ASK THE BOSS

Unless of course, you’re the boss, I would never advise you to just start bringing your dog to work without talking to anyone about it first. Have a conversation with your manager, maybe even with your coworkers too (you never know if someone has a fear or allergy to dogs).

START WITH A LOT OF RULES

Your dog should have a ton of rules when you first start bringing them to work. As time goes on and they learn the rules, you may be able to relax on them a bit but that will entirely depend on you, your dog and your job.

I work front desk at a hotel on the weekends. I bring Zelda with me and she has been very well-received by both my coworkers and the guests. That being said, there’s been a few times I’ve questioned whether bringing her with me was the right choice. She is a very well trained and well behaved dog, but as I always say; dogs are not robots. They are not 100% predictable.

Your rules are going to be different based on what your job is and what you need your dog to do. Here is an example of some of the rules I have for Zelda while we’re working at the hotel.

1. No going in the laundry room
   Front desk is connected to the laundry room and the door is usually open. Zelda has learned not to cross the threshold (though she does sometimes if her favorite coworkers is in there). I just don’t want dog hair all over the clean sheets and towels.
   
   
2. No going in the restaurant
   This seems pretty self-explanatory, but it’s a new rule for Zelda. We didn’t always have the restaurant in the hotel, it is fairly new.
   
   
3. Pets are only allowed in the lobby and on second floor
   (“and behind front desk” – I like to add this line when I’m checking guests in and they usually laugh). This includes Zelda. Occasionally she will come to 2nd floor with me as a chance to expose her to the elevator (she does not like the elevator). But for the most part, we stick to the lobby, front desk, and back hallway that leads to the loading dock (where I take her to pee).
   
   
4. She must walk at my side
   When I first started bringing Zelda with me, I had her on leash. Now I bring the leash with me but honestly never attach it to her. She has a custom-made tactical collar that allows me to grab hold of her easily when she is next to me. She has an excellent off-leash heel and usually sticks by my side unless I tell her “go Front Desk” then she will race ahead of me to her spot behind front desk.
   
   
5. Don’t bark at guests!
   This is probably the hardest rule for her to follow. Especially if I am in the laundry room or in the bathroom, she will bark when people approach front desk. People don’t usually have to ring the bell. But I don’t like her being hostile to guests, so I tend to correct the behavior and have her go lay down. I never worry about someone coming behind front desk that isn’t supposed to be there though. She lets my coworkers in but will bark at anyone else. Most guests are very understanding and we’ve yet to have a problem with it, but it is still a behavior I am working on and would like to gain more control over.
   

BRING WHAT YOUR DOG NEEDS

If you’re bringing your dog for an eight-hour shift you need to make sure you’re bringing essentials for your dog too.

• water dish
• leash
• treats
• food (if your dog normally eats in this time)
• small first aid kit (I bring one just in case she steps on something in the parking lot etc.)
• a bed or blanket to lay on (Zelda doesn’t use one, so I don’t, but your dog might use one)

BE PREPARED FOR THE IMPACT YOUR DOG MAKES

What I didn’t expect when I started taking Zelda to work with me was the impact she would have on my coworkers, the guests and myself. She brightens everyone’s day. When it’s a particularly busy and stressful day, one by one all of my coworkers pop in for some quick Zelda time. It boosts moral. I see people go from tired and done to smiling and ready to tackle more of the day.

When the guests notice her (she loves to pop up on the gate and startle them) it’s always met with smiles and laughter. They comment on how beautiful she is, how well behaved, how nice it is to see her, how much she makes them miss their dogs back home. It’s really sweet to see. Zelda LOVES children and the way she brightens their day in particular is very touching.

Recently, Zelda hurt her back leg and I decided to keep her home on Sunday after discovering it on the Saturday. That day at work felt depressing. It was so quiet. All day I felt like I was forgetting something, or like a piece of me was missing. I would catch myself starting to say something to her and then realize she’s not there. It felt really lonely without her. The way she picks me up, gives me an excuse to take a quick break in the sunshine, is there for me to talk to or play a quick game of fetch behind front desk… all those little things add up to make my day into a good day at work.

(yes, both of the above photos of Zelda were taken at my place of work. There’s a reason it’s called The View Hotel)