Dog days in the office: Why more people are looking for their furry supervisors to join them at work

Dogs are becoming increasingly welcome in public spaces - including workspaces. Jonathan de Burca Butler meets a variety of people who bring their best friend to the office

Pictured at the Host Office in Dublin is Breffni O’Dwyer, Deputy Managing Director, with her dog Sadie (blonde).

Stephen Neenan has always been around dogs. When he was only a slip of a lad, he would spend hours mucking around with his collie and labrador on the family farm in West Cork. 

When those long summer evenings came to an end, he would say goodnight to them and head into the warmth of his house as they settled into their less salubrious sleeping quarters in a bockety old shed.

“Those poor dogs weren’t even allowed in the house,” recalls the 58-year-old.  “Duke takes over the whole house when he can. He’ll sleep on couches, on beds, wherever he can find.” 

Duke is Stephen’s four-year-old beagle-terrier cross. Like all good dogs, he has become a cornerstone of the family since his somewhat unexpected arrival.

“He was a kind of semi-rescue,” says Stephen. “We got him when he was only a puppy. His owner passed away young, unfortunately, and we knew someone related to them. They knew we were on the lookout for a dog so he ended up with us. He’s relatively small and very social and he’s happy 99% of the time.”

Stephen Neenan and his dog Duke, at Culture Co-Working. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Stephen builds software solutions to put bread on the table and food in Duke’s bowl. He has worked with some of the biggest names in tech and has managed to carve out a niche that allows him to work from wherever he wants most of the time.

Five years ago, he joined the co-working space Culture Co-Working. Its location on the Marina in Cork is a 10-minute stroll from his house and offers him a definitive working space away from home. He often brings an important part of that home to work.

“If I’m not on-site with clients, I bring Duke down to the office at least one or two mornings a week,” says Stephen. 

“When I brought him the first time, it was a quiet day. I just tried it out to see what happened. After that, people were asking where he was so I had to bring him down nearly every day.

"Because he’s very social — he’s a bit like my teenage son — he goes a bit stir-crazy when he’s asked to stay in one place. There are a lot of frowns when I don’t show up with Duke. He’s good-natured, he’ll go over to you, get a few cuddles, and then quite happily lie at your feet for a few hours. He’s well trained. They love him down there. They’re more excited about seeing Duke than they are seeing me.”

Andrew Whitaker, Culture Co-Working with Duke and Stephen Neenan. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Culture Co-Working founder and manager Andrew Whitaker agrees that the mood lifts significantly when dogs show up at work.

“I think the policy ties into that community element, which is what co-working is all about,” says the 43-year-old. 

“Lots of our members come in here to meet people. Many of them work alone and can feel a little isolated at times. When they come in and see a dog, their faces light up. I think it brings a bit of lightness to the pressures we’re all under.

“It’s a great icebreaker too. If you’re new, you can talk to the owner about the dog, or the dog might come over to you to welcome you aboard.”

Culture Co-Working’s policy around dogs and pets grew organically, starting as requests from members, which then turned into a trial and, after covid, part of the space’s offering.

“When the first requests came in, we had a couple of reservations about it,” says Andrew. 

“We weren’t sure if it was the look we wanted and then, of course, you’re worrying if they’ll bark or do something on the carpet and disturb the members. But we tried it and it worked and it’s been really positive.”

So has there ever been a problem?

“We had two dachshunds here for a long time,” says Stephen. “Their owner has since moved to Manchester, unfortunately. We really miss all of them. But there was one incident when one of the dachshunds ate someone’s sandwich out of their bag. That was about the worst we’ve had. The owner of the sandwich was reimbursed and was cool about it.

“To be honest, we always let everyone know about the policy and always check to make sure that everyone is OK with dogs in terms of allergies or just a slight fear. So far, everyone loves dogs. It’s just great to see pets here. It’s relaxing having them around.”

Brenda Rickard has long advocated the soothing health benefits of dogs. In her work as CEO of Irish Therapy Dogs, she often sees miraculous transformations when people come into contact with man’s best friend.

“Dogs are so good for us,” she says. “They give unconditional love, no matter what you’re like or what you look like. They’re non-judgemental, and people pet them and feel good and relaxed.

“We go into all sorts of care facilities, from hospitals to hospices and nursing homes to mental health facilities, and the reaction is incredible. People who are non-verbal or who don’t get involved in anything change as soon as the dog arrives. Their whole body language changes and they smile and, for staff, it makes a huge difference too.

