Workin Like a Dog

I will forever be a fan of the dog-friendly workplace and the dog-friendly business will always score extra points in my books.

When I recently visited Simply White, a local downtown St. Catharines business, I was shocked that they were dog friendly. They even had treats available for the daring dog who entered their shop. I say daring because rarely do you find a dog friendly home design store. I don’t choose businesses that are dog friendly, because most don’t advertise that, but I choose to return to dog friendly businesses. Other businesses that I use that are dog friendly include BB Blooms Floral Studio, Symetric Productions, and the Boot Shop. The benefit to this: You attract more potential repeat costumers who are going to spread the word about you.

So what are the benefits of bringing your dog to your own workplace? The American Humane Society states that bringing your dog to work increases staff morale and worker productivity, enhances job performance, increases sales and decreases employee stress levels. I would also imagine that more people would walk to work, and go for walks during their work hour, which has been proven to increase employee productivity.

Here are some tips to follow if you are considering taking your dog into work:

1)      Make sure you have a well-behaved, respectful dog

2)      Make sure you are the leader

3)      Make sure you know how to handle a dog dispute

4)      Make sure you bring a dish for water, and make sure your dog was fed before coming into work with you

5)      Make sure your dog won’t be coming into contact with anyone who has serious allergies

6)      Make sure you bring something from home, like a favorite toy or blanket

7)      Make sure you will have the time to take your dog out for breaks