This Friday, June 23, 2017, you can work like a dog or work with one. In 1999, the Friday after Father’s Day (3rd Friday in June) was designated as Take Your Dog to Work Day by the Pet Sitters International organization. Encouraging pet adoption is the main focus of the annual holiday.
The organizers hoped that seeing a co-workers’ bonds with their dogs would spur people to become dog owners themselves. This will be the 19th year of the event, which has turned into Take Your Dog to Work Week, which allows for more adoption events and increased flexibility for owners to bring their dogs into work. Some offices have strict rules against pets in the workplace, but many health experts are nudging companies to relax their policies. Pets are proven stress-relievers, the experts say, and a lower stress level leads to a happier and healthier employee. Pet ownership has many benefits above and beyond having a best buddy to bring into the office.
According to research published by the American Psychological Association, having a pet can increase a person’s physical fitness, and self-esteem. The research, published in the journal of Personality and Social Psychology in 2011, showed that pet owners scored higher than non-pet owners in extroversion and conscientiousness. Research about pet ownership previously had focused on the benefits it can provide to medical patients. This study looked at what pet ownership provides to healthy people. The benefits scored just as strongly with the healthy participants as they did for the ill patients. Pet ownership holds benefits for everyone.
Here are 3 tips to help your canine have a great day at the office:
- Pack a bag of supplies. Water, food, treats and toys are the basics any office stint requires. Be sure to pack some for the dog, too.
- Be flexible. Your dog may notice you get tense before your Friday meeting. She may want to take you on a short walk around the parking lot. Be ready to hop up and go. A walk does a body good.
- Skip casual Friday. Most office dogs agree: first impressions count. Jackets and ties may not be necessary but your dog will want you both to be well-groomed for the big day.
Take Your Dog to Work Week is all about showing the bond between humans and their dogs. Show your coworkers how dog ownership can bring down their stress levels and beef up their happiness levels.