The benefits of office dogs
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As someone who works from home full time, I’m lucky enough to have Rufus curled up next to my desk for most of the day. There’s no better break from the screen than a walk on the common or a quick game of fetch in the garden.
I’ve also worked in dog-friendly offices and loved it, although I know having dogs in the workplace can make some people uncomfortable. So, if you’re back from summer holidays and hoping to persuade your boss to welcome dogs into the office, here are some of the benefits, the drawbacks and what can make it work better for everyone.
Dogs can help reduce stress
Having a dog nearby can make a working day feel a little less stressful. A 2024 review of research into pets in the workplace found evidence that their presence may reduce stress and contribute to more positive attitudes towards work, although the researchers also noted that much of the existing evidence comes from surveys rather than large controlled studies.
More recent research has also linked pet-friendly workplace practices with greater employee wellbeing and engagement. There’s less solid evidence for some of the bigger claims sometimes made about office dogs, such as improving productivity or reducing absenteeism, so we’d be wary of promising your boss that Rufus will transform the company balance sheet.
They give us a reason to take a break
Dogs aren’t particularly interested in whether you have one more email to send before lunch. They need to stretch their legs, go outside and generally remind us that sitting at a desk for hours on end isn’t compulsory.
Research into established bring-your-dog-to-work programmes has found that employees value the pleasant breaks dogs create during stressful working days, alongside improvements in work-life balance. For the dog owner, there’s also the simple benefit of being able to spend the day with their dog instead of worrying about getting home in time for a walk.
Dogs can make offices more sociable
Dogs are very good at starting conversations. People who might ordinarily walk past one another without speaking are considerably more likely to stop when there’s a wagging tail involved.
Studies of dog-friendly workplaces have reported improved communication and social interaction, with dogs sometimes acting as a social bridge between colleagues. That can be particularly welcome when people are spending fewer days in the office and those face-to-face connections matter more.
But dog-friendly doesn’t suit everyone
The most obvious problem with an office full of dog lovers is that not everyone is one. Some people are frightened of dogs, some have allergies, some simply don’t like them and there may also be cultural or religious considerations. All of those are legitimate reasons for someone to want a dog-free working environment.
Dogs can also bark, shed hair, steal food, distract people and occasionally disagree with other dogs. A badly behaved or anxious dog is unlikely to improve anybody’s working day, however much their owner loves having them there.
Is the office good for the dog?
This part can easily get forgotten. A dog-friendly office should be somewhere the dog is happy to spend the day too.
A sociable, relaxed dog may enjoy being with their owner, meeting familiar colleagues and getting extra walks during the day. A nervous dog may find ringing phones, strangers, lifts, other dogs and people constantly approaching them exhausting. Researchers looking specifically at office dogs have pointed out that the animal-welfare side of the equation has received much less attention than the benefits to people.
Dogs need somewhere quiet where they can sleep undisturbed, easy access to water and regular opportunities to go outside. Most importantly, owners need to recognise when their dog would simply be happier at home.
A few rules can make a big difference
A successful dog-friendly policy needs to work for dog owners, non-dog owners and the dogs themselves. Sensible ground rules might include:
- Checking that colleagues are comfortable before introducing dogs.
- Keeping some areas, like the office kitchen, completely dog-free.
- Requiring dogs to be house-trained, sociable and under control.
- Making owners responsible for walks, cleaning and supervision.
- Providing a quiet place where dogs can settle without being disturbed.
It may also make sense to start with occasional dog-friendly days or limit how many dogs can be in the office at once. Research suggests that clear rules and actually enforcing them are important if the benefits of office dogs aren’t going to be outweighed by distraction and frustration.
For the right dog and the right workplace, though, there’s plenty to recommend it. A little less stress, a few more conversations and a very good reason to leave your desk occasionally sound like fairly decent additions to the working day.
