When you’re at work all day long, you can only imagine what your dog may be doing at home. Your pet is probably sleeping, chasing its tail, barking at pedestrians or lapping water from its bowl – and hopefully not the toilet bowl!
But the question remains, does your faithful friend know what you do all day? With Pet Sitters International’s 4th Annual Take Your Dog To Work Daysm, celebrated this year on Friday, June 21, you can show your canine how you work… well like a dog!
Employees at Iams have been bringing their dogs to work for a long time now. On this one special day of the year, pups get to sit in as VPs of canine communications, mutt managers, and doggie day traders.
And these dogs have been getting high marks in the company evaluations. One of the pups celebrating the holiday at Iams was given the job title of “The People Pleaser”, for “always being willing to lend a helping paw” and “acting like a team player.”
China and glassware company, Replacements LTD, had opened its doors to dogs in the workplace too. Sound dangerous? According to Liam Sullivan, the company’s PR representative, not one thing has been broken by wagging tails. The klutzes, he’s found, are those with opposable thumbs.
Those who don’t have dogs have even gotten in on the action. Showing his support for the holiday, the president of Jansport went to work dressed up like a Dalmatian!
Over 5,000 offices participated to TYDTWDsm last year, and this year the list is sure to grow even longer. Thousands of proud pet parents are now quizzing, primping and training their pooches in office etiquette. The cardinal rule: the water-cooler is the place to be if you want to get a good scoop!
Why are so many businesses getting involved in this? It’s a great office ice-breaker! Remember the girl in accounting that you always wanted to meet…
Some offices have gotten really creative planning TYDTWDsm and held silly contests such as “Stupid Pet Trick” competitions and pet look-alike contests. Other firms have instituted a dress-up policy for the dogs.
Even celebrities want in on TYDTWDsm. Comedienne Joan Rivers and late-night TV host Jay Leno have both indulged their staffers with a pooch friendly workday.
According to Kay Calzolari, director of operations for the North Caroline-based Pet Sitters International, TYDTWDsm began as a means to encourage pet adoption from shelters. Spirits are up at the start of the summer and the onset of warm weather, so the organization deemed June tp be a perfect month to bring dogs into work. “It is always on Friday because many companies already have dress-down or casual-day on Fridays,” Calzolari said. Iams Co sponsors this year’s TYDTWDsm.
The 2002 spokesdog and poster dog for TYDTWDsm is Sandy, a rescue from the SPCA in Houston, TX. Adopted by Patsy Ebert in 2000, Sandy was selected from many applicants for the prestigious position of TYDTWDsm Poster Dog. Last year, Pet sitters International asked for dogs owners to submit essays and photos of their adopted dogs. According to Calzolari, selecting this year’s spokesdog was no easy task. “I think the reason Sandy was finally chosen was because of her winning doggie smile and her heartwarming adoption story,” Calzolari said. According to “Sandy”, she used to live in a bad place with 30 other mistreated dogs, before Ebert adopted her.
“I had one fellow tell me he doesn’t have any kids, but he does have a dog, and thanks us for creating a day that allows him to bring Fodi to work,” Calzolari said. After all, with Mother’s day, Father’s Day, Boss’ Day and Take Your Daughters To Work Day, a “dog-day afternoon’ was long overdue.
All this fun aside, Calzolari says, “In the end, it’s really about finding home for adoptable dogs.”
It’s time to convince your boss you need a day for the dogs! Bring your leash with your lunch to the office on June 21st. Official packets for this year’s TYDTWDsm can be downloaded from the official website of Pet Sitters International, www.petsit.com
Pet Sitters International, 201 East King Street, King, NC 27021 (336) 983-9222.
Top 10 reasons to take your dog to work:
10. It’s PAW-litically correct.
9. Your dog needs to earn its keep… just like money, bones don’t grow on trees.
8. Everyone knows dogs are “Date Magnets.”
7. Your dog won’t be able to make those 1-900 calls from home.
6. It’s a great excuse to keep your door closed.
5. Your dog can help with office chores by licking envelopes.
4. The pooch can take those annoying sales calls for you.
3. Fido provides a built-in excuse: “The dog ate my Inter-Office Memorandum!”
2. The Boss xon’t know what bit him!
1. Most important: you’ll help the homeless dogs of America by encouraging pet adoptions from your local animal shelter!
Courtesy of Pet Sitters international.
By Rachel Sokol