“Even people who aren’t so keen on dogs, when they see them interacting with others, they relax and come around big time. They’re so special and they’re so different from people. Everyone needs a hug and love and dogs give that.”

Since helping to found Irish Therapy Dogs in 2008, Brenda has noticed a shift in our attitudes towards our furry companions.

“There has been a change in terms of dogs in public spaces,” she says, “but it needs to change a bit more. Ireland isn’t as great as some countries in terms of access to restaurants and shopping centres and the like. We’re improving but we have a bit to go.”

Suzanne Fowler with Jessie and Rosie.

One person who has been pushing the envelope in the shopping centre sphere is Suzanne Fowler. The Dubliner recently opened a pop-up version of her highly successful online beauty brand, 14 Day Mani, in Dundrum Shopping Centre and, as part of her marketing strategy, she deploys the talents of her four-year-old poodle cross Rosie.

“The little one is out the door ahead of me when we go off to work in the morning,” says the entrepreneur. “She’s become a mascot in the shop. You find a lot of people come in to the dog and it just makes them so happy. I think you see the doggy people straight away and they can’t resist giving her a pet.

“I don’t know if she brings in business but it brings smiles to people’s faces and she’s been involved in a lot of TikTok and Insta reels and has become a big part of it. The videos with her in it go crazy. I love having her there.”

Suzanne has two dogs. While Rosie is busy doing social media posts, Jessie, a 10-year-old dalmatian nicknamed the horse, stays at home with Suzanne’s daughter and “goes on brisk walks around the head of Howth”.

“I’ve always had dogs,” says Suzanne. “I think I had five at one stage from the streets. They were either injured or blind in one eye or had wonky legs or something. Rosie was unplanned. She was bought for my mum but she sprained her wrist and couldn’t look after her. I said I’d mind her for a few days but she never went back and has taken over the house.

“I’d feel awful leaving them at home on their own, to be honest. When you’re at work, you’re under pressure to go home and you’re always thinking of them. At least when they’re with you, you can hang on that bit longer if you need to and you don’t feel so bad.”

Pictured at the Host Office in Dublin is Órla Dukes, Director, and her dog Tabby.

A recent Dogs Trust Ireland survey found that 96% of dog owners want to see more dog-friendly businesses like Suzanne’s. While that might not come as a surprise, the survey also found that the vast majority of non-dog owners agreed, with 86% saying they would like to see the same. 

The figures were similarly high when people were asked about their place of work, with 88% of dog owners saying they would like their office to welcome dogs, while 81% of people who did not have a dog agreed.

One workplace that has long rubbed the belly of a dog-friendly policy is Host PR, a specialist publicity company for the food and restaurant trade with offices in Cork and Dublin.

“The founder of the company, Tim Magee, had a beautiful dog named Bishop,” says Breffni O’Dwyer, deputy managing director.

“Tim lives in Youghal but, when he came up to Dublin, he’d always bring Bishop with him into the office. He was a red setter-lab mix. He has since passed but he was an absolute diamond of a dog. So really we’ve been a dog-friendly workplace since the get-go. Quite a lot of us on the team have dogs. ”

Pictured at the Host Office in Dublin is Breffni O’Dwyer, Deputy Managing Director, with her dog Sadie (blonde).

That includes Breffni, who had to bring her cockapoo Sadie to work in a bag on the bus until she was big enough to walk from their home on the North Strand. 

In 2021, Sadie was joined by Cooper, and the motley crew of three are quite the cute sight as they make their way through town and over to the offices near the George’s St Market Arcade.

“We got Sadie from a friend of mine who had some pups about eight years ago and Cooper came from Wicklow Animal Rescue,” says Breffni. “We don’t know what he is, some sort of water spaniel, I’d say. He dries out in about two minutes. But he’s a dote.

“It takes us about half an hour to get across town so it’s a good stretch. You get plenty of exercise. One of the things about having dogs in the office is that it makes you get up from your desk at lunchtime, get out, and actually take a break because they need to be walked.”

Host PR are always sure to let prospective hires know they are a dog-friendly workspace, as well as any media or clients stopping by their offices in the heart of town. 

In almost 12 years working for the company, Breffni recalls only one request that the dogs not be there, and that was for someone who had a severe allergy. In the main, they are seen as a warm and welcoming addition to the office.

“I think dogs calm everything down,” she says, “particularly in an office setting. They’re never stressed about deadlines or needing to get something done. They’re always glad to see you, and I don’t think you can be in a bad mood around a dog. They’re such a positive energy.”