Top 10 Tips for a Successful Dog-Friendly Office

Here at Kurgo, we are honored to have recently been called “The World’s Most Dog Friendly Office” by Inc. Magazine. We know that many of you would love to have dogs in your office too! It does take planning and some ground rules to make it work for everyone involved, but most companies find it improves morale, adds to the company culture, and gives employees more flexibility. This Friday is National
Take Your Dog To Work Day (6/22) and to help you think about whether you want to go dog friendly or not, we have put together our tips as well as tips from our friends at other dog-friendly workplaces that we believe will make it work for everyone involved. Share them with your boss and see if you can go dog friendly.

1. Establish ground rules

It is important to set expectations at the outset. The more detailed, the better. Many companies, such as Oregon-based Ruffwear, have a formal pet policy, which is signed by employees. Google has a Dog Policy which must be signed by people bringing in dogs.

Burley, a leading bike trailer company, works hard to keep the lines of communication open. Mary Craighead, Quality Manager for Burley says, “We let each other know when we’re planning to bring a new dog into the mix so that our office mates (human and canine) can be prepared for the potential adjustment. This has allowed things to go much more smoothly than they probably otherwise could."

Basic requirements for coming to the office would include dogs having up-to-date vaccinations and being house trained. Additionally, dogs MUST be friendly and get along well with other dogs and humans. Your dog will be meeting new people and dogs everyday and they need to be able to behave appropriately. Consider your company culture and environment to develop your own set of criteria for disqualifying dogs from coming to work. Some examples could include: excessive barking, aggressive behavior towards dogs, or excessive chewing of furniture or other items. You could also manage the situation by limiting the number of dogs allowed each day or designating only certain days as dog friendly. Just be sure to write it down and communicate it frequently.

2. Have dedicated times for dogs to interact

Planning set times for interaction will ensure employees can maximize productivity and will cut down on disruption throughout the day. “In the morning, as dogs arrive, they are allowed to play and greet for a few minutes before starting the day…like humans do, but a little more physical!” says Colleen McCracken, CEO of Maine-based Planet Dog. “We (also) have a fenced-in dog park, and team members often coordinate breaks in the day to allow the dogs to be with their BFFs.”

3. Give dogs and their owners a dedicated work space

At BISSELL Home Care in Grand Rapids, MI, over 70% of employees have dogs. The company features a “Pet Spot” equipped with an indoor play area, kennels, and even a bathing station. President Jim Krzeminski notes, “There are employee work stations in the same room so people can work in close proximity to their dogs which is a win-win for all.”

4. Take walks together

Short walks during office hours are a nice break for dogs and owners alike. Having dogs around encourages employees to take breaks and go on walks together, leading to increased exercise for both. Pets can let off some steam, and come back to the office a little less wound up. In turn, employees may feel refreshed, and that can lead to increased productivity. Dan Hinds, Kurgo Marketing Specialist, says, "One of the best parts of bringing dogs to work is taking them out for walks. It's a great quick breather, made even better when everyone walks their dogs together at lunch. You get some out-of-office chat time, energizing you for working the rest of the day."

5. Provide pet amenities onsite.

Ruffwear, Kurgo, and Kimpton Hotels offer dog beds, water bowls, and toys for their office dogs. At WeWork in both Boston, Chicago, and Washington D.C., workers have access to dog walking with Baroo, a dog-walking service. If you are located in an office with other companies or your company is sizeable, consider looking into services like dog walking and grooming that can be done on site so your employees can be more productive. A play group or extra walk is going to keep the pups more manageable too.

6. Consider outside amenities as well

Planet Dog created a fenced-in dog park, so there's room to exercise and take potty breaks. They also provide poop bag stations at each entrance, to encourage quick and easy cleanup when you take your dog out. Even if your office doesn't have the space for an outside play area, it is a good idea to designate areas where dogs can relieve themselves or get exercise.

7. Establish space for down time

Just like people, dogs need to have a way to have quiet time. Here at Kurgo, all employees with dogs have baby gates because sometimes a dog needs to have his own space - whether to avoid other dogs that are bothering him/her or just to take a break and calm down. Dogs do naturally sleep most of the day, so they need a space to do that.

8. Keep the kitchen stocked for Fido too

Many companies offer onsite snacks and coffee for employees. "We take turns getting dog treats - so it's fun for everyone in the company even if they don't have a dog," said Sandrine Mangia-Park, VP of Marketing at Runkeeper, Boston-based running app. It's important, though, to establish the rules for feeding. Not only do some dogs have special diets, but if every employee doled out treats every day, you would end up with an office full of dogs who need a whole lot more exercise.

9. Make dogs part of the team

At last check, Build-A-Bear Workshop, based in Missouri, had a chief executive dog named Milford. Milford was even interviewed for the company blog! Other companies feature dogs under their employee profile section, or provide photo ID badge for their four-legged friends. Other companies even celebrate dog birthdays, and provide dog cake or other treats in honor of these milestones.

10. Be sensitive to employees who don’t love dogs.

Ideally, prospective employees will be attracted to your organization because they love the culture, which includes dogs. Throughout the interview process, make it clear that your company is dog friendly and clearly communicate what that means. From time to time, you may come across an outstanding candidate who is lukewarm about working alongside dogs every day. Consider a pet-free zone in your office for those folks as well as anyone else who might want a break from the canine crew.

Enter our Photo Contest! Share your favorite dog-at-work photo to celebrate Take Your Dog to Work Day, and be entered to win a $500 Kurgo.com gift certificate. The contest runs from 6/1/16-7/31/16. Enter today.