Why You Should Never Take Your Dog to Work.

It is never a good idea to take your dog to work, unless you work at a hospital or nursing home where a visiting dog is usually a welcome sight for the inhabitants. I did it once and it was a disaster. My office was small with just enough room for my desk, chair, and a small filing cabinet. My black Labrador, Sydney, was thrilled to be there. She's thrilled to be anywhere where she can command attention. She's really big and hyper and when she wags her tail her whole body moves with it.

Every time someone walked into my office, she'd charge from under my desk, tail wagging, knocking over picture frames, piles of papers, small canister of pens, and my coffee. She'd then jump up on whoever entered, slamming them against the wall with her weight, and making it impossible for them to cross the threshold. Once they'd start petting her, she'd lay on her back wriggling around in an attempt to get them to scratch her belly. That's around the time she'd pee on the floor causing me to leap to my feet apologetically while scrambling for something with which to wipe it up. Around this time my coworkers would slowly back out of the room as if Sydney were a wild animal ready to pounce again at any moment.

If you work in the city, you'll need to think about how you'll get the dog in and out of the elevator without causing problems with the other people in the building. Working in the middle of Boston, on the 26^th floor, made it difficult for me to take my dog out for walks and bathroom breaks.

If you have a dog that barks at anything that moves, this could prove to be a huge distraction to both yourself and any coworkers working around you. It's difficult enough trying to get work done with a hyper or untrained dog in your office, even worse when it affects others around you.

So, think twice before deciding to take your dog to work. He'd be much happier in his favorite old bed on the porch eagerly awaiting his master's arrival from a long day at the office.