Taking your dog to work can reduce stress, a dog behaviour consultant has claimed. 

The practice has become increasingly common in recent years and Stephanie Rousseau, author of Office Dogs: The Manual, said she thought it was a “bit generational”. 

“They say that millennials are more likely to have pets than children,” she told Moncrieff. 

“I think there’s a move towards treating dogs like they’re part of the family and, as a result, employers just realise it’s a good way to attract people and keep people if you let people bring their dogs to work.” 

Whatever the age of the dog’s owner, Ms Rousseau said that taking your pet to work can have significant emotional benefits. 

“They found that having dogs around reduces stress, it improves social cohesion,” she said. 

“My own personal take on it is that if you it the right way… it can work very well for some dogs and some people in some work places.” 

People at work in an office with dogs in April 2014. Picture by: Cultura Creative RF / Alamy Stock Photo

However, she also cautioned that not all dogs are suited for life in an office. 

“There’s potentially issues for the dog’s own welfare - it can be quite a stressful experience,” she said. 

“It can be quite stressful for the owner of the dog if the dog isn’t behaving as they wish. 

“Of course, if you’ve got people in the office who don’t like dogs or who are scared of dogs or allergic to dogs, those things can all, obviously, be issues.” 

Dogs in the office. Picture by: Zoonar GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo

Ms Rousseau suggested large companies should develop a policy to help manage the issue. 

“Lots of those bigger offices will have dog-friendly and dog-free areas,” she said.

“It’s often a rule that if you want to bring in a dog, you have to ask your manager and get agreement from your entire team before the dog goes to the office.”

Main image: A dog in an office. Picture by: Unsplash.com