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The office dog is having a moment.
Once the unofficial perk of start-ups and creative agencies, dogs are becoming a much more familiar sight in workplaces around the world. And the numbers suggest this is more than a passing trend.
Flexa data found that 64% of UK job vacancies in its analysis welcomed dogs into the workplace. Germany came in at 45%, the US at 42% and Australia at 32%.
We know the appeal first-hand. The Vetdesk office gets the occasional four-legged visitor too, and they have a pretty reliable knack for lifting the mood.
So, safe to say, the office dog has gone mainstream.
It’s becoming a hiring factor
For dog owners, a pet-friendly workplace can make the working week a whole lot easier. Less juggling daycare and dog walkers. And people are taking notice.
Mars’ 2026 Workplace Report surveyed 16,000 workers globally and found that more than half would consider switching jobs for a company that allowed pets. In Romania, Greece and Switzerland, that figure climbed to around two-thirds.
New Zealand is warming to the idea too.
As businesses look for ways to make office life more flexible, appealing and enjoyable, pet-friendly policies are increasingly entering the conversation alongside wellbeing, workplace culture and hybrid work.
Can an office dog make work better?
Possibly, yes.
A University of Lincoln study found that employees who regularly brought their dogs to work reported 22% higher satisfaction with their working conditions, along with higher levels of work engagement.
Other research points to some appealing side effects too: lower stress, more natural breaks away from screens and more spontaneous conversations between colleagues.
But there's a catch: a dog-friendly workplace has to work for the dogs as well as the people.
Not every dog wants an office job
For a dog, a typical workday is a lot to take in. And even those who are perfectly relaxed at home may still find office life noisy, unpredictable or tiring.
So a good pet-friendly policy shouldn’t only ask, “Are dogs allowed?”
It should also ask, “Is this particular dog comfortable being here?”
A dog-friendly office needs a good plan
The best dog-friendly offices have rules, setting clear expectations.
A good starting point:
- - Check everyone is comfortable first. Allergies, fears and simply preferring not to share a desk with a Labrador are all valid. Make sure there are dog-free spaces too.
- - Set some ground rules. Dogs should be healthy, toilet trained, appropriately vaccinated and protected against fleas and worms.
- - Keep responsibility with the owner. Feeding, toilet breaks, behaviour and clean-up shouldn’t become a team project.
- - Give dogs somewhere to rest. A bed, mat or crate beside the owner’s workstation gives them a familiar place to switch off.
- - Dog-proof the space. Loose cables, accessible bins, toxic plants, cleaning products and food left within nose range all deserve a second look.
- - Keep the essentials handy. Water, bowls, leads, poop bags and cleaning supplies are much easier to organise before someone urgently needs them.
- - Start small. A half-day or trial day is often enough to see whether the arrangement works for the dog, the owner and everyone around them.
A little design goes a long way
Think easy-clean flooring in dog-friendly areas, a secure outdoor spot for toilet breaks, and somewhere quiet for dogs to curl up when office life gets a bit much.
Just as important? Spaces where dogs don’t go.
A little storage goes a long way too. One designated spot for leads, bowls, wipes and the rest keeps desks clearer, kitchens tidier and random dog paraphernalia from slowly taking over the workplace.
Sometimes, the right answer is no
Not every workplace can, or should, become dog-friendly.
Shared tenancies, building restrictions, food environments, hygiene requirements or poor access to outdoor space can all make dogs impractical.
And sometimes the office is suitable, but the dog isn’t. That’s okay too.
A good pet-friendly policy isn’t about squeezing as many dogs through the door as possible. It’s about creating a workplace where people can get on with their jobs and dogs can genuinely relax alongside them.
That’s the sweet spot.
Get it right, and the office dog becomes more than a cute workplace perk. It becomes part of the team.
Sources: Flexa job listings analysis (via HR Online); "Dogs in the Workplace: A Review of the Benefits and Potential Challenges"; University of Lincoln, Employees Who Often Take Their Dog to Work Report 22% Higher Work Satisfaction; Mars 2026 Workplace Report; Dog-friendly offices seen as next step in modernising NZ workplaces, B2B News.
