I Think This Dog Wants My Job

Today is Take Your Dog to Work Day, and thousands of businesses are expected to allow dogs to pass through security and lift the step of their employees. Throughout the day we'll be working with companies across the country to showcase their dogs at work programs to members of the media, to help get the word out about the benefits of such policies.

Bowing to the pressure of the dog lobby within my office, I authorized staff to enjoy the company of canines in the workplace more than two years ago. I say without reservation that it was the right decision, even if I was pandering to the masses.

Since then, we’ve published a book to help other workplaces implement dogs at work programs.

From pit bulls to Pomeranians, the dogs in our office are model citizens, and you might forget they were here if it weren’t for the dog treat jars strategically placed in our cubicles. Other times, the occasional squeak of a toy, thumping tail, or silly yawn remind us of their presence and probably lower our blood pressure. That’s needed here at The HSUS, since some of the things people do to animals raise our blood pressure hour to hour.

There’s no doubt the dogs enjoy the experience too and, in fact, our dog-friendly policy has given a few dogs a new lease on life—several staff adopted dogs after the program was instituted.

The majority of our office dogs spend their days slumbering, but a few take their job more seriously. Like Soco, a 5-year-old Chihuahua who comes to work with Cary Smith of our Humane Wildlife Services (and I’m told likes to dance for food).

When I provided an image of a dog in our workplace for last year’s Take Your Dog to Work Day, you came up with some fabulously entertaining captions. So here we go again—have at it, and share your creative captions by offering a comment or sending an email.