought in dogs and other animals for the residents to pet, they even brought a donkey in one Christmas. As a life long animal lover, it absolutlely made my mother's day to have a dog come in, the joy it brought her was wonderful to see, she'd had a stroke and her life had become very limited, just that small thing of having an animal near to touch was incredibly therapeutic for her.

They certainly didn't force the animals on any one who didn't want to see them, there were no animals sticking their noses into immobile people's faces, that would be ridiculous and simply did not happen, the staff took great care to make sure that only those who were keen got the opportunity to experience the animals, and any residents who didn;t like animals didn't have to be anywhere near them.

It was all very organized and regulated, they would hardly release a pack of dogs into a room full of immobile frail elderly people and let them jump on them and slobber all over their faces.

Only 31% have dogs but there are many more who'd like them if their lives allowed for it. For most of us, it's a dream to have the garden space and free time to devote to them.

Yes that was what me think of it!

I run a lot and we often go along trails where there are deer and people also like to walk their dogs, and I always worry a bit about ticks.

Nobody seems to care about dog allergies.

I think people think its all a figment of the imagination.

And care homes. And schools. And now courts as well. I can't think of anything worse than being immobile in hospital or a care home and having a dog sticking its nose in my face. It's so unfair to impose it on people.

Admittedly with the courts it's to help child witnesses and they ask them first if they'd like help from the therapy dog. As long as it's purely voluntary that's fine. Not so great for the staff though. Same with cafes and shops - it's really not very fair on the staff.

Apparently only 31% of households in the UK have dogs. You'd think it's 90% from the way businesses indulge their owners.

Did you see that Aibu thread not long ago where a woman’s friend had dog sit for her and then found they were covered in ticks? The woman defended never treating the dog because there had “never been a need” only to later find out her dog and home (and subsequently, now her friends home..) had also been infested with fleas. Proper grim reading.

And ticks.

I’d like it. I once shared an office (overseas) with a Brit who brought his German Shepherd (Simba) to work every day. He was extremely well behaved, and would come and ask very politely when he saw me opening my desk drawer and getting my biscuits out. 🐶❤️

The locals were not used to seeing such a big dog (or non feral dogs at all TBH) and most were wary of him.

I would prefer dogs over people to be honest 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

My old dog would have bitten you all, stolen all your lunches and growled if you'd come near my desk.

Much like her owner really.

Our main office has been dog friendly for quite a few years now- pre covid. Its a global corporate so not a small operation.

There is a pet policy, a rota to monitor the numbers of dogs onsite at one time, a two strikes and out policy for behaviour, dog free meeting rooms and lifts, and increased hygiene and allergen controls.

Have to say though, from both when it was originally implemented, and for new hires now, the message is very much like it or lump it!

I love it, but I've never brought my own dog in as I would be shown up to high heaven 😂

At my place of work it is the boss who brings his in the most. His company, his rules.

Most hospitals have dogs now as they provide much valued emotional support to patients.

Just something for those who want to try to avoid workplaces with dogs to consider.

Obviously they can’t be avoided altogether due to legal obligations to allow assistance dogs.

Based on this post...
@Screamingabdabz

What an odd post. It's not oblivious, it's my opinion. The OP is in my opinion overthinking. The dogs don't bother anybody in my office setting, they don't approach you and there is no expectation that you approach them. It is just not a big deal. I was trying to offer an insight which might help the OP see another POV. 🤷‍♀️

This is a typical oblivious response. There are plenty of posters here who have told you what the ‘trouble’ is. So the op is not overthinking it. And I dread this work culture happening to me. Why do the needs of pets and pet owners take priority over humans?

Depends on the fogs, my now late ddog used to go to work but exh had own office and was the only dog on the floor when he trotted off to nab biscuits off others, he slept 18 hours a day by that point so mostly was in his bed or on the bean bag near the coffee machine (and biscuits)

@Fountofwisdom obviously you've never worked in a military organisation. There's always some officer with a labrador in tow. Dogs are a given.

I work in an office thay allows dogs. We have quite a strict policy on behaviour. Three strikes and they are out. I think most people find it quite therapeutic (think therapy dogs). It's definitely largely popular. I have 2 dogs that I have taken in since they were small. They are very well behaved. We are lucky we have quite small offices rather than large offices so it works quite well.

If it’s a voluntary organisation, I can vaguely understand there might be more flexibility to encourage volunteers to attend. But a place of work with a professional function, where people are being paid a salary to do a job is completely different. A place of paid work is no place to indulge entitled dog owners.

I hate dogs so this would be a no for me.