The pros and cons of an office dog: these are our findings

Since April 2021 Golden Retriever Pippa has been walking through the corridors here. We got her, free of charge, from our new content marketer Linda. 10KB feels like a second home and we are open to ideas, so we gave the phenomenon of 'the office dog' a fair chance.

What research says

There has been plenty of research showing that a dog in the office does something good. A 2017 study for example, and another one. Just looking at a dog lowers stress, performance improves with an animal nearby, a dog makes social contact easier, stroking a dog gives you a solid dose of oxytocin, and the walks get you outside for a bit. Fresh air and a head that empties. It all reads nicely, but how does that actually feel with us at 10KB?

The advantages

What we notice is that Pippa is mainly there for the fun. As soon as she arrives in the morning she does a round, wagging with the colleagues who grant her a stroke. She knows perfectly who has something to offer and likes to pick her spot based on the biscuit supply on someone's desk. When someone gets stuck, sighs and groans, Pip is often the one who sprints over and just sits down. Then you almost always see a hand glide over that little head, a few deep sighs. And carry on again. 'A quick play with Pippa' has become a fixed rest point for many, and during the walks you naturally share more personal things, not only work. Besides, a dog on the floor turns out to be a nice icebreaker for clients and applicants, immediately a chat that boosts the atmosphere.

The disadvantages

Not everyone loves dogs, very simply. That is not only about Pip's pronounced character. What you really deal with is the mountain of hair she sheds, plus the amount of drool that lands on clean clothes. The robot vacuum has been working overtime since Pippa arrived and the carpet regularly needs an extra pass. And at the end of the day there are piles of cardboard in various places, because she finds empty egg boxes so delicious to shred. Pip knows perfectly who she can get a stroke from on her greeting round and who prefers to give her a wide berth; you take that into account. Allergies have not flared up at the office so far, but if the perfect applicant comes along who does turn out to be allergic, then we need to think carefully about that.

Things we could not have imagined beforehand

A while back we decided to create a LinkedIn account for Pippa. What at first felt like an innocent, fun peek behind the scenes quietly grew into a notably smart HR move. Applications are through the roof. On average we now see five times more quality candidates come through whom we would actually all love to hire, compared with the period before. Of course you cannot put all of that on Pip's account. But it is a nice side benefit.

Things to take into account

For us the pluses weigh heavily, that is clear. But before you 'arrange' an office dog for your company tomorrow, I still want to flag a few catches. Not every dog is suited for it. Take Pippa: she is relaxed, social, barely barks, does what you ask and thrives on all the attention she gets day in day out. She has plenty of rest spots, and after work she simply goes home with one owner and therefore also rests at the weekend. As a precaution we had an extensive consultation done by a Canine Behaviour Therapist to make sure it is not only pleasant for us here, but equally for her.

So the rules of the game are crystal clear. Everyone knows exactly what does and does not come off the table for Pip during lunch, colleagues send her away kindly but firmly when they are not in the mood for her, and we tip visitors in advance that a dog simply walks around here. Because ultimately such a creature is a living being with a complete character of its own. Not a cheerful marketing thing you switch on for happy faces.

Conclusion

We are mad about Pippa here. Really. Her cheerful swish of a tail through the corridors, that hobbling, we can all enjoy it intensely. What she brings in work happiness is not folklore but tangible. Against that there is at most the occasional biscuit, or that one moment she goes all out against a few strokeable legs. She works part-time, of course, takes a lot of naps and everyone has long accepted that. We hope this ritual, she and we together at the office, stretches on for years.

Meet Pippa at the office?

If you want to score with her, and you do, do not forget your empty egg box and throw a few slices of dried beef lung in your bag. The animal has, believe us, more than earned that.