June 24: National Take Your Dog to Work Day

National Take Your Dog to Work Day, celebrated annually on the Friday following Father’s Day, honors one of our most beloved pets, the beloved canine companion!

Many dog owners say that the hardest part of the day is leaving our four-legged family members behind as we head to the office.

The solution? Pet Sitters International (PSI) pitched the idea of taking the dogs with us to work. Dogs brighten up even the best days and shine a new light in the workplace as they will up the fun factor at work exponentially. As you run out the door, don’t forget your briefcase and a doggie bag. We’ll see you at the office!

If your workplace approves this holiday, it is a great way to show off your dog to your coworkers. Having your dog at work with you all day may make it a little tough to get all of your tasks done but open the door to interacting with your coworkers in a whole new way, as the dog is a great icebreaker.

Pitch that idea of promoting better communication and teamwork to your boss, and you may convince him or her to allow you to have Fido sitting next to your desk, celebrating this holiday.

If your employer does not enjoy the idea of dogs at work, other holidays such as Take Your Cat to Work Day this upcoming Monday of this same week (also known as Take Your Pet to Work Week) are available so all animal lovers would appreciate an engaging discussion about pet care or pet trends over lunch.

History of National Take Your Dog to Work Day:

Recognized for the first time in 1999, National Take Your Dog to Work Day celebrates our immense love for dogs. But our adoration of man’s best friend wasn’t the only reason PSI suggested the holiday.

National Take Your Dog to Work Day is also intended to cleverly promote pet adoptions. Through these work events, non-pet owners witness the special bond their co-workers have with their pets and, hopefully, find themselves swayed to adopt a new best friend of their own.

With almost 4 million dogs entering shelters across the US every year, animal rescue has become an important cause among Americans.

Companies care about what their employees care about and, it’s clear, we care about dogs. So, companies benefit by getting involved from a community outreach perspective and from an enhanced employee engagement point of view.

Over 300 businesses hosted a National Take Your Dog to Work Day event in 1999 and the popularity of the holiday has grown steadily since.

Twenty years later, over 63 million US households own at least one dog and the pet industry is estimated to have brought in over $70 billion in 2019. Our dogs (cats, hamsters, fish, turtles, snakes, incests, or anything in between) are family and we spoil them as much as any other child. In response, we now see companies that are dog-friendly, not limiting the number of days an employee can bring Buddy to work to just one.

So remember to get ready to celebrate and host a National Take Your Dog to Work Day event where you work with these great ideas and resources.

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