Let’s face it. Dogs are tops. And bringing your dog along to work can make the day go faster and seem brighter.

Seems I’m not alone in my thinking.

In fact, Pet Sitters International has been running a “Take Your Dog to Work Day” every year since 1999.

And they’re bursting out of their furry britches to get businesses on board.

Swell idea all round if you ask me. At my work, we have a “one dog a week” policy and Benny is regularly the participating pooch. He loves it and so do our clients.

It’s a good size office with enough space for me to chuck him a ball occasionally, plus we’ve laid down a few ground rules like:

• “Dogs must not smell”;
• “Dogs must be office/house trained”; and
• “Dogs must be on a leash when coming and going” to make sure no one will feel put out by the pup’s presence.

This Friday, June 20 is the official “Take Your Dog to Work Day” and this site has all the information you need to get involved, get informed and get educated with some excellent handy downloads on the best way to “responsibly take your dog to work”.

To move things along, the site also provides a “top ten things to say to convince your boss” listing things like point 9: Wagging tails work great when the air conditioner is on the blink.

“Where do pets come from?”

You’ve seen the photos.  Proof that Benny loves his off leash parks.  But as you may recall I threw a pink fit when Benny was first introduced to the dogs in the park across the road.    Here he was, this little bundle of fur and light one minute — and the incarnation of the wolf devil himself the next. 

All that park! All that dog!  All that freedom!

For a Terrier from the wrong side of the tracks it was a heady mix.  And he lost the plot when a charming young pup presented her tummy and he chose to go for the throat instead.

Eep!

Sadly, while Benny and I have been back to the park twice a day ever since, I’ve never seen the poor pup or her owner again.

At the time, I called my vet, a dog walker I knew, Benny’s foster parents and even broken down to have a teary chat with our local pet store owner.  And between all their advice I worked out a few ways to work with my feisty young dog such as popping him on the leash when he misbehaved and walking away, offering treats when he behaved well and a number of other little tricks that have worked out okay.

But I wish like buggery I’d had “Meet and Greet - An Etiquette Guide for Off Leash Dog Park Behaviour” in my library when we’d brought Benny home.

Published by Gwen McArthur last year, “Meet and Greet” doesn’t just cover responsible dog ownership in the park (although it does that well), but also information tht covers all kinds of handy tips and information outside the park such as how to select the right dog for your life and whether you should you then desex it or not.

But the majority of the book covers most of what you’ll need to know to help you and your dog be both responsible and well liked in the park, all the while showing off your “canine know how” by pointing out what certain doggy behaviours mean and following through with managing your dog beautifully while sharing the space with others.

And while Benny has certainly become better socialised and is quite loved in the park, he can still behave like a little upstart.

Believe me, I’m reading this book thoroughly and I’m reading it all the way through.  He’s got the potential to be not just a good dog, but a GREAT dog and I reckon that this book is going to help realise that.

RATING:
BUY IT: Meet and Greet - Off Leash Dog Park Etiquette
COST: AUS - $29.95 (Currently only available in Australia, but if it gets enough interest from overseas, it will be made available)

Ricki over at Super Cool Pets has just posted a roundup of big savings on pet products. Most of the companies listed are US-based, but even with shipping fees for us foreigners, it looks like there are bargains to be had. Bargains! Go check ‘em out.

Around here, we think Colourpoint Cornish Rexes are the most beautiful cats ever. But not everyone agrees. Thanks Dave. Thanks very much!