# Dogs at work (indoor office setting) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 6, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362 "2011-04-06T04:29:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362/61 "2011-04-08T00:43:39Z")
My father has an office dog. He’s an exceedingly sweet Sheltie, and follows my father about 4 feet behind at all times. It’s a law office. It’s a touch eccentric, but everybody likes the dog, and it seems to go over well with pet owners. It’s tougher to think of your lawyer as a jackal when his sheepdog wanders over and smiles at you. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362/62 "2011-04-08T00:53:27Z")
I voted yes -ish. Its fine if its a seeing eye dog Guard dog Sole charge office/shop. (ie only one person working there) Any other situation there is a big chance it will cause problems of a second employee wanting to bring their dog as well ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362/63 "2011-04-08T01:12:34Z")
In small towns, and/or small offices, if everyone is OK with (or wild about) pets at work, I think it’s great. I had a small company with 2 employees and occasional visitors once; we worked out of my home, and everyone thought was great to have my cats around during the day. They were never a problem. I can certainly see specific occupations where that isn’t a good idea. Medical facilities, probably not acceptable, for hygienic and legal reasons. But prisons…what are you worried about, dogs smuggling weapons? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362/64 "2011-04-08T01:18:46Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > What’s with the “bookstore cats”? Are they mousers, or the pampered descendants thereof, or is there some other reason why so many people mention them as something fine and frequent? I think bookstore cats are just compatible with the environment; there are cubbyholes to hide and sleep in and people to get petted by. Nothing loud, dangerous or surprising to worry about and the occasional mouse is a bonus. Or maybe it’s just a harmless, inaccurate, stereotypical fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362/65 "2011-04-08T01:39:25Z")
Absolutely no. I love animals, but the office is not the place for them. No children or non-business visitors either. Its an office not a social gathering. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362/66 "2011-04-08T15:44:03Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > But you could say that about _any_ allergy. “All offices should be peanut-free by default.” or “All offices should be fragrance-free by default.” or “Why should it be incumbent on those who are allergic to red dye #4 to speak up? All offices should automatically be redless.” Agreed. I’m rather highly allergic to long grasses, but I don’t insist that the company re-landscape. My perfume-drenched chatty loud coworkers in the neighboring cube are far more disruptive to my work environment than a pack of feral baying wild dogs would be. ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362/67 "2011-04-11T21:28:48Z")
I love dogs and cats, and would be thrilled if I could have them at work, but it’s just not reasonable. Unless the animal is actually helping you work, leave 'em at home. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362/68 "2011-04-11T22:15:59Z")
I voted yes, the first option, but my main concern would be that someone whose dog wasn’t well-behaved would insist that it was. And then the whole thing comes crumbling down. ETA: Also, not at some food-related business. I don’t like my own dog’s hair in my food. Someone else’s animal’s hair would be even worse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-at-work-indoor-office-setting/577362.md?page=3)