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's quite odd.
My children's old primary school now has a "school dog" which I find totally bizarre. They'd have loved it, but lots of children don't like dogs and shouldn't have to be confronted with one in the assembly hall every morning.

Is there nowhere we can get away from dogs? They are just everywhere, Id have hated them at work. Apart from anything else Im asthmatic. This surely cannot be acceptable under H&Safety regs I would have thought.

We’ve an office dog who’s very well behaved. Unlike my two twats who seem to think that the most opportune time to start ‘singing’ is while I’m on the phone to a client.

Everywhere I’ve worked had dogs in the office, but one had on site kennels so dogs weren’t in work space & the other was 1-2 dogs max in an office for 100+ people (belonged to the company owner). Both dogs kept to themselves & were hypoallergenic but I would HATE dog that did anything else. I don’t like dog hair and I don’t want to smell like a dog! I’m not allowed to bring my child OR my cats to work with me so why should dogs be allowed?

@Happyhappyday

Everywhere I’ve worked had dogs in the office, but one had on site kennels so dogs weren’t in work space & the other was 1-2 dogs max in an office for 100+ people (belonged to the company owner). Both dogs kept to themselves & were hypoallergenic but I would HATE dog that did anything else. I don’t like dog hair and I don’t want to smell like a dog! I’m not allowed to bring my child OR my cats to work with me so why should dogs be allowed?

I have literally never heard of this, I can't believe it's so widespread! I think it's bloody wrong, though.

I love that we’re allowed dogs at work. Huge stress buster. They generally just curl up on a blanket on the sofas or under their owners desk in a bed. Get up, wander about, get an ear scratch, go back to sleep. Lovely sign of a company that wants a happy, relaxed team.

I guess it's a case of majority ruling. Most people gain something from having dogs in the office, not just dog owners. Loads of studies have shown the positive impact dogs and other animals have on our mental health.
Why should everyone else suffer just because one person doesn't like dogs? I don't like music on at work but it improves everyone else's mental health so I adjust.

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.

I've worked in three different organisations that allowed dogs in the office, with varying degrees of success.
First was about 12 years ago, and it wasn't new to the organisation - so not particularly new and trendy; I think WeWork did allow it, but an acquaintance said they'd stopped it - not sure whether permanently or a temporary measure.

Loads of places around here have shop or office dogs. But I'm in the Lake District so everything is generally set up to be very dog-friendly anyway.

I take my own dog to work everyday but I'm a dog walker so I don't suppose that counts

Good god, some of you are unbelievably grumpy.

I would love to have a dog at work. However, I would never take my own dog in as he’s an utter dick and he wouldn’t behave. That doesn’t mean no dogs should be allowed. A sensible risk assessment should exist.

@WeAllHaveWings

One fart and my labrador would clear an office!

It sounds nice having dogs in theory, but practically it would be a nightmare.

Well that’s not right. You need to change it’s food.

I just wonder when exactly this happened. It's everywhere. And I love dogs a lot. But not in an office, a small enclosed space, which means the stink as you walk in, is overwhelming.

Plus, only 1 of the 4 jobs mentioned it in the interview info. The other 3 I got there and they casually said 'oh you don't mind dogs?' Which I replied no, I love dogs.

But in my mind I was thinking 'yes I do. Love dogs. But not in the office. But this is so wrong. It's not professional. it's not business like to have a meeting with two dogs in a basket under your desk. It's not professional for your office to stink really badly.

More importantly it's NOT ok for dogs to be in this one room for hours each day. how is this ok? When did bringing your dog to work become ok? Because it never was before. For a good reason. Because it's not ok.

If you don't like dogs / are allergic then it's not the right workplace for you

Any other disability discrimination you would like to indulge in?

Or maybe if you're a woman and don't like sexualised comments then this isn't the right workplace for you?

Dog owner and lover here. Very doggy people, most of our activities seem to involve dogs. We still want to fuss other dogs when we see them out.

