Dogs in offices

[ApplePenPineapplePen]

RANT: I do not understand how or why it became acceptable for people in office jobs to take dogs to work. A workplace is no place for pets. Get a dogsitter or don't have a pet or change job. I don't want their hounds near me i don't want their hairs on my office chair. Am I being unreasonable to think the starting position should be no animals in offices? Rant over.

More calmly, I have 2 reasons that I want to avoid dogs - a severe allergy plus a previous dog attack leaving me generally nervous and stressed around dogs. Work is aware of my allergy and now office returns are being discussed, some measures are in place to minimise my exposure.

But what if that weren't the case though and I just didn't like them? Is it for the individual to check if there are animals in the office before they accept the job? Or should employers disclose in job ads?

Of course I exclude guide dogs/hearing dogs or similar.

AIBU to think the default position should be no dogs in offices?

I think it probably depends on the office/workplace.

At my last job it was a no go, but we frequently had police dogs in so would have been a nightmare.

I did interview for a IT security company 2 years ago who had an office dog who was in a separate building (sort of an annexe to the office) and he sat in the there or ran around a pen built for him. Everyone seemed quite happy with him.

At my current job I would said it'd be unprofessional, we have members of the public, government officials, solicitors and others come in. Could not imagine a dog in that situation would be a good idea.

Also I'd never take my dog into work. He's a dickhead.

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

Are people taking dogs into the office because they don't want to leave them at home alone?

My bloke used to take his Scottie to work where they shared an office with a Labrador. The dogs went to work because it’s an integral part of the culture in the Army. They have to be insured, vaccinated and house trained.

In my previous job I occasionally took my dog to work (like maybe 5 times in 2 years). Prior to bringing him in I discussed it with the office manager - who ok'ed it on the basis of him not dirtying inside and anyone I shared an office with not minding. I had an office to myself and he is house trained, so all good.
What I found was that the people who liked dogs came to my office to visit him. One person who says she is afraid of dogs didn't notice him*. And people who were stressed sought him out on the days he was in. But it was a very relaxed atmosphere.

Currently role, I wouldn't bring him in. I share an office and when I'm not in the office I'm too far away in other parts of the building to keep an eye on him.

It's appropriate for some work places and some dogs.

*The person who says she is afraid of dogs - I didn't know and we were half way through a meeting when she noticed him. I offered to leave him and we move our meeting next door if she wanted but she said she didn't mind him as he wasn't jumpy .

@PaperbackRider Could be anonymous via feedback forms or be open about it if they wished. Some people did object but its a huge site mostly made up of individual offices so wasn't a regular occurrence.

I used to take mine to work, and no one minded. She sat in my own office, and only went out when I took her out. I had a notice on the door, and anyone who wasn't happy could let me know and I would organise accordingly. No one ever did. She slept all day anyway - a chilled out greyhound! I think she helped some people to calm down when they came in.

People who like dogs: Gandalf, David Attenborough, Kathy Bates, Jesus.

People who don't like dogs: Cruella De Ville, Osama Bin Laden, Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler.

That's all you need to know.

I don't hate dogs.
I admire them from afar.

I cannot, for health reasons, be in an enclosed space with one for more than a couple of minutes.
I also can't touch a dog, and a fog licking my hand would cause me an asthma attack.

Wow, not heard of dogs in offices for a long time! Used to do that years ago in the CS - when work used to be a more relaxed and pleasant environment.

People who don't like dogs: Cruella De Ville, Osama Bin Laden, Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler
🤣
In the original novel Cruella had a Persian cat and Hitler loved dogs...
He had German Shepherds and was a vegetarian.

I work with a few companies that allow dogs in their office. They are social care related. I love it and fully embrace it.

It has to be mutually agreed to by everyone though or it's not fair so yanbu.

@SimonJT

We have an office dog, hes a little cutie pie. If you call him to your desk and give him some paper he puts it in the bin for you.

He has his own teams account so he can join meetings.

Why??

@Jimmynicholsbridie

People who like dogs: Gandalf, David Attenborough, Kathy Bates, Jesus.

People who don't like dogs: Cruella De Ville, Osama Bin Laden, Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler.

That's all you need to know.

Hitler famously loved dogs

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop Are people taking dogs into the office because they don't want to leave them at home alone?

Yes, this is why I take my dog to work. I got permission before I got her as I wouldn't have got a puppy if I had to leave her all day. If my son ever has a day off work I will leave her at home but generally she comes with me every day. My colleagues have all had dogs that they have brought into the office and she's really good and spends a lot of the day asleep in her bed.

