About office dog

[onesupplied]

Name changed as it's identifying.

I work in an open plan office. A new manager has recently started bringing her dog to work, which has free roam of the place.

My problem is that I hate dogs; in fact I am scared of them. I got bitten when I was a kid and have always been nervous around them. Aside from the fact that it makes me nervous, it smells, keeps nosing around in people's belongings and my colleagues think it's hilarious that I'm scared and keep mocking me.

It's a reasonably formal office with around 40 employees.

AIBU to think that the office is not a place for a dog?

The manager has her own office but chucks the dog out into the open plan part as it apparently annoys her otherwise.

So its not ok for it to annoy her but it is ok for it to annoy absolutely everyone else?

I agree with the dog shit idea, she can hardly claim that it could be someone elses dog could she?!

How realisitic is it to get another job? I would be inclined to leave for somewhere else and then make it quite clear why I was leaving.

I cannot believe that people think it's OK to bring dogs to work when a colleague is either allergic or afraid of dogs! That story about an employee ending up on a table and everyone finding it funny is just horrible. I feel like I've entered some kind of twilight zone!

Why on earth is it ok for the manager to bring her dog?
If this is OK to bring a dog to work, then every employee should be able to too.... So what if everyone in the 40 person Office was bringing their dog to work, would having 3,5,10 dogs in the office create a suitable work environment?

Sorry but no, esp as she is finding annoying to have the dog in her office so she is pushing the dog out into the office instead. If it wasn't that much of an issue to have a dog around whilst working, then it shouldn't be an issue for her to have her dog in her office for the day.

Laughing at a man because he is frightened of a dog? You don't sound very nice at all. You should've helped him and not laughed. I hope karma doesn't bite you GardenGeek.

If you can't say anything, then I would look for another job. And make sure that you clearly state the reason why you are leaving on your resignation letter. Being uncomfortable at work isn't fun or something to be made a joke out of.

I think it seems like a lovely idea to have an office dog, in an office populated entirely by dog lovers.

It's so outrageously unreasonable to expect someone who is scared of or allergic to dogs to have to tolerate them in their working office environment that I don't even really know what to say. I like the dog poo idea - I have two particularly stinky woofs who would be delighted to help you acquire some

Do you have a HR department? Go talk to them (or your direct manager if not) and say as calmly as possible that due to having been attacked by a dog as a child, you do fear them and can't concentrate with a dog in the office space. You know your work standards are slipping and you are feeling stressed due to the dog being there. Plus the dog isn't well behaved and is causing distruption.

Make it clear it is causing distruption to your ability to do your job effectively.

I would point out the manager said she doesn't keep the dog in her office due to it being annoying, so obviously she is aware this dog has behavioural issues that mean she can't work with the dog in her office, so should expect it is causing problems for those of you in the open plan office. If the dog's behaviour isn't a 'problem' then it could easily stay in her office. If the dog's behaviour is a problem, then shoving it out into the open plan office just means it's a problem with everyone there.

It sounds like dog can't be left at home all day alone and she is too cheap to pay for a dog walker to come in. And sending it out because it annoys her!?!? She is not management material if that is her attitude.

I would not be happy either and I don't mind dogs.

Bring in a pet tarantula and a nice big snake... keep them in your manager's office because they annoy you otherwise...

Seriously YANBU.

I can't think of anything worse than an office dog. I'm not scared of them I just dislike dogs and wouldn't want one wandering around when I was trying to get on with my work. Fortunately it's just not something that would ever be allowed in my office.

YADNBU. The dog needs to go, what an unprofessional thing to do. Can you imagine if instead of a dog it was a 3 year old? There'd be more need for a 3 year old to be in an office environment in emergency situations than a dog!

I turned down a job because the office had a dog.

