Observations from Intern in a Dog-Friendly Office

Dog-friendly offices are a rare breed (pun intended). Adding dogs to a regular office environment brings a whole new set of challenges and excitement to a 9 to 5.

Here are a few observations I’ve had as an intern in a dog-friendly office:

9 Things You Learn from a Dog-Friendly Office

1. Always bring a lint roller.

I grew up in a household where the dog didn’t shed. I quickly learned, however, that your clothes will soon be covered in hair. If you do not want to look like a crazy dog lady when going to the grocery store after work, or going out to dinner with friends, you’re going to need a lint roller.

1. You’re going to have puppy fever.

You’ve heard of baby fever, right? There’s an equivalent for fur babies: puppy fever.

Itch this urge by asking your pet-owning coworkers for dog-walking or dog-sitting gigs. Or volunteering at a local animal shelter. These don’t give you the same commitment to owning a dog, but still give you all the perks of pet ownership.

1. Dogs are very distracting.

I will be working very hard on a project, and dogs will be zooming past my desk, squeaking on their toys, barking at the door and merrily jingling their tags as they walk past. Also, their noses will suddenly appear on your lap, looking for pats. This will most definitely break your concentration. Because, seriously, who can resist those puppy dog eyes?

1. Dogs help you get out of your head-space.

Like I said in point three, dogs are a distraction. But sometimes these distractions are welcome. Nothing keeps you grounded like chasing around dogs that would rather not have their photo taken for social media purposes. They also force you to take a break during the workday. Every hour or so, a dog will sneak up on me and request pets for only a few minutes. Even this is enough to keep my job satisfaction high and my stress level low.

1. You’ll find yourself Googling “do dogs get allergies” or “why do dogs look at you while you poop” or “is it normal for my dog to make that sound,” even when you don’t have a dog.

Part of my job description is writing blogs. And part of my job role when writing blogs is to look up the weirdest, but most common questions dog owners have. And I don’t even have a dog. Sometimes you’ll even find yourself Googling “goat collars,” and suddenly end up on goat owner forums even though you’ve never owned a goat nor do you plan on owning a goat.

1. Dog people are crazy. And you realize: you’re a dog person. You’re crazy.

Working at a company that specializes in dog products and works closely with dogs and dog owners gives you a whole new perspective when it comes to dog ownership. You’ll encounter people who are casual dog owners to people who treat their dogs like mini-humans. Either way, you’ll find that everyone who owns a dog really, REALLY loves their dog.

1. Lids on trash cans are a necessity.

Dogs’ noses are incredibly acute and this is especially true for the scraps of human food that are thrown into the trash bin under your desk. If there’s no lid, you can bet that dog noses are going to be dipped into the trash. And you may have to run after a dog, yelling at them to drop whatever they have in their mouth.

1. The bad smell almost always comes from the dog.

Or at least, that’s what you can tell anyone who asks.

1. Your friends WILL get sick of you showing them all the dog photos you took at work that day.

It seems impossible, but it’s true: apparently, people get sick of adorable dog photos. And when you get home from work and show your friends and roommates the 50,000 dog photos you took that day, they will eventually say, “Alright yes I’ve seen this dog enough I’m good.” As if that’s an option.