Hitler famously loved dogs
He did, it's a well known fact

Because of my job I visit 100s of workplaces each year (obvs not in past 12 months!). If we take out manufacturing environments then it is quite usual to find dogs in offices.

I would say in most cases, the non dog owners have an issue with it and are too shy/polite/bullied to speak up. The owners say "they are so well-behaved" when in reality they bark when the phones go or new people come in to the office. And of course, the owners don't smell the aroma de chien....

I'd not really heard of this before, but DH recently started a new job at a hipster tech startup, and they have a dogs in the office policy. Dog Free Mondays apparently though.

In fact, a couple of the jobs he got to final interview (when we started looking more closely at the company) were dog friendly. I did wonder about people with allergies/ phobias.

@onemouseplace

I'd not really heard of this before, but DH recently started a new job at a hipster tech startup, and they have a dogs in the office policy. Dog Free Mondays apparently though.

In fact, a couple of the jobs he got to final interview (when we started looking more closely at the company) were dog friendly. I did wonder about people with allergies/ phobias.

Nuts...

Yeah Hitler was big on dogs.

So, let's do a list of jobs where it's necessary to bring your dog to work.

• shepherd
• genocidal fascist dictator

For the dog-toting posters here, which category would you say you fall under?

As opposed to imposing your dog on a workplace when it doesn't belong their, which is the height of consideration

But why do some people think they are in charge of deciding where a dog does or doesn't belong? The law doesn't prohibit dog friendly offices. Being able to have different working practices is a big reason for setting up your own business. It is like any other legal working practice - if it doesn't suit you then work somewhere that suits you better.

I used to work in a company with an office dog but 50% of the business was dog food and dog health products so it would've been a bit odd for a dog hater to be working there.
My current office doesn't have a full time dog but on occasion people are allowed to bring them, again its an animal based industry and the people at the office are all some sort of vet, nutritionist, behaviourist so the chances of anyone having an issue is slim. My dog comes with me about twice a year because the vet we use is literally next door so I can go first thing or after work instead of having to drive her to and from home 30 minutes away (obviously if she is sick with something gross I wouldn't do this) Despite this before a colleague was permitted to bring a dog daily for a few months (it was a deceased relatives dog and she was trying to find alternative arrangements for it) we were all sent an anonymous form asking if we objected/had allergies etc.

We are a dog friendly office and it's lovely. I don't take mine as she's a pain and doesn't settle down but the ones they do come in are very calm and create a lovely environment

But why do some people think they are in charge of deciding where a dog does or doesn't belong?
Some people just don't like dogs 🤷🏻‍♀️
You spend a huge proportion of your time at work, I think it's unreasonable to have one foisted on you in the workplace where you can't avoid it and have no say in the matter.
I actually love dogs, but I still think the choice to avoid them should be allowed to all.

I see lots of posts being critical of "young" offices that allow dogs, but I suspect this is really a part of a change away from traditional styles of working. I really don't think it is a bad thing. My dp's dog friendly office is also child friendly and staff can bring their dc in if they feel they can work OK with them there. It's mainly older dc who come in.

There's also no dress code, no limits around time off for sickness and childcare, no limits around working from home. A more relaxed style of office suits some people. There's nothing wrong with it.

*So, let's do a list of jobs where it's necessary to bring your dog to work.

• shepherd
• genocidal fascist dictator*

Security guard, police officer, customs, the army, gamekeeper, deaf people, blind people, people with epilepsy, diabetes and many other conditions who need an alert dog, people who train hearing/guide/alert dogs, puppy socialisers for organisations like the police, hospitals who are using detection dogs...

There is no law against dogs in the workplace, except for things like food preparation areas.

@Stompythedinosaur

As opposed to imposing your dog on a workplace when it doesn't belong their, which is the height of consideration

But why do some people think they are in charge of deciding where a dog does or doesn't belong? The law doesn't prohibit dog friendly offices. Being able to have different working practices is a big reason for setting up your own business. It is like any other legal working practice - if it doesn't suit you then work somewhere that suits you better.

Because its bloody obvious that animals don't belong? Because people do have allergies and fears, meaning a dog friendly workplace can be disabilist and discriminatory. If you choose to have a dog in your life and your home, I don't care. But why should you and some other people choosing that mean I either have to put up with it at work or have to not accept jobs that suit me because you want your smelly, hairy, possibly dangerous, drooling mutt to come to work with you?

I don't beleive it is a wide spread issue because I don't think many people are so entitled and discriminatory to put their dogs about business and people.