More and more public places are becoming pet-friendly, and your workplace might be one of them. Taking your pet to work is a great opportunity to spend more time with your beloved French bulldog and to save some money on dog sitters. But as staying in an office 9 to 5 is not natural for dogs, you might consider a few things before introducing your baby to your coworkers. We collected a list of questions you need to consider before deciding to take your Frenchie to work.
Large companies like Google, Amazon, and Etsy have already recognized the positive impact of working with pets. Amazon owns a large dog park at their main campus, where 2,000 dog owners can have fun with their pups in between meetings. You might work for a company that just announced a similar pet policy, and you are eager to take your Frenchie the next day. Before rushing to put the leash on him, you should consider a few things.
Is your Frenchie potty trained already?
Having an accident on the company carpet definitely does not sound like fun. Offices usually tolerate fully potty trained dogs, therefore if your pup still has some accidents from time to time, the best is if you wait a bit. If you still have issues with potty training, read this and this article we wrote on successful potty training.
Is he well socialized? Does he get on well with other dogs?
Probably your Frenchie won’t be the only dog at the office. He is going to spend a whole day near other dogs, which might be tempting to explore. Believe me, your workplace is not the right place to introduce your pup to other dogs for the first time. If you are thinking of taking him to work, you should start socializing as early as possible by taking him to a dog school and to dog runners. In this article, you can read our opinion on how to choose the best dog school for your pup.
Is he happy chilling on his own while you are in meetings?
You will have to perform your duties at work, which might include attending meetings, meeting with clients, and visiting different sites. The bad news is that you cannot take your dog with you wherever you go, as some others might have an allergy or phobia. So the question is if he can remain calm at his bed while you are away for an hour or two? If he starts barking or whining as soon as you are out of his sight, taking him to the office might not be an option for you guys. Also take into consideration, when you have meetings on meetings without a few minutes break to go to the toilet. You might be able to hold it for longer periods of time, but I’m not so sure that your Frenchie can do the same. If his separation anxiety gets in your way, try these tips!
If the answer is yes to all three questions, we have some great news for you! Feel free to take your French Bulldog to work!
At the first time, we strongly recommend you to take your babe for a quick leashed walk around the office and introduce him to all your coworkers he can get in touch with throughout the day. This is a great opportunity to create the foundation of new friendships, and also you can warn your colleagues not to feed your Frenchie anything, especially none of this toxic food. You can also organize a walk with other dogs from the office, so they can get to know each other better.
If you work in a larger office, we strongly advise you to never let him wander around off the leash. Many office items are dangerous to pets, like paper shredders set to automatic. Dog ears, tales, and tongues can easily get caught in those… Garbage cans also hold unexpected risks as they might contain toxic leftovers or sharp items.
Feel free to join our TomKings Frenchie Family Facebook group for further useful tips! Our Frenchie parents have also shared their experiences about taking their fur babies to work, you can read these here.
The article is based on the expert knowledge of the TomKings Puppies team who have been breeding French Bulldogs for 10 years on their farm. All the pictures in the post belong to them and show puppies from their breed, and their farm. Check their available puppies here, or if you have any questions or comments let us know below the article.
