Take Your Dog To Work Day 2017 is an event created to experiment the benefits of a dog-friendly office. Different companies are nowadays opening their spaces to pets in order to promote social interactions and to improve the wellbeing of the workers, allowing a better work-life balance. An example is Kurgo that has designed its own workplace as a creative environment, perfectly suitable for “dog colleagues”.

Born in 1999 form the idea of Pet Sitters International, the event Take Your Dog to Work Day encourages companies worldwide to allow their employees to bring their dogs and pets to work with them.

Several studies, as the last one by the Banfield Pet Hospital and Mars Petcare, have proven so far the beneficial effects of pets in a working environment: reducing stress (85%), improving socialization (79%), work-life balance (85%) and productivity (67%).
An example of a total dog-friendly company is Kurgo (Salisbury, Massachusetts) that following their mission, has designed their office in order to create “the best doghouse ever”, using recycled materials as wood and steel shipping containers.

“Allowing people to take their dogs with them at work improve their life quality, creating a more relaxing atmosphere and improving the level of interaction among colleagues”, Marco Travaglia, Regional Director Southern Europe of Purina, another company following a pet-friendly approach.
Even if it seems just a matter of attitude, allowing animals in the office requires a good planning. An efficient example is the PAW (Pets at Work) project by Nestlé: after a selection process, made by a specialist, through observations questionaries about the dog’s behavior, the pet undergoes a three months trail period before he is allowed to freely enter the working environment. However, there are several environments where they are not permitted to go, as formal meeting rooms or eating areas. During the day, employees can decide where to leave their puppies, either in dedicated dog-friendly rooms or small garden or keeping them on a leash next to their desk.

For the companies and the workers willing to join the Take Your Dog To Work Day 2017 on the 23rd June here are some advice given by the promoter of the event, Pet Sitters International:
1. Check with management and co-workers to see if anyone is allergic, afraid of or opposed to you bringing your dog to work.
2. Puppy-proof your work space, removing poisonous plants, hiding electrical cords and wires and securing toxic items such as correction fluid and permanent markers.
3. Consider if your dog can easily adapt to the office environment: if he is aggressive or overly shy, it’s best to leave him at home. Consider also how he has behaved in the past around strangers.
4. Prepare a doggie bag, including food, treats, bowls, toys, a leash, paper towels, clean-up bags and pet-safe disinfectant.
5. Plan your pet’s feeding times carefully.
6. Avoid forcing co-workers to interact with your dog and remember to colleagues that chocolate, candy and other people food should not be shared with dogs.
Text by Gabriele Masi.
Opening: picture by Purina’s gallery.