Tomorrow is Take Your Dog to Work Day!

This Friday June 26, 2009 is the tenth annual Take your Dog To Work Day. Talk about a great idea! Dog lovers know first-hand the countless benefits of having a pooch, but many others don’t. Take Your Dog to Work Day was first celebrated by Pet Sitters International so that employers and other workers to experience the joys and values of pets in the workplace. 

• Bathe and groom Fifi before you take her to work. Make sure she’s healthy, up to date on vaccines, and “properly dressed” in a secure collar and ID tags.
• Take her for a long run or romp before you take her to the office. A tired dog is a well-behaved dog.
• Take a well-stocked doggy bag containing: leash, waste bags, enzymatic cleaner and pet-safe disinfectant (just in case), treats, water bowls, food (if your dog eats during the workday), and quiet toys.
• Bring along a frozen food-stuffed Kong or a long-term chewable treat to keep Fifi occupied.
• If Fifi’s crate-trained and there’s room in your workspace, bring her crate so she has a quiet zone to settle down in.
• Puppy-proof your work area. Put any questionable, valuable, or potentially dangerous things out of Fifi’s reach. If necessary, tape down electrical cords. 
• If Fifi’s never been to work with you before, don’t leave her unattended. Many dogs get stressed in new environments and will yelp/whine/bark if left alone, and/or engage in destructive behavior.
• Pay attention to the clock. Set an alarm so you can take Fifi for quick potty breaks.
• Take Fifi for a walk during your lunch break.
• Don’t force other office workers to interact with her.
• Put food, chewies and toys away when other dogs are around to avoid doggy scuffles.
• Don’t take Fifi to work if you know her manners aren’t up to snuff. Instead, commit to training her so she can make her grand workplace debut in 2010!

Many thanks for these fabulous Flickr Photographers: Purprin, Bunchofpants

Lisa-Anne Manolius is the multi- talented owner/trainer of Oh Behave! in San Francisco. A graduate of the S.F. SPCA's Academy for Dog Trainers and U.C. Berkeley's Boalt School of Law, she's available for dog behavior consultations, private training sessions, and to teach a variety of group classes. She can be reached at lisaohbehave@gmail.com.

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