Posted on 07/10/2006 12:12:23 PM PDT by NRA1995
On a typical day at Tellme Networks Inc., Jackson snores, Penny spends time learning Chinese and the bosses and workers are delighted.
Penny, a Labrador Retriever, and Jackson, a bulldog, are part of an effort at many U.S. companies to allow pets in the workplace. One survey shows nearly one in five U.S. companies allow pets at work.
Millions of Americans believe pets on the job lower absenteeism.
Tellme project manager Jaymer Delapena said co-workers know Jackson, famed for his loud snores, by name, and some like to take the dog into meetings.
"I'll be walking past a conference room and look inside and my dog is sitting in a chair around a table," he said.
Interest in pets at work is growing, say organizers of "Take Your Dog to Work Day," set for this Friday.
Heather Galler believes in the concept so much that she founded her own company where workers are encouraged to work from home and be with their pets.
The policy has drawbacks, she conceded. "I'm talking to you in the bathroom because I don't want my dogs to start barking and interrupting our conversation," she said from her home office in Cape Coral, Florida. "They can get a little loud."
Pet-friendly environments can pay off in a competitive job market, said Phil Carpenter, vice president of marketing at Simply Hired, an online jobs database that has added an option for job-seekers to select a dog-friendly company.
More than 400 companies -- among them Google Inc. -- have listed themselves as dog-friendly, he said.
"Take Your Dog to Work Day" is intended to raise awareness of animals in shelters that need homes, said John Long, spokesman for organizers Pet Sitters International.
(Excerpt) Read more at jobs.aol.com ...
My Golden Retriever comes to work with me every day and has his own office where he snoozes behind a baby gate that he could clear in an instant if he wanted to. Of course my husband and I own the company.
But, all the employees and customers seem to enjoy Max, and he gets a lot of attention and treats.
I would totally work for a company that would let me bring the Dread Boston Salty.
Hell, I'd probably take a pay cut to do it. I love having that little guy around.
My dog has his own office which is carpeted and holds the dog hair which I vacuum myself.
My dog does not EVER bark.
My dog has no problem "holding" it for 8 hours. He's pottied before we come and after we get home. If he needs to go before we get home (in the case of overtime) we are located on 10 acres where he is free to roam.
We have never lost a customer, or an employee, because of my dog. However, the night cleaning crew expressed concern when they first encountered tufts of "blonde" hair. They thought that someone here might have been undergoing cancer treatments. You cannot stop a Golden from shedding.
My dog has a back pack and sometimes he delivers the paychecks. Needless to say he is a welcome sight on pay day.
If the truth doesn't sound convincing, embellish!, Right? :~)
From my experience, you and your dog are exceptions to the rule. It sounds like you are very responsible and considerate towards the rest of the employees. Actually, you seem to have struck a great balance for everyone. Congratulations.
Not so for everyone. Our office is a pretty formal sales office with lots of people coming and going. I love my little doggies and am thankful I don't have a pet dander allergy.
Well, we were lucky. My dog is a "rescue" dog and we adopted him because he was already an adult. We felt that it would be too difficult to start with a puppy because we work all the time. At first we brought him to work because we didn't know him and didn't know what he'd do if we left him alone all day.
We found he was a delightful office dog. We don't know why he doesn't bark. It has been suggested that his original owner may have used a bark collar on him. He is capable of barking, but he doesn't.
He only barks if he has been surprised by another animal and then it is just one "woof". He also doesn't whine. He's a perfect office pet. He just stands at his gate and waits for people to come to him. He accepts all pets and scratches and rewards the attention with lots of wags.
Until the day she died, our dog came with us to the office every single day. She was very well trained, had her own spot, slept most of the day, was available for hugs and pats whenever, and many of my clients loved having her there. For the ones that didn't like dogs, (very, very few) I put her in another room or closed the door with her on the other side.
It was marvelous having her with me, and I miss her so. It helps that hubby and I own our business as well.
You are not allergic to the hair, you're allergic to the dander.
Thanks!
Love your pics. (I always enjoy people's pet photos here.)
I can see where dogs can boost morale; however, for those of us with severe allergies, they are a health hazard.
That's great, but I don't think a dog has any place in an office environment at all, which is what this article discusses. You're there to work and not be distracted by dogs or kids on a daily basis.
How about a service dog? I only ask because that surely could still cause trouble for someone highly allergic (I'm sensitive to that subject, because my husband and one of my sons are VERY allergic to cats).
Personally, I think it probably depends on the office and the environment of that office, and how the other workers feel about it. And of course, how much and what sort of customer contact there was.
susie
A ervice dog is a necessity sometimes, and I wouldn't argue that. BUT in most businesses a certain air of professionalism is required and you ARE expected to bring yourself to the job ready to work and not be pulled around by personal distractions. If that makes me some sort of Captain Bligh, then have Mr. Christian report to me immediately :-)
LOL
No, I see both sides. As I said, I think it depends on the workplace, the other workers and the customers.
susie
The problem with dogs is that we have them such a short time. They steal our hearts and then they leave us.
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