[Closed] Who takes a dog to work with them?

Unless you work for your own company AND the landlord will agree, you'll probably have the dreaded health and safety quoted at you.

Even if you can get through those hoops, I'd not try it with a puppy - they tend to chew everything and pee everywhere. Not really ideal for an office.

My business partner brings his in and I find it very annoying. It was 'just for a few weeks' and that was back in October.

It whines, it sniffs around me, it smells, it makes a mess.

I think it is a stupid idea and have never agreed with it.

I might start bring my kids in.

You could try convincing your employer that you're blind?

Molly is now dog in a van.

Depends on the client for me though - some are happy with it. She's still a bit ickle to be leaving her in a van on her own...and even so, it would only work on a private driveway.

I can understand m_f's point of view (now there's a rarity 😛 ) - if you're not really a dog person. Especially if it's one of the big smelly breeds.

My Daisy used to guard the entrance of the workshop for me....she was always much better at giving whithering looks than I'll ever be...I miss her every day.

Depends on the size of the dog and whether you can get a big enough wok hot enough to properly stir fry it.

In an office, I'd say forget it. Can you guarantee that all your colleagues will love your pooch like you do? If not, it only takes one non-dog-lover to veto it.

I might start bring my kids in.

My daughter would be far more disruptive, disobedient and make a bigger mess than my dog!! She does smell better though.

Yep I bring my dog into work, boss doesn't mind as he brings his in also. I do pretty much what you suggest, short walk at lunch and let out the door a couple of times during the day. Proper walkies at night.

I'd love to bring mine in to work, but have had H&S quoted at me already, together with fleas. I think my older dog would be ok with the office, but the younger one might just try and climb on things, specifically the sofas we have here. The older one might attempt to mark the odd PC too, so maybe not a good idea.

I did bring the younger one in once when he was a puppy, but it was after he'd had his first set of jabs, so all he did was curl up on my lumper on my lap and go to sleep until I went home.

I have been bringing dogs into an office for years now. People complain when one of my three isn't in, it is very good stress relief but only if everyone agrees!

We now have a Bull Mastiff and my Beardie, the mastiff makes uninvited Reps hesitate!

I have an old risk assessment that i did when i started bringing my dog in. not hard i just adapted the same one we had for kids! might be useful to some?

I have been bringing dogs into an office for years now

AAMOI - how many people in your office?

H&S argument is just a nonsense. Dogs aren't unhealthy or dangerous to be around.

My dog goes to my wife's office every day. There are quite a few dogs there. Obviously owners are expected to take it seriously and dogs must be under control. There are sales people there on the phone, so barking is a complete no-no. Wife takes dog out for a run-around at lunchtime, usually with one of her office doggie friends.

Glenp - what about people with allergies? People who simply don't like dogs?

They are an H&S risk - of course they are. However that is not insurmountable. Suitable risk assessments and so on .

In the area the 2 dogs are there are 6 people more in the rest of the place - why?

dog's have no place within an office, or inside the home for that matter. KENNEL heard that word? have one outside your place of work, leave the dog in there, stop trying to humanize your pet.

Weird. I don't like dogs - they make me nervous to be around, even if they are friendly and my objective risk of being bitten is small. I know I'm not the only person who feels like that, and I would NEVER accept a job in an office with dogs in. I just can't imagine an office that allows people to bring dogs - (what happens if it pisses on a computer?)

dog's have no place within an office, or inside the home for that matter. KENNEL heard that word? have one outside your place of work, leave the dog in there, stop trying to humanize your pet.

You know, you really do talk utter codswallop. Who are you to tell anyone whether their dog should be in their home, or indeed their office if the relevant permissions are granted.

There's load of dogs at my work already! Ba-doom-tish!

Jeremy, oh Jeremy... I'm being misogywotzit!

Have to say, I'd love a dog, but I'm very glad I work for a company where it just wouldn't be acceptable to have them running around.

H&S argument is just a nonsense. Dogs aren't unhealthy or dangerous to be around.

they are for me - allergies. and according to the doc controlling those allergies through medication will only serve to worsen my breathing problems in later life.

I'd be seriously put out if there was a dog in here.

Who are you to tell anyone whether their dog should be in their home, or indeed their office if the relevant permissions are granted.

Dunno - I guess you could say that it is similarly OK for your colleagues to sit around naked ****ing off into a tennis sock - it doesn't harm anyone. I just find it inconsiderate and inappropriate. Maybe I am the one who is being unreasonable ...

taking dogs to work is as bad as sharing a desk with a colleague who smokes, that said, they do have to go and stand in their outdoor kennel should they wish to pet their carcinogen.

Usual disclaimers apply; I do actually like dogs but...

