Did You Take Your Dog to Work Today?

Bandit managing my home office.

It is Take Your Dog to Work Day®!

What can make Friday, the end to a work week for most, even better? Why bringing our furpals with us, of course! How many of you were able to bring your dog to work today? We'd love to hear all about it! Whether you work in an office, out on the road, or from a home office, having our canine companions with us makes the day much brighter!

 Some fun facts about Pet Sitter's International (PSI) Take Your Dog to Work Day (TYDTWDay):

 

• TYDTWDay was first celebrated in 1999.

• It was created by PSI to celebrate the great companions dogs make and encourage their adoptions.

• It encourages employers to experience the joy of pets in the workplace and support their local pet community.

• It is an annual event and is always celebrated on the Friday following Father’s Day.

• It accommodates cat lovers and others who cannot participate on TYDTWDay. The entire week leading up to the Day, June 18 – 22, is Take Your Pet To Work Week™.

And did you know there was an official TYDTWDay song? It is going to be a chart-barker for sure!

Gibson, my assistant editor, proofing new book text.

According to TYDTWDay, here are seven top tips for making the experience an enjoyable one for all, especially our pets:

1) "Do an office check."

Be sure it is okay with your employer/boss that you bring your best four-legged friend to the office. Also check that no one has allergies to dogs.

2) "Puppy-proof your work space."

Check the areas your dog will be in for anything toxic or poisonous and remove them safely out of their reach.

3) "Bathe and groom your dog before its office debut."

Only bring a vetted, healthy, and friendly dog to the office.

4) "Prepare a doggie bag."

"Include food, treats, bowls, toys, leash, paper towels, clean-up bags and pet-safe disinfectant (just in case). If you are routinely in and out of your work space, consider bringing a portable kennel for your dog’s comfort and your peace of mind," suggests TYDTWDay.

5) "Plan your pet’s feeding times carefully."

And be sure to know where your pet can make his "nature calls."

6) "Avoid forcing co-workers to interact with your dog."

Great tip! Some folks may be anxious or afraid of dogs. As the TYDTWDay says, "Dog lovers will make themselves known. To avoid pet accidents, monitor the amount of treats your pet is being given. Remember that chocolate, candy and other people food should not be shared with dogs."

7) Have an exit strategy.

Even though it should be a fun day for all two-legged and four-legged folks, it is always good to have an escape, er, exit plan for your pet.

For some more great tips on preparing to bring your dog to your workplace, and lots of other great info (including a photo contest), be sure to check out the TYDTWDay website.

And for some helpful safety tips on bringing your dog to work, check out the DogChannel.com site.
 
Remember, it's never to early to plan for next year!

Hopefully, everyone had a fun-filled day like we did here. Bandit was our office manager for the day and she made sure everything went smoothly in our home office. Gibson had the text pages for my new FiveSibes book to proof. And Wolf did a much-needed coffee run for me. Harley was here, too, and as our alpha queen she is a stay-at-home mom and she worked by keeping a vigilant eye on our convalescing Chloe. I just love the Siberian Husky breed...they are truly working dogs in every sense of the term!

Thanks, Wolf, for doing the coffee run!

Happy Friday!