Most people can only wish their dog could join them at their office. 

If you work in an office, the chances that you have a dog at work are pretty low. You secretly start hoping someone invents a “Bring your dog to work” day, so at least once a year your furry companion could join you in the office.

At BALI Construction, we have an official office mascot, named Yogi. We recognize there are benefits to bringing your dog to work and with her in the office, we notice our stress levels as a team remain low.  She is very quiet and well-behaved so our work-flow is not affected. One of her favorite things to do is sun bathe on the door mat. She even reminds us that it’s important to get out of the office and take short walks throughout the day.

 

There are too many positive reasons why we should have her at the office for us to leave her at home. There is a lot of research that proves this, like this study.

Training for all dogs is essential; I think we can all agree no matter how cute the dog is, if it cannot behave appropriately, they are not too fun to be around. If your dog is going to be joining you at work, make sure Fido (What’s the new, trendy name for dogs these days?) has been trained enough to listen to more than just your commands. Here are some great training tips from Cesar Milan, professional dog trainer.

Dogs love to be off-leash. Can you blame them? It’s not natural to be tugged around everywhere. Dog parks provide the perfect environment to allow your dog to play off-leash while socializing with others. There are plenty of dog parks in the San Francisco Bay Area for you to explore and find the right one for you and your four-legged friend. Use this list to get started. Don’t forget to bring a few things your dog might need such as a water bowl and water, potty bags, and a toy or ball.

Our office dog, Yogi, is a rescued dog from a family that could no longer keep her. Rescuing an animal is one of the most self-rewarding things you can do. Doing good for others is also healthy for your overall happiness, so it’s a win-win.

It is so easy to find a local shelter to rescue a dog. But, here are a few local shelters to get you started in finding your next furry companion. SFSPCA , Berkeley Humane Society , and ARF in Walnut Creek, CA. If you are unable to rescue a dog, but still love to spend time with these special animals, you might want to consider volunteering at one of the above mentioned shelters.

Trending: Spoil your dog by supporting a great cause. If you’re into supporting good causes (You are, right?) then you have to check out this awesome subscription for dogs called Barkbox. You pay a monthly fee for what is essentially a box of fun for your dog. They send things like toys, healthy treats, and accessories.

Barkbox raises money so they can donate their boxes to dogs who can’t otherwise get them. They also donate 10% of all their profits to dogs in need. The list goes on for how much good this company really does.

Home-made dog treats: Check out this blog for some recipes for home-made dog treats. A concern you may have with bringing your dog to work is that people could be feeding your fur child things you don’t want them to have. An easy way to control that is by implementing a dog food policy. Make sure everyone is on board with only giving treats or snacks that you bring. If you keep the office stocked with a few of these, then your colleagues should have no excuse for respecting your request.

There are also a lot of foods that are harmful to dogs. Be sure to educate everyone at work about these. 

Oh, and here’s a cool dog magazine I stumbled upon. Modern Dog Magazine.

Do you currently have a dog at the office? We’d love to hear about it! 

Tell us how you plan on bringing your dog into the office in the comments!