These Companies Have Gone to the Dogs With Pet-Friendly Workplace

Having your dog by your side while working from home is not uncommon. More and more companies have gone to the dogs by encouraging their employees to bring their pooch to the office. Some business owners believe dogs at work increase productivity, relieve stress and improve the work environment.

In Los Angeles, an artificial intelligence company called GumGum is all about a pet-friendly workplace. American Eskimo Indy is top dog there, greeting clients with a lick instead of coffee when they arrive.

“I think this could be a high stress, very high paced environment and it just kind of takes the edge off. For just people to go for walks over the course of the day and to sort of sit down and just pet the dog, there’s something about it which is just kind of gratifying and fun and we want to create a great work environment,” Founder and CEO Ophir Tanz told Reuters.

The dogs of GumGum are so beloved they even have their own Instagram page. Each pup has an employee photo with their name, owner and best traits listed below.

For example, Felicity is a boxer mix who belongs to COO & CFO, Phil Schraeder.

“Felicity is much more mature than most of the dogs at GumGum and can be found with her nose in a book or reading up on the latest industry news,” her post reads.

Dogs are a fashion statement at Tradesy, an online marketplace where you can “Sell anything from your closet — provided it’s in good condition — anytime, anywhere.”

The dogs are an accessory to their owners’ laps while they are busy on their laptops.

“Our employees love being able to bring their dogs to work and it benefits our business. Our employees work longer hours because they’ve got their furry friends here. In a startup environment where everyone is working hard and the work can be stressful, it’s really nice to have the ability to go pet a dog when you take a break,” CEO Tracy DiNunzio told Reuters.

Tech companies are not the only ones having a pet-friendly workplace. Los Angeles advertising agency 72andSunny even have their employee pups posing with famous movie stars for GQ Magazine. Peanut, the resident Chihuahua, became a model mutt in a recent suit campaign with Rob Lowe.

If you’re doubting the benefits of a pet-friendly workplace, there are scientific studies to support them coming to the job.

“Having these pooches around not only brings joy to our hearts, but also adds a certain relaxation to the office,” GumGum wrote on their website. “But don’t just take our word for it: Studies have shown that dogs elevate serotonin and dopamine levels, which actually create calmness. Plus, they’re really cute and we love seeing the look on our guests’ faces when they’re greeted by a friendly pup. Alright, enough with the cuteness.”