Freya the Office Dog

Freya is a working dog, as in she goes to the office with me every day.  This has helped her grow out of a lot of her shelter dog fears by subjecting her to the friendly pats and affection of many visitors (people in Bentonville, AR LOVE dogs).  While still protective of me, Freya and I have worked through a lot of her fear/aggression to the point that she will stop barking at a visitor when I greet them (90% of the time).

Freya's time at the office has been beneficial in many ways though.  Not only is she a greeter and entertainer for those waiting for meetings, her impact on the staff has been huge.  Her playfulness and wagging docked tail has brought pauses from work that I find personally beneficial.  If I am in the midst of a difficult or stressful project I'll take a moment to run through her tricks with her, reminding myself that the world is much bigger than me, this project, the office, etc.  She reminds me to be happy in the moment, and makes tasks seem easier.

As I prepare for my next career move, there has been a sense of trepidation for the impending change in the office.  While I believe my coworkers will miss my everyday presence as I will theirs, the loss most voiced is that of Freya.  (To the point of business acquaintances asking what will happen at meetings without her.)  I wonder how the office will shift without her encouraging and ever cheerful and energetic presence.

For those who read this and are in a position of office power, I encourage you to allow an office dog.  Not only will an employee be grateful to get to bring their best friend with them to work, but the influence on the office workers can be very positive with a well behaved dog.