Working Like a Dog #BringYourDogToWorkDay
The longest day of the year also marks this year’s #BringYourDogToWorkDay
New research on the benefits of having a furry friend in the office suggests that it could lead to a 15.5% increase in overall work quality of life compared to your average office.
Along with an increase in people’s satisfaction with their home-work interface, by better balancing their commitments, being able to have a dog at your desk indicated a 12% increase in job satisfaction.
The study found that a dog’s presence can reduce stress and people like them because they don’t judge.
They are also a source of social support, a dog is always happy to listen to you complaining about that printer that won’t work. Our furry friends act as catalysts for social interactions with other humans as well, who wouldn’t love to see the office dog stake a claim on the boss’s chair?
If you fancy being able to bring your dog to work on more than the odd occasion there are a couple of ways you can spend time with a canine companion during the day:
- Find a dog friendly employer
Companies are starting to realise the benefits that having a pet in the office can bring. Small businesses with the flexibility to make their own rules are the front runners in letting dogs come to work.
There’s a number of larger companies that appreciate the positive increase in work-life balance as well. Have a look on a company’s careers page to see if they list it in their benefits but a couple to get you started are Pets Pyjamas and Build-A-Bear.
- Choose a career with animals
What? I’m a sniffer dog?
Dog handlers are needed by a wide range of services from security and rescue to the Police and Armed Forces. Find out more about becoming a Dog Handler here
Different dogs are suited to different roles, just like people. You might be interested in using larger dogs for security and protection or smaller dogs for sniffing out things like drugs, weapons and money.
- Start your own animal based business
If you really have the passion for working with animals you can go it alone and start your own business. The UK reportedly has over 100,000 pet dogs and they all need walking and looking after. Starting a dog walking business can be difficult but once you have a regular client base that you can rely on, it can become multi-faceted and even employ other members of staff. Check out this comprehensive guide from Simply Business.
If you’re pursuing a career that doesn’t suit having a dog with you could always get your doggy fix by volunteering with your dog in your spare time.
Some volunteering opportunities that are outdoors will welcome well behaved dogs, the National Trust for example sometimes allows dogs to come with volunteers during woodland maintenance or litter picks (check before you go, just to make sure).
If your dog is friendly with people and other dogs there are always charities who work with animal loving service users that would to pair you up. Not only is this kind of work incredibly rewarding, you’re improving the life of other people and your pooch too. If your dog is super chilled and friendly it could be trained to work as a Pets As Therapy (PAT) dog, find out more here.
Voluntary experience can really set you apart from other candidates when you’re job hunting and being able to demonstrate you are a well-rounded, caring person is never a bad thing!
If your situation doesn’t allow you a dog and your career isn’t suitable either, don’t panic. There’s still options for you too:
- Ask to borrow a friend’s/family member’s dog
Walking a dog is a huge commitment that the majority of owners knowingly undertake but a bit of help now and then is so useful. Let you friends or family know if you’re keen to get involved, it’s a huge relief to have someone you can trust if you need dog care on a busy day or when you’re sick.
- Join a dog borrowing service
Most dog lovers know about Borrow My Doggy but for those that don’t it’s a platform that allows people interested in caring for dogs to match up with people who have dogs that need care.
It could be an afternoon walk while the owner is at work or a week of dog sitting while they’re on holiday. There’s a small cost for the premium account if you want some extra features but the free account will still get you up and running with a new four legged friend.
We hope everyone gets their doggy fix today, whether it’s in the office or not. Over 60 companies in Europe have signed up to Purina’s Pets at Work Alliance so hopefully a dog friendly office will be coming to somewhere near you soon!
Careers and Employability 