Who doesn’t want to make themselves more at home at the office? We spend a lot of time there and there is nothing wrong in making it more homey for ourselves. But you wouldn’t want your colleagues to make themselves too much at home at the office. My office mates wouldn’t want me to keep my pet tarantula at the office. That’s why I had a sweet and short answer to Bob’s question:
Can I have a dog at the office?
Dear Bob,
No.
Yours truly
The Sassy Scientist
PS: My editor asked me to elaborate a bit. I told them no. They bribed me with free food. I told them yes. So, here we go.
Bob, Bob, Bob…don’t keep your dog at the office. What are you, a Bond villain? Do you feel the need to welcome colleagues in your office while stroking your pet in your lap? Do you plan on releasing your hound on your supervisor? Well…I suppose you are a scientist, so that makes you at least a Bond antagonist. Still. Don’ keep your dog at the office.
PPS: Apparently some of you might enjoy looking like Bond villains, so I was asked to elaborate even more. Fine!
Not everyone likes dogs. They bark. They bite. They poo. They pee. And please don’t be one of those “But my dog is really good! It doesn’t bark and it doesn’t bite.” people. That is never (never ever) a good reply. Dog owners have told me that while their ‘very well behaved’, oversized pets barked and growled at me, clearly eager to bite a chunk of meat off my tasty calf.
And what if you need to leave the office? Will you ask your office mates to look after your per while you are gone? I again speak from personal experience here. What will they do if your dog suddenly feels the urge of going number one or number two right there and then? So, please, don’t keep your dog at the office.
PPPS: I can think of other arguments. Your office mates might be allergic to dogs. Or if others follow your lead and more dogs show up at the office they might start barking at each other. But you get the gist of it by now. Do not keep your dog at the office!