I adore dogs and now I am retired we have one, BUT it is not on for the dogs owner to bring it to work and release it out of their own office.
I am amazed that anyone is allowed to do this when it is not an assistance dog (who certainly wouldn't leave the owners side)

I wonder if the dog's owner is too tight to pay for dog walker/sitter while they are at work. Irresponsible dog owner certainly.

If the people in the office are all in agreement But more junior people may feel unable to say No - rather like the now long-distant days when smoking was allowed in any room where all the occupants agreed. The newbie a first job could not realistically exercise the veto.

This is just wrong in the working environment.

Your manager allows her dog to wander around the office at will? If the building has to be evacuated in an emergency (fire, bomb threat) would she abandon the dog, or take valuable time trying to locate it, getting in other people's way?

Speak to your Fire Marshall about the safety aspect of having an animal roaming the office.

I think it is fine for her to have her dog in the office IF she makes it behave and trains and conditions it so that it isn't a pest to other people, especially those who are worried by dogs.

I do know of a couple of people who take their dogs to work. In each case the dog has a bed next to or under the owner's desk. There the dogs largely stay, and are taken for walks at lunchtime, toilet breaks at break time. They definitely aren't allowed to roam the office willy nilly and accost other staff and custoners.

So fine to have a well behaved dog that is under control and blends in. Not fine to have the situation the OP describes. The owner is irresponsible and needs taken to task over it

I absolutely love dogs and whilst having a dog around at work would be a dream to be I think it's completely unreasonable and unacceptable. Not least because it's very very unprofessional but also because of how disrespectful it is to other employees who may be allergic/scared/generally doesn't like dogs. A work place is a place of work that should be comfortable enough for everyone within reason given how long you have to spend there. People bringing in pets etc especially when they know other people there are scared are very disrespectful and the company should be doing something about it.

It's not fair on you, but you're going to have to stop being nice about it. That's why your colleagues think they can have a laugh about it.
Do you have supervisions? An opportunity to say that you can't work effectively?

Yanbu. I would complain hugely. She has no right to impose her dog on you and I'm saying that as a dog owner/lover. I can't imagine why she is allowed to do this.

Why don't you all just bring your kids as well (those who have them) and put them in her office?

Actually, trying to get permission to bring in another dog might be a good idea, daft as it sounds.

At the moment there is no reason to challenge her actions because no one has said anything. However, if she doesnt want another dog there then there will have to be a blanket ban as it wouldnt be fair for her to have her animal there and no one elses.

Might be worth an email to HR to confirm that it will be ok for you oto bring your fictitious dog in on the basis that she has hers there.

Make it clear it is causing distruption to your ability to do your job effectively

I'd also put this in writing. What you don't want to happen is for someone to ask why your work has slipped and for you to so "oh the dog". Whilst it's quite reasonable, after the event it will sound like an excuse. Explain now how the effect it's having.

Or yes, ask your manager's manager what the policy is on dogs because you're thinking of getting one but haven't because you don't want to leave it at home alone.

I love dogs but an office environment is not the place for them. Totally unprofessional, imo.

I used to work on a military camp as a civilian and all the officers in the building used to bring their dogs to work. The civvies weren't allowed to though...

I also find it annoying to have people's kids in the office - several colleagues think it is acceptable to have their kids wait for them in the office after school.

The workplace is for adults and I don't want to worry about watching what I say 'cause there are kids around!

This is absolutely a Health and Safety issue. I used to be a teacher, and we had a visually impaired child who wanted to bring their dog in. The H and S report stated it would be too unsafe.

I am severely allergic to dogs. So bad I've been hospitalised with it.

Please remember that dogs kill and maim on a regular basis, it's a perfectly rational fear to have. There are a increasing amount of dogs owner and few dogs are properly trained. My daughter has been attacked and now we have limit where we take her. No play park, nature reserves or anywhere where a dog could potentially be. It saddened me to see a thread on here laughing about dogs snatching food out of toddlers hands. I didn't realise that your dog being so poorly trained is such a laughing matter