Pups & Productivity: 7 Advantages of a Dog-Friendly Workplace

Many people have transitioned to working from home, and it’s an arrangement that many of the new remote work crowd with mixed feelings. Sure, it’s nice to work in your pajamas, but it can also feel isolating at times.

If you’re facing workplace productivity and morale challenges, consider bringing home a dog to be your next coworker and office buddy. You might think you’ll get distracted by their cuteness, but dogs and puppies can help boost productivity and relieve stress.

Working remotely means you have more time to spend at home with a dog. If you’ve researched compatible breeds and have located a trustworthy trainer and vet, bringing home a dog may help your work life.

Learn more about how dogs can help you with work, and be open-minded about bringing home a new puppy, such as these adorable English cream golden retriever puppies for sale.

Whether you’re rocking the two-minute bedroom to office commute or you’re still traveling to the office every day, a dog could be the bright spot your work environment needs. Here are seven advantages of a four-leg friendly workplace.

Dogs promote healthy work-life balance

You might find yourself obsessing over a new work project, but your dog most certainly won’t. Dogs have daily needs, and they thrive on established routines.

Whether it’s signaling to you that they need to go outside or want to play fetch, a puppy will remind you that there are other essential things in life outside of work.

If you’re naturally a workaholic, dogs are an excellent remedy. These friendly Fidos show you that there’s more to life than checking off items on your work to-do list.

Dogs can help you feel less alone

Loneliness is a serious condition that can have a significant impact on your health. Although dogs can’t provide the same companionship as humans, people don’t call them “man’s best friend” for no reason. Simply having another living being in your home office space can help you feel less lonely.

Having a dog comes with daily responsibilities, so you’ll have infinite ways to connect with your dog through their daily care routine. Dogs provide a sense of purpose, which is another thing that can boost morale and reduce depression and anxiety.

Dogs connect you to others

Many people have become dog owners as they’ve started working from home. So, you can join the club and share another commonality with your coworkers in the absence of the water cooler. It’s hard to find a dog owner that doesn’t like exchanging dog stories. On top of that, you can share your favorite pet products or services.

Talking about dogs with your coworkers is an excellent way to start a conversation, and it also improves team morale as your relationship grounds itself on mutual experience. If it’s pandemic-safe, you can also plan doggy play dates or just go to a dog park to meet other dog owners.

Dogs boost productivity and morale

Taking care of a ruff responsibility sounds counterproductive to buckling down to work, but it can help you increase productivity in the long run. While it’s true that your dog might convince you to take a few extra breaks here and there, it’s not likely that you were doing your best work if you weren't resting regularly.

When you move away from your desk, stretch, and walk, it can positively impact your physical and emotional health. Taking a breather can also help you find motivation when you’re working on long projects.

A dog is a perfect excuse to take breaks. You can take your excitable pooch on a short walk, teach them a new trick, or just play with them with their favorite toys.

Seeing that you’re capable of meeting a dog’s needs is a fantastic morale booster. Happy dogs will always show their appreciation for you. This appreciation indicates that what you do matters and has a direct impact on another being.

Dogs promote a healthier lifestyle

If you bring home an active puppy, you’ll instantly boost your level of physical activity because you’ll have to go outside and play. However, even less active dogs can benefit your lifestyle. Since dogs thrive on routine, they can help you stick to a healthy schedule.

For example, if you tend to skip meals, you can practice eating meals simultaneously with your dog. If your dog has set times of going to the bathroom, you can designate those times as moments where you can take a much-needed fresh air break.

Taking your dog on walks is also a great way to explore your neighborhood and discover new places. Overall, dogs can positively impact all areas of your life, including your physical health and social needs. These adventurous four-legged friends will challenge you to take paths you otherwise might’ve ignored.

Dogs help reduce stress

Many people have experienced prolonged stress and trauma from the past two years of pandemic life. Working from home can add tension by melding your office and home environments and depriving you of social interaction with colleagues.

Therefore, it’s important to find several outlets to help you express your stress, such as living with a dog. Simply petting a dog can help you start to calm down and relax. Canines can also momentarily redirect your attention not to remain fixated on a problem or issue.

Dogs may also reflect their owner’s stress. Therefore, if dogs display behaviors of stress or anxiety, it can be due to mirroring their owner’s emotions. Stressed-out puppy behavior can be an excellent reminder to be self-reflective and practice self-care.

Dogs make people feel loved and appreciated

There are fewer things that give as much of a confidence boost as a dog that appreciates you. It’s always nice to come home to a dog that’s excited to reunite with you. Dogs are also very transparent about how much they love you whenever you give them their favorite treats or play their favorite games.

Simply put, these heartfelt hounds are very expressive, and they’ll never hide how they feel about you. So, no matter how tough of a workday you’ve had, you can always turn to a dog that thinks you’re the best human in the world. A dog can be the best office cheerleader, especially in moments when you might not feel the most confident.

Wrap up

Dogs make great coworkers and excellent companions and family members. So, if you’re feeling a little lonely at your home office, consider bringing home a puppy. If you do a little research, you’ll discover that there’s a breed out there for every kind of personality and lifestyle.

A dog in the workplace might just be the perfect way to teach an old workplace a few new productivity tricks.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or the management of EconoTimes