I am [b]staggered[/b] that anybody would consider bringing a pet dog to work with them. This has got to be the most selfish, antisocial act possible with a dog and I can't believe employers allow it. In my office we receive overseas visitors and they come mostly from countries where dogs are not kept as pets so they are usually scared of dogs.

if dogs are allowed then why not other pets?

lets have a think about this:

dogs: no matter how much you love a dog and how well trained and behaved they are, they can still go mental and bite someone.

cats: i'm allergic, go away.

snakes: health and safety would mean you'd have to tape them down to make them less of a trip hazard.

parrot: likely to repeat the nasty things you say about your boss, office supply of crackers greatly reduced.

angry gay muslim swan: too sensitive to handle the office banter.

rabbit: likely to start a fight with the swan.

see, no chance of this working out.

God there are some pedants around. OK, some people have allergies, in which case that would need to be taken into account. OK, you need to stop them "running around" - that's just painfully bleedin' obvious. As for "peeing on a computer" - well, it might be a good idea if the dog is house trained. Obviously.

So - what I should have said is that there is nothing intrinsically unsafe about being around dogs, notwithstanding badly trained animals and exceptional medical conditions. Plus you may just not like dogs - in which case the office would need to make sure that there is a level of consent.

"They can still go mental and bite somebody." That's just really funny.

phil - no matter what you say, it is NOT ok to go running around with your snake hanging out!!

Dear oh dear calm down people!
This is why it needs the agreement of everyone in the vicinity

Shocking though it may seem to some of you some dogs are even allowed in hospitals - they are called PAT dogs as they are shown to help people.

Well here's mine at work with me. (in an office)

Taken 5 mins ago

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Flame on!

oh yeah, dogs are safe and friendly

[url= http://www.****/health/article-490581/Can-dogs-breast-cancer-Bizarre-medical-theories-experts-claim-actually-true.html ]DOGS CAN CAUSE BREAST CANCER[/url]

and its from the Daily Mail so it MUST be true, on that basis I think we should tell the smokers to stop huddling up to each other for warmth and tell em to come back in and spark up, just don't use the mutt as an ashtray?

I would happily welcome dogs at work rather than having to look at those maggots in the office. Maggots they are and what an infestation. I step on them. Bloody maggots!

glenp, its true. i dont feel the need to explain the whole story, but it happened to one of our dogs, complete change in behaviour over the course of an evening, initiated by a random attack on a long-term family friend who had known and also loved the dog for many years. vets said possible tumor or something and with the new behaviour we were advised to have her put down.

oh what a happy day that was.

all he did was curl up on my [u]lumper [/u]on my lap

um....i beg your pardon?

dogs: no matter how much you love a dog and how well trained and behaved they are, they can still go mental and bite someone.

You are hereby summoned to be bitten by my dog for saying such silly things.

I think from now on we should have a rule whereby if we cannot create a hard and fast rule about something within the first page of posting, it should just be banned outright. That way, you could all refer to the rules in times of conflict over babies on planes, dogs in offices, helmets on [s]forums[/s] heads and we could all have a much nicer time.

i love dogs, dont get me wrong, i think they're fantastic animals. and torm... i'm looking forward to being bitten by your dog, hopefully in a rolling around on the floor playing like a loon kinda way 😀

EDIT - double post

There's plenty of dogs already there.

Torm - FGS man. You need to start a thread about that in order for us to gain agreement!

complete change in behaviour over the course of an evening, initiated by a random attack on a long-term family friend who had known and also loved the dog for many years. vets said possible tumor or something and with the new behaviour we were advised to have her put down.

the exact same thing happened to my Cousin, she was pinned down by a family's lab which then tore her face apart. 100% out of character for the dog. The Vet said that it wasn't uncommon for this to happen with dogs, esp labs.

still I'm not opposed to dogs, as long as they are kept outside and are treated AS DOGS, what possible benefit to the office working day could having dog inside afford?

oh and they can cause cancer remember.

What about a Buddhist swan (gay or otherwise); should promote peace and harmony, and if it doesn't, there's always something for lunch.

what possible benefit to the office working day could having dog inside afford?

Some people actually like having them about. You can get them on the NHS you know. [url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article552595.ece ]Pups not pills[/url] That is the Times as well which beats the Daily Mail in terms of credibility so they blatantly can't cause cancer. F. A. C. T.

a rolling around on the floor playing like a loon kinda way

Yeah, like a loon with no face, gushing claret all over my laminate floor. He'll learn ya'. 😉

I had a moorhen that would continually study Nietzsche, miserable bastxrd. Needless to say it was also unwelcome within a productive office environment, still at least he didn't give people cancer.

