Google

Recently CoCo, a cockerpoo puppy, joined our family. Soon after I read an article dating back a few years. It mentioned Google is a dog friendly company, allowing employees to bring their dogs to work. Everyone from the Senior VP of Operations to less senior staff are able to bring their dogs to work with them.

In the world of google, there is guidance relating to dogs in the workplace, but this appears to be completely legitimate. Unsociable behaviour by the dog, including evidence of fleas, excessive barking, biting, chasing, and other similar actions are considered unacceptable. Should a complaint arise about a dog, the owner will take it home. Similarly this would be the case if other employees in the same area, allergic to dogs, are being affected.

The limitations also impact other furry friends. Google’s code of conduct states clearly that Google isn’t a feline friendly company: “Google’s affection for our canine friends is an integral facet of our corporate culture. We like cats, but we’re a dog company, so as a general rule we feel cats visiting our offices would be fairly stressed out.”

Luckily my partner’s company offers the facility to bring a dog to work. Consequently our puppy is used to the office environment, travels by train and regularly attends meetings, visits site and is quickly becoming the workplace mascot. She’s missed when she’s left at home. Feedback is that she’s terrific and sleeps most of the time when her owner isn’t around. She offers entertainment when she has a mad 5 minutes, often causing a needed distraction, and allowing employees cuddles on demand. She is a positive addition to the team.

Google’s dog friendly nature features in another element of their operations. At its headquarters, Google rents goats to control weeds and brush in its grounds, as oppose to using noisy lawn movers. Not only are the 200 goats (as well as a herder and border collie) more environmentally friendly, Google considers the strategy: “A lot cuter to watch than lawn mowers.”

What about your company? Is it company dog friendly like Google? Do you bring your dog to work, or would you if you had more control of your dog?