Making the Case for Dogs in Office by Chuck Boyk
Our law firm always has 2-6 dogs in the office at any
given time, and I absolutely love it. Here is the back
story.
As a kid growing up, my family never had a dog. My
parents claimed it was because my brother was
allergic (I suggested they get rid of my brother, but that
didn’t go over well). I then had a brilliant idea to
pretend I had an invisible dog and constantly talk and
play with it.
I thought my parents were
going to give in until they
started talking and playing
with my imaginary dog.
That’s when I gave up.
I finally got a real dog when I
moved into my first house. Shortly thereafter, the dog
ate my couch and destroyed most of my furniture.
About 10 years ago, one of my attorneys, Leah,
suggested we allow employees to bring their dogs into
the office. She promised it would improve morale and
reduce stress. About 40 dogs later, it proved to be a
great idea.
The employees love it. The clients are pleasantly
surprised. Our “Pawyers” have their own
business cards and profiles on our
website. Dog toys and treats are
scattered throughout the office.
We secure the dogs or ask them
to “work” from home whenever a
dog-bite client visits the office.
People tend to want things they do not have. My
parents’ denial has resulted in dogs being a large
part of my life.
