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Your workplace dog brings so much joy to you and your colleagues, but are you doing everything you can to make sure that relationship is a two way street? Here are the top 5 tips for keeping a dog happy and healthy in your workplace.

1)  Watch Those Treats!

It’s only natural to want to spoil your furry friend, and a special treat now and then doesn’t hurt. But if everybody in the office is doing it, this can turn into a big problem and fast!

Excessive feeding of treats leads to weight gain which is bad for a dogs health. Plus, getting lots of tidbits, especially those that are unfamiliar or high in fat, can leave your dog with an upset tum.

Try having a doggy treat jar and having an office rule that only treats from the jar can be fed. Set limits on how many treats are appropriate – try breaking treats into smaller pieces to make them go further.

2)  Water Water Everywhere

It’s really important your office friend has access to water at all times. If your workplace is large, or doors mean that certain areas are inaccessible at times, you may need to have multiple watering stations around the office.

Make sure you keep the water freshly topped up and avoid having the bowl in direct sunlight so the water stays nice and cool. Bowls need to be cleaned with dish soap at least a couple of times a week.

3)  Chill Out Zone

Your workplace dog probably loves to get plenty of attention and pats. But everybody needs space to themselves sometimes, and dogs are no different. It’s important that interacting with customers or staff is always a choice, and never something that a dog has to do.

Make sure your workplace dog has a comfortable, accessible spot they can go to if they need to get away from the hustle and bustle, and that all members of staff respect that sometimes their furry co-worker needs some space to themselves.

4)  Dog-Proofing

Just like a toddler, your office dog can end up in trouble if you haven’t adequately dog-proofed the workplace. Unless your work’s exterior is fenced and safe, all doors offering access to the outside should be kept closed. If staff or customers tend to leave exterior doors open you may need to install an automatic door closer.

If your workplace has a workshop or warehouse where there are hazards such as machinery, moving vehicles and chemicals, access to these areas should be restricted. Even your office plants need checking, as some are toxic to dogs so should be placed out of reach.

5)  Enjoyment Stocktake

Just like people, each dog has their own unique personality. Some are outgoing and love non-stop attention, while others are quieter and prefer to sit back and watch. While having an office dog is often fantastic for staff and dog alike, not all dogs are suited to the office lifestyle. A dog’s enthusiasm for being in the workplace can also change over time. Perhaps your dog loved the go-go-go of being on the worksite when they were younger, but as an older dog they might be happier just staying in the office, or even staying at home.

It’s important that at least once every six months you take an ‘enjoyment stocktake’ for your workplace dog. Does the dog seem happy and excited to go to work? Do they ever show signs that they might be frightened, such as cowering, hiding or even showing signs of fear-aggression such as growling? Are they choosing to interact and participate, or are they preferring to spend more time on their own? Has their behaviour changed in the past six months?

If your ‘enjoyment stocktake’ indicates that your workplace dog isn’t having a good time, it’s important to take action to either improve the workplace experience for the dog or remove the dog from the situation. Everybody should enjoy their time in the workplace, and that includes the workplace dog.