Dogs in the office

It’s crazy that companies are happy to choose dogs over recruiting the best staff for the jobs! Madness.

I quite like dogs but I'd hate to have them in the office.
Some people are scared of dogs.
Some people are allergic to dogs.
Flea infestations are no joke.

I worked in a dog friendly office, it definitely gelled people together when one particular dog was in on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s. He greeted every single person but from a distance unless encouraged to be more friendly. If you were having a bad day he would lie on your feet or stare into your eyes.

This dog did once steal someone’s sandwich from their bag and he was a trip hazard if you were carrying hot food. Bins had to go up on the counter because otherwise he would pull everything out. He didn’t get banned for those things, but various people walked him at lunchtime, he seemed to have a fan club. People were always putting him on internal zoom calls.

This specific dog knew not to bother people who didn’t like him and made a fuss of people who did like him. Very good emotional intelligence. I didn’t think much about it before but maybe people who didn’t like him worked from home on those days.

Another dog got banned because he was a pain and he barked. That dog belonged to the ceo!!!!

someone once brought in a dog that pooped on the floor, he was banned.

Omfg I just posted how that would be my number one fear with office dogs. I can know my dog is fine, I can’t know someone else’s dog is fine/clean. Once an infestation sets in it becomes everyone’s problem and something everyone takes home!

I do think that sometimes people tend to jump to the worst case scenario - taking away allergies and cultural beliefs.

As a dog owner myself, I don’t envision piles of shit, rabid dog fights or dogs jumping up all over me when I think of dog friendly offices.
i imagine a couple of dogs pottering around, sleeping under desks for the majority of the day. Probably because that’s what my dog does daily - I WFH.

I worked in a place where the cleaner was bringing her dog in. That soon stopped when the office carpets became riddled with fleas.

I would love to work in a dog friendly office and know of one nationwide company that has them. Strict rules, all dogs are well behaved and kept to their designated beds by their owners desk.

But, for me, I have a real paranoia around fleas and I’ve learned not everyone is good at keeping up to date with treatment, or treating their house/cleaning bedding. It’s just an element that would unsettle me. The dogs themselves would be fine if some guarantees around this were in place.

The office I work in is all retired volunteers and two dogs. None of us are Millennials. We humans are all boomers and the dogs are Generation Alpha.

I think don’t apply. They won’t change for you, nor should they have to.

I wouldn't interview -- I wouldn't want to work in an office that allowed dogs. (Edited, just seen your update. I guess the thing for me would be if more and more people started taking their dogs in but I'd say it's worth interviewing now).

Where I work now, people did ask, but they said no because it's open plan and they couldn't accommodate people with allergies (if someone had a guide dog, it would be a one-off and I am sure they'd find a way round it eg there are two floors so they could have a dog floor and a dog-free floor).

Previously it allowed dogs but people had their own offices so they were in a particular office and you wouldn't see them. I didn't realise before I started the job but it was right as the covid lockdown started so I was hardly there before they moved offices anyway. I don't think that many people did take their dogs in though and if they did it wasn't every day.

As for dogs being a benefit, other benefits don't have an impact on other people - eg it's immaterial to me whether you have dental cover or not!

If a business wants to do it they can, but I remain sceptical about these 'benefits'. And the studies were presumably funded by Pedigree Chum.

A few people bring dogs into my workspace and it is totally fine, just not an issue at all. We all have our own offices though, I think it might be different in open plan.

Dogs are allowed in the office I work in and it pisses me off, frankly. I don't care for them and don't see why I should have to accommodate them just because everyone lost their minds and got one during Covid.

I’ve logged off for the weekend so am not going to humour you with the information I was provided to back up the claims. Once again, I’m sure you can google it.

Statistically more people benefit than don’t from dogs coming into the office. This is surely bunkum, what can the benefit be to someone of a dog sitting invisibly and inaudibly under someone else's desk?

This seems to have become a big thing since people went back in to the office and the "lockdown" puppies were used to constant company. I have heard of people claiming they can't come back to the office because of the dog being left at home for too long - poor puppy getting the blame!!

Sorry but no.
Office workers are not responsible for their colleague's dog's emotional well-being.

I got one colleague who brings his dog to the office on occasion. His dog is very well behaved. However, I like dogs. I like the atmosphere they bring. They make a boring office seem more cheerful.

The purpose of me agreeing to it or the purpose of people bringing them in? You can google the latter yourself.

Statistically more people benefit than don’t from dogs coming into the office. We are trailing it and so far it’s been mainly positive feedback. They’ve been so inconspicuous that I’ve only seen one on one occasion.

Not every work benefit will benefit everyone.

@Merryoldgoat If it looks a great job I'd be tempted to interview and then if they offer ask more questions about how often, where in the building and (if dogs have free rein) whether you can WFH on those days.

If they say no, you can decline the offer.

So colleagues and productivity have to suffer because someone’s stupid dog has ‘separation anxiety’? No bloody wonder this country has gone to shit with this sort of bullshit.

But what is the purpose of doing this?

Bloody hell, is there no escape from bloody dogs these days? Workplaces are no more a place to bring a dog than a baby. I wouldn’t even consider working for a joke of an employer who encourages this. Let me guess - Millennials? 🙄