Dog Friendly Office Project: What Issues Might Occur When Going to Work with Your Pet?　

At free stitch, we are continuously working towards creating a better working environment for staff and their pets. We hope that through the growing popularity of the ‘Dog-Friendly Office Project’ we are helping to improve the quality of life for pets in Japan and around the world. 

We launched a questionnaire to gather thoughts and opinions about bringing your dog or pet to work. In this questionnaire, we asked people whether the conditions of their place of work have the facilities to accommodate pets.   

One of the questions we asked was: 

How convenient is it to bring your pet to work? 

We found that some respondents to the questionnaire still had some reservations about travelling to work with their pet, or harboured concerns over how their pet might react in an unfamiliar environment, etc. 

We would like to highlight some of the things to consider before bringing your pet to the office. 

Basic Training in an Office Environment 

If pets are going to come with you to the office, they will need to behave during work time. If possible, they should stay quietly near the owner at their feet or next to their desk. If they feel more comfortable, they should stay inside an open pet carry bag or pet carrier. Sometimes dogs especially get too excitable in a new environment, despite the owner being nearby - this might result in barking or whining, which may disrupt work. It is important to bring familiar things that make the dog feel more comfortable and calm, such as soft toys, snacks and blankets, etc.

We have set and follow basic guidelines for having pets in the work so at free stitch, we allow dogs to move freely through the office depending on their level of basic manner training. Please refer to our previous post detailing the basic guidelines for bringing pets to the office. 

Method of Commuting the Office 

Many of our respondents (and also our staff) expressed concerns over bringing their dog to work on a commuter train. Sometimes dogs and pets get stressed over the sound of the train, crowds, new smells, etc, even if they are inside their favourite carry bag, so some free stitch staff come to the office by car with their pet. 

However, if you use a car to commute, there are various other costs to consider such as petrol costs, highway tolls and parking fees; therefore it is important to weigh up the pros and cons of each method of commuting when choosing to go to the office with your pet. 

Based on the opinions and feedback we have gathered from people who go to work with their pets, we are seeking to fine-tune and improve the system set down for allowing people and animals to enjoy a more positive working environment. 

If you are interested in being part of the Dog-Friendly Office Project, please feel free to complete the questionnaire (Japanese only). 

For more information about the dog friendly office project, please click here.

Check out the Dog-friendly Office Project on SNS