YANBU

My dog is very well behaved and would lie on her bed under my desk all day. She does not beg for food and she knows to go on her bed when someone is eating, even if it’s just a bag of crisps or an apple. Her lying on her bed under my desk all day is really boring for her. We’ve been working from home and she will naturally just mooch about the house. She might go and stare out the conservatory for a bit, then look out the front window. She might also grab a toy and have a little quiet play. She might get too hot on her bed and go on lie on the floor where it’s a bit cooler. She isn’t being destructive but dogs do naturally move about, which is not fair in an office environment. I’d argue that being restricted to her bed under my desk all day is actually worse than being on her own at home all day. You’re not playing with them or giving them attention because you’re working. They shouldn’t be roaming freely through the office for safety reasons and out of consideration for colleagues. There’ll be the argument that obviously you can walk them at lunch but when she’s at home by herself we have a dog walker and she can go running with her friends. My dog is really social and likes being around people, I still don’t think it would be a fun day for her. For an anxious dog, it’s definitely not a pleasant experience. The only way that it’s more fun for her is if you’re completely inconsiderate of others in your office and their needs. I love dogs but not everyone does and nobody should be forced to interact with any type of animal they don’t like.

By the way, I do get the therapeutic benefits of dogs. My dog has been temperament assessed and is a therapy dog. We have visited places for therapy dog sessions. If in something like a school or office, the visit is in a separate room where people choose to visit the dog. If something like a residential facility then you ask each individual if they want to see the dog. The assumption is that not everyone wants to see your dog and the therapeutic benefits only work for those who want to see the dog not have it forced on them.

We have a dog friendly office. It's been that way for 20+ years.

There's a clear set of guidelines for bringing them in. Everybody in the immediate area must agree (and this is checked by the manager not the individual themselves). It's usually quite self regulating, those who misbehave aren't usually regular visitors. Applicants are told during interview process and can choose not to continue. Works well most of the time but the scheme is on hold through covid and we are all at home still.

I absolutely love dogs but I do not want them around at work. I physically can't walk about with a dog's body blocking the way, I don't want to have to move my belongings in case the dog goes through them, I don't want to smell it, I don't want to be stared at whilst having a break eating my lunch and I don't want to listen to it repeatedly licking itself. I can't believe that people think it's ok! I suppose it does depend how much physical space there is. It's certainly intensified in small areas.

I think also its very easy to feel pressured into saying yes its fine to have dogs in because you never hear the end of it otherwise, or people think you HATE dogs (not true at all.)

As a trained Fire Marshall - No, dogs (and anything else that could cause additional difficulty/obstruction during a building evacuation) should not be in offices.

yanbu
I am also severily allergic (allergic asthma)
and an office pet would mean for me to be permanently on medicines that have quite a few side effects.

also, I think it would be cruel for the pet. all the noise. and people coming and going, commute...

and don't get me started on hypoallergenic dogs.
that's bullshit.
I react to poodles and poodle crosses kust the same as a retriever or chihuaua.

@WhateverHappenedToMe

As a trained Fire Marshall - No, dogs (and anything else that could cause additional difficulty/obstruction during a building evacuation) should not be in offices.

Out of curiosity do you think the same should apply to flats, dog-friendly hotels and other big buildings that allow dogs?

@NiceGerbil

I get that some smaller offices/ or shops it might be fine.

But on this thread

One poster has said a new employee left as they didn't know. Possibly having given up another job for it. And also not having been advised in the job ad/ interviews etc.

That's shit.

Another poster indicated they would sack an employee who was not comfortable. Presumably they would also not have known that the office had dog/s.

Again. That's shit.

The practicalities I have raised have not been answered. Well answered but erm. The idea that a person who needed a guide dog would be expected to evacuate a high rise building via the stairs with their dog and 'hope no one tripped over it' and so other dog owners could do that too... Why not the fire lift? Expecting a blind or partially sighted person to do that is.. why? What's wrong with the fire lift?

In my building the lift automatically to the ground floor when the fire alarm goes off because ti's dangerous to use a lift if the building is on fire. So unless the person and their guide dog were in it at the time, they'd be going down the stairs. This has been the same in every other large building I have worked in.

automatically returns

Never knew it was such a common thing to have dogs in offices. Wish my office would let me bring my dog 😂