You are aware that seemingly normal people can suddenly turn and attack people out of character as well, right? In that case you better not work in any situation where you might be in stabbing distance of another person.

wow, yeah i am aware people can do that, very aware in fact...only this lunchtime i have a schizophrenic walk into my office holding a stanley knife (builders left it in garden... but dont let that ruin the dramatic effect) 🙂

i could tell you a story about a boy at school who appeared back in the classroom after P.E with his tie done up over an unbuttoned shirt, we asked him if he was ok.. no response... few more attempts, taken to nurse, taken to hospital, died 2 months later. brain tumour. true story... an example of how behaviour can change in an instant (was fine before and during P.E) because of a tumour hitting the wrong part of the brain. but that (like the story of my dog being put down) is all very depressing.

i'm a little concerned that some people haven't learned not to take most of my posts too seriously... did the taping of the snakes not give you a clue as to my seriousness?

it can happen, it was very out of character, its extremely rare etc etc, but it's true. i'm also allergic to cats.

back to the slightly lighter side of the thread....

no such thing as a budhist swan, did you learn nothing at school?! they will break your neck just for sneezing in the wrong direction.

and... if thats not evidence enough:

there was a cat in our cul-de-sac that we named dave who used to wait til cars would come down the road and then stroll right out in front of them, making sure to stay in the blindspots and weave around the wheels. (hilarious to watch from a bedroom window, not hilarious when you're trying to park)

he was a true menace to society.

would you want him in your office, editing your emails, weaving around your feet as you carry hot drinks?

no such thing as a budhist swan, did you learn nothing at school?! they will break your neck jsut for sneezing in the wrong direction.

Everyone in the office now thinks I am weird for spitting coke on my monitor. I think they knew I was a bit weird anyway. MrNutt however makes me feel exceedingly well adjusted.

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angeldust - Member
You are aware that seemingly normal people can suddenly turn and attack people out of character as well, right? In that case you better not work in any situation where you might be in stabbing distance of another person.

exactly! add Dogs which cause cancer and you've just supersized the threat level up seven additional terror points what with your Obese psycho knife wielding cancer hound allergen rampage multiplier!

Thanks for all the constructive and not-so-constructive comments they are all appreciated (even the guff about Buddhist swans – do you idiots not know they are all Christian fundamentalists and members of the KKK, hence the uniforms and the persecution suffered by the ugly duckling!).

I now agree that the idea of having a dog in the office probably wouldn’t work in here and am going back to my original plan of winning the lottery, quitting work and getting a dog or I’ll just have to wait for retirement 😐

why not buy a dog and let make-up companies use it during the 9-5 for research? you dont need to worry about it whilst your at work as it'll be chilling having some lippy put on, getting its paws done and will come home smelling of beyonce's latest juice.

Or do what I do - find a walker who takes them out for 2 hours during the day. Given that they get an hour's walk from me every morning, plus another short walk in the evening, they get well-exercised.

Plus I'd recommend getting an adult dog from a rescue place - puppies do take a lot of work, and you really need to be around to socialise them.

I meant "jumper" you filthy-minded rapscallion!

If you want a laid back dog, just go and find a rescue greyhound. From what people have told me, all they want to do is sleep. Or get a basset hound. My sister's basset just sleeps. All the time. And has lots of spare skin. And big ears.

lots of spare skin. And big ears.

trip hazard. end o' thread

Ifjust sleeps. All the time. And has lots of spare skin. And big ears.

Sounds like my Mother-in-Law. No way she'd pass any kind of risk assesment.

Where I work there are 6 dogs on the premises most days! All belonging to different people. 2 labradors, 1 westie, 1 staffie, 1 jack russell, and 1 border. 1 labrador spends most of its time in the offices; the other stays in a worksop with its owner; the westie is in another workshop; the staffie stays in a car and gets walked 3 times a day; the jack russell lives in a van most of the day; and the border lives in a side-loader cab or under a workbench. Rural business on an eleven acre site so you don't really notice them much.

(mostly) interesting debate. I wouldn't be surprised if having dogs at work didn't lead to an increase in productivity (see what I did there 😉 ).

Seriously though, I wouldn't, the fact that it provides a focus for taking a bit of exercise throughout the day and the de-stressing results of patting / stroking a dog have got to be positive.

EDIT: Whaddya know - http://www.economist.com/node/16789216

They can still go mental and bite somebody

Yes. Dogs never really bothered me, until one ran up and sank his teeth into my leg while I was minding my own business. "He's never done that before" was the owner's response.
I'm always a bit wary now, so I wouldn't be keen on working somewhere with dogs wandering about.

nickf - Member
Or do what I do - find a walker who takes them out for 2 hours during the day. Given that they get an hour's walk from me every morning, plus another short walk in the evening, they get well-exercised.

At £10 an hour that is going to get expensive.

