Today, June 26th, is Take Your Dog to Work Day! This event, which occurs annually the first Friday after Father’s Day, is your opportunity to bring your favorite K9 into the office with you. Since I work from home, I’m lucky every day is Take Your Dog to Work Day. Here are a few pictures of my Westie, Oliver, “helping out” around the office.

Oliver Waking from a Nap in the Curtains & Supervising from the Couch

Nearly 1 in 5 Companies Allow Pets in the Workplace

According to research posted on TakeYourDogToWorkDay.com, nearly one in five companies allow pets in the workplace. Generally speaking, Americans have very positive opinions about pets in the workplace. According to a 2006 American Pet Products Association survey:

• 55 million Americans believe having pets in the workplace leads to a more creative environment.
• 53 million believe having pets in the workplace decreases absenteeism.
• 50 million believe having pets in the workplace helps co-workers get along better.
• 38 million believe having pets in the workplace creates a more productive environment.
• 46 million people who bring their pets to the workplace work longer hours.

Interesting, isn’t it? How many times have you considered implementing a pet policy within your organization to increase creativity, team work, productivity, and decrease absenteeism? I’m guessing rarely, if ever.

Should you take the leap, here are a few tips for making Dog Day a success in your organization:

• Dogs should be kept on a leash, unless in the employee’s office or cubicle.
• Employees should use a baby gate to prevent dogs from leaving their office unsupervised.
• Specific areas, such as bathrooms or employee dining halls, can be designated as dog-free.
• Have a backup plan for taking the dog home if he is not comfortable in the work environment.

Enter to Win

If you are a dog friendly organization, FetchDog wants to know! You can enter their “Top 10 Dog Friendly Companies” competition by sending an email with your company name, address, and URL to dogsatwork at fetchdog dot com. All entries receive an official “Dog Friendly Work Place” banner to include on their company’s website. For more tips and information, visit www.takeyourdog.com/get_involved or you can find them on Twitter @takeyourdog.

What do you think? Are having pets in the workplace a good idea? Have you ever worked for a company that allowed you to bring your dog to work?

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