Pets at work

The following considerations are suggested for offices that may wish to allow pets into the work environment. It is guiding information only and any company intending to allow pets should do their own research and seek further advice.

1. Gauge staff interest in allowing pets to visit the work environment. There may be people in your office who are not suited to working in an environment with pets.

2. Check workplace hygiene regulations, especially in regard to areas where food may be eaten, and any Local Government regulations.

3. Establish a pet booking system and ask anyone who wishes to bring a pet to work to register their pet prior to the day. This will allow you to control the number and type of pets that are in the office on any given day.

4. Ensure that any pet that comes to the office is up to date on vaccinations and flea/worm control programs. This can easily be achieved by asking anyone who brings a pet in to sign a registration and indemnity form.

5. Consider asking pet owners to display a pet ID tag with their owners’ name so people and pets can be easily matched up if the pet becomes temporarily separated from its owner.

6. Pet owners should be asked to bring leashes, toys and appropriate bedding to the office so their pet is comfortable and secure. Owners should also be asked to take their pets outside for a toilet break every one to two hours.

7. Pet owners should be asked to supervise their pet throughout the day. If they do have to leave the office for a short time they should have a ‘pet sitter’ colleague who can take responsibility for the pet.

8. Not all pets are suited to visiting the office and a nervous animal can sometimes display aggressive behaviour. Any aggressive behaviour from a pet that is directed towards other animals or people can not be tolerated and there should be a clear policy that owners will be asked to remove their pet from the office if this occurs.

9. Finally, some dogs are not cat lovers and the feeling is often mutual. Offices may want to consider cat only days.

Download these guidelines as a pdf - HERE

Does your dog rule the roost?

Recently I had a behaviour consultation with a client who had an all too common problem – her dog ruled the roost! Rupert; a gorgeous little toy poodle, had been somewhat spoilt and allowed to get away with a little too much. The behaviour which concerned his owner the most was his constant barking at visitors, growling when he didn’t want to be picked up, urinating in the house and acute separation anxiety.

When we discussed Rupert’s behavioural history and how he fits in with the household it came to light that Rupert was treated a bit like royalty. He slept in his owner’s bed, had access to food whenever he wanted, was allowed free range of the house and had no rules or boundaries set in place for him. This, together with his outgoing personality, resulted in Rupert assuming the position of “top dog”.

In order for his family to get some peace, Rupert needed to be brought down a peg or two. I recommended several strategies to Rupert’s owner which involved changing the way they interact with him to make him realise that he does not rule the proverbial roost. Among them was to introduce daily five minute training sessions, where Rupert is asked to perform simple tasks such as “sit”, “drop” and “stay” and is rewarded with treats for his efforts. Another was to feed him at specific times rather then allowing him control over his food intake. Additionally, Rupert was no longer allowed to sleep in his owners bed and was to be given his own bed on the floor. To relieve his separation anxiety Rupert’s owner was instructed to ignore Rupert 10 minutes prior to leaving for the day, and again for 10 minutes upon arriving home. This reinforces that her absence was no big deal and nothing to be anxious about rather than a terrible experience.

So far so good - It’s only been a week and Rupert’s owner has reported that they have already seen positive changes in his behaviour. Rupert is learning that being top dog isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.