At £15/day it costs me about £3.5k per annum. Add in holiday cover (if we're abroad), insurance, food, eaten shoes etc and it's costing me not far short of £5k per year.

And I wouldn't change a thing. I love my dogs more than almost anything, my wife and kids excepted.

The Vet said that it wasn't uncommon for this to happen with dogs, esp labs.

Nutt i'd say what preceded this was pretty uncommon. Otherwise no one would have a dog.

My dog gets walked to work in the morning, sleeps in the van with 10 minutes out at 11 then a 40 minute walk at 1245 followed by more sleep and a 40 minute walk about 5. Gets in for 10minutes if it's cold and i have a non-teaching period.

Some of the kids are convinced he's the new school mascot.

I had a moorhen that would continually study Nietzsche

No one needs to study Nietzsche, just look into a dogs eyes when it's taking a shit - it's all you need to know...

Huxley lays under the desk and chews bones and things. When we have customers during the season he goes in his crate as he has a thing about people coming in through the workshop door but not the front door! A bit of a dopey dog really. No apple core is safe at lunchtime, drool isn't a trip hazard on carpet though. There's only 4 of us in the office though.

Where do all you Dog Bringing people work ? I have never worked in an office where I could do this.

We have mice everywhere at my work, what we need is a Cat, but they think I am joking.

It amazes me the vitriol aimed at hounds by the haters.

You'd think our society would be accepting of all creatures wouldn't you - still, it's not un-PC to hate dogs is it?

Were any of you around 30 odd years ago? Obviously some of you were - can no-one remember when it was acceptable for dogs to roam the streets? I don't remember us all dying because of it.

If I ever have a business premises, then my dog will be more than welcome - anyone who doesn't like it, won't be.

I can see the sense of all the objections posted above, but personally I love it when a dog comes in to work (rarely). A calm, friendly, well-behaved dog just relaxes and cheers me up. Obviously if there are allergies it couldn't happen.

I often take my dog Ronnie, to work with me. He's known as the office dog now. Visitors come into my office and make a fuss of him then say "Oh hi, Coolhandluke, I only popped in to see Ronnie!"

He's very quiet, doesn't hassle anyone and is very well behaved

Terry come to the pub for Friday drinks. Mind he gets more rubs from pretty girls and i'd never get to put my head in their laps.

I used to work for the civil service and my dog came to work with me. Before I bought a dog I spoke to my boss and the 3 other people in my office. All were ok with it so long as it was well behaved. I bought a pre-trained lab and she was brilliant. She'd sleep under my desk most of the day, and come out for a stroke every now and again. Since I left work she's been missed from the office. To the point that my mate who still works there mentioned that he could pick her up on the way past...

I seem to be one of the few here who does actually bring my dog to work. Most days she's happy in my office (which I don't share - who wants to sit in a scrotty old Portakabin in the workshop when there's plenty of proper posh office space)? We've a large yard where she gets to play with ballonastring a fair bit during the day, and gets a proper walk every morning. If I'm out and about, sometimes she comes with me, sometimes not - depends on the customer I'm seeing, how long she'd have to spend in the car/van/lorry, and the premeses I'm visiting. She seems a contended little soul.
When she was a tiny puppy, she was prone to making a noise when I was on the 'phone, meaning I often had to make calls from the workshop instead, but she's pretty much grown out of that, and she's never really been a chewer (one invoice as far as I can remember).
I do have to be aware that not everybody at work likes her, and can act appropriately around her, so sometimes have to carry her through the other offices to get outside, just to make sure she causes no one any greif, but it's just being a little sensible really.
We simply couldn't have a dog if she couldn't come along with me as we both work fairly long hours, so it's needs must.

My local banned dogs as another dog owner let his mastiff on the furniture regularly 🙄 A shame really as my last dog liked a half of beer at the pub (more difficult now as big ashtrays are no longer available). She once got given a half of old peculier all at once by a mate late in a session. Drunken dalmatian went upstairs when we got home to say hello to the sleeping kids (she never ever went upstairs normally)!

our Border Collie would go nuts in a office - all those people to round up and/or throw a ball...

I do a 15 min walk as soon as I get up, we play ball as I get ready for work, we have an ace dog walker who takes her out from 11.30 (ish) until 6pm sometimes, she gets between one and three walks in with a bunch of other dogs, all for £8 a day. sometimes she is back in a couple hours, sometimes its five or six hours. our dog walker is ace 🙂

I then walk her before bed. weekends I do the walks/frisbee and ball throwing

why would I take her to the office? get a good dog walker...

teaching her to run with the mountain bikes now 🙂 now thats a plan...

I work from home so the situation is the other way round for me. The dog has never had a problem with me making a noise on the phone or cluttering up the sofa at lunchtime so I think the arrangement works quite well.