For pet owners, one of the trickiest things is balancing time at the office with caring for your dog.
In some cases, working from home has been a great solution for spending more time with your pet and managing their routine alongside yours. For those who need to go to the office, some are lucky enough to be able to take their dog along with them.
There are widely acknowledged benefits of having pets at the office, especially when it comes to easing a bit of stress at the office and bringing a fun vibe, but sharing your professional life with your furry friend also comes with a few practical challenges!
Here are our top tips to make the most of spending time with your dog at the office,
Plan ahead for the essentials - Keys, phone, wallet, laptop, packed lunch - prepare for this list to get a lot longer if you decide to take your pet to the office.
As we've all experienced, no matter how much we love animals, a good office pet is one that is relaxed and seen but probably not heard. To set them up for success, you need to help them feel as comfortable and cared for in this new and sometimes overwhelming environment full of exciting noises, new people, and sometimes other pets.
Their lunch, water, treats, bowl, matt / bed and lead will be your lifeline here, to maintain their usual routine and familiar comforts in a new place. (Even if our dog chooses to ignore it all and sleeps on the floor wrapped around my desk chair! At least he has options...)
Choice of commute - Choose a mode of transport that will set your dog up for a good day and allow them to be in a relaxed and comfortable mood when they arrive. If you're lucky enough to live just a walk away, you'll easily fit their exercise on your route to work and tire them out a bit too. Consider travelling at less busier times of day to avoid stress.
Diary management - Don't forget to block out time in your diary to regularly take your dog on short bathroom breaks or quick outings to stretch their legs, even if it is 5 minutes. Doing this in advance helps you to avoid being stuck in meetings.
Dress to impress - Bringing your dog to the office is a great opportunity to show off their unique personality to your colleagues. Pet-ID tags are great and easy way to switch up your dog's look. Here's some looks from Gus at pet-tags HQ:
Monday and Friday - a Glitter tag adds much needed sparkle to the start of the week and appropriate celebration ahead of the weekend
Tuesday - Showcasing inner city style with a Design tag for more formal meetings
Wednesday - Bringing refined mid-week minimalism with stainless steel
Thursday - Staying safe and sound all day and at the pub after work with a Design ID tag
Lean on your animal loving colleagues - If all is well, you'll hopefully find yourself inundated with volunteers happy to help you out or keep you company while caring for your dog, which can help make the experience all the more fun.
One last tip - Every office is different, and even in a pet friendly office any colleagues who haven't met your dog will appreciate you checking in with them before you bring him along to a meeting. Happy colleagues, happy dog!
