Being the new, proud parent of a 10 month old German Shepherd puppy, I debated whether to leave him home like his predecessors or take a shot at bringing him to the office. To help me make an informed decision, I turned to the internet and learned that my dilemma is hardly unique—there are literally hundreds of blog posts and articles on the topic. Because major companies like Google, Zynga and Amazon have joined a the growing ranks of dog-friendly start-ups and small businesses, the discussion has steadily gained steam in the last year.
How did Trims Become a Dog-Friendly Workplace?
With fingers crossed and the blessing of fellow office mates, I decided to give it a whirl. So as not to abuse good will, I resolved to make visits regular but not daily. Luckily my home is only about a mile from the office, so bringing my puppy to and fro is not a hardship. Of course it doesn’t hurt that I am the CEO, but even so, canine office etiquette is still top of mind.
I took into account the obvious—doggie manners, preparation (bed, food, water bowl, toys); building rules (service dogs get a pass in CA); safe places to walk on a break—and tried to consider potential stumbling blocks including liability, the impact on visiting sales people, delivery, workmen and the occasional client. Once I satisfactorily sorted out the details, I felt ready to take the plunge.
So far things are moving along “swimmingly.” I plan on posting a follow-up in the next few weeks. In the meantime, if bringing your pet to work is under personal review, I suggest you take a look at the links below. I found Sara Netter’s post (she is an ABC News Contributor) both funny and informative.
Woof!
For more:
Getting your dog certified is fairly easy
What Dog- Friendly Workplaces Can Do For Your Business
Dogs Make Employees More Productive At Work
