Dogs in the office

I used to work in an office where dogs were allowed but all the dogs were well trained and mostly just lay down under desks until their owners took them out for a walk.

I volunteer at an office which allows dogs. There are two there regularly and they are 99% of the time asleep in their baskets. If people want to give them a fuss that's fine, if you don't you ignore them. I imagine we wouldn't tolerate a dog that was a nuisance.

What happens if someone is allergic to dogs? Doesn't it raise all sorts of issues around reasonable adjustments and so on? Not being snarky, genuinely interested how that's managed!

What's this job? I would love to work in an office with dogs!!!

I've worked in 2 offices with dogs.

First had an old half blind/ half deaf terrier that mostly stayed under his Owners desk but did get up and potter about occasionally. It was a small office but he was pretty easy to not notice. No smell, tiny kitchen that he never went in.

Second one had upto 3 dogs a day incl. A puppy, it had a garden so they were outside a lot. Dogs were more active but it worked well.

I think if you ignore them from day 1 they wouldn't bother with you mostly.

I have a colleagues dog in our office sometimes. It' well behaved so I don't really think about it. I've had to bring mine in twice. I love dogs though.

I love dogs, but don’t like them in an office. Sometimes I rent a desk in WeWork, it’s full of hipsters and some have their dogs in with them. I wouldn’t like anyone to feel uncomfortable because I’d brought my dog in. You should go to the interview and ask more about it.

Do offices that allow dogs also have souped up cleaning regimes? Hoovering and cleaning desks and chairs being the main issues.

Yep me too, and like you, I wouldn't interview.

its good though that the policy is open, so people can make a decision about interviewing rather than really wanting the job only to be faced with the "hope you are ok with dogs" speech at interview stage or later.

I wouldn’t like a dog friendly office either. These places always forget about those with allergies 😕

I’ve worked in an office with dogs allowed and it was a very happy place.

I love dogs but, if you really don’t want any around at all, perhaps it’s not the job for you. OTOH, if you would be OK with a couple of quiet dogs who basically lie under desks in their owners’ private offices, maybe ask about exactly what the situation is or go to the interview and actually see what it’s like.

We have dogs in our offices. I love it.

If I didn’t like dogs I wouldn’t apply for a job in an office that permitted dogs. However, it could happen anywhere you work as people are entitled to assistance dogs.

I'm allergic and wouldn't work in an office that allowed dogs. If they've made it clear on their website, I would just decline the interview. I'm sure it would be a benefit for some but not for me!

I temped at an office with dogs. I don't own dogs but I'm okay with them

The set up was a bit weird as some of the admin staff seemed to take care of the dogs, which weren't theirs, they seemed obsessed with them.

The dogs did wander around occasionally and did leave their toys which could be a trip hazard. If you ate at your desk you had to be aware because you know Labradors and food😂 BUT it depends on the rules that the employer has in place. They may restrict the dogs to being under the desk of the owner.

I went there a couple of times, wouldn't put me off as I say I'm ambivalent towards dogs

My workplace introduced this when I was on maternity leave. I spent months dreading coming back as I was quite frightened of dogs after one went for my throat as a teenager.

When I went into the office it was actually fine. They have VERY strict rules around bringing dogs in - they just have tobe well behaved, on leads except in the off lead field, certain meeting rooms are dog free, max 1 dog per person at a time… basically only calm and well-behaved dogs get brought in! Oh and you have a sign to put at your desk that says “my dog is with me today” so you can avoid if you want! This all massively helped my phobia in fact as I got to know some of my colleagues dogs and worked up to looking after them if they left the desk, then walking them occasionally!

I would ask if they have a “Petiquette” and see what it is - that should reassure you if they do!

People in my office keep saying they are going to enquire about bringing their dogs in.
I’m not keen on dogs myself, they smell, bark and I find them generally to be a bit of a nuisance BUT I don’t really think it would impact me hugely. I don’t imagine anyone will give a shit if I stop to stroke their dog or not, we’re all there because we have jobs to do, it’s not a petting zoo. If a dog is barking and causing a distraction I don’t expect it would be welcomed back.

You just have to ask them- call to clarify what they mean. It might be nothing, it might be something. They might not have any dogs there at all. But being comfortable at work matters. A dog would not bother me , but a colleague with really jarring and exaggerated vocal fry used to set every nerve on edge. I wish they had put "people with vocal fry welcome" in the recruitment advert- I'd have run a mile!

Dogs are allowed in my office. It’s a shared working space. I am completely ambivalent about dogs and honestly it’s never been a problem. All the dogs are well behaved, not wandering about. I don’t have a problem with it.

so in short: it depends!

I wouldn't like this. Our HT used to bring her dog into school and we were expected to fawn over it and if we didn't, we'd get passive aggressive remarks.
She'd bring it into the classroom so my nice calm lesson would descend into chaos

I wouldn’t want to work in a dog-friendly office, so I wouldn’t interview. They’ve made it very clear at the outset, so it’s obviously an important part of their company culture and I think you could expect dogs to be front and centre.

Good on the company for making it clear, though - much better for everyone to know where they stand at the start.