Today is Take Your Dog to Work Day, as I learned from the Mental Floss e-newsletter. Launched in 1999, the day celebrates “the great companions dogs make” and encourages adoption from humane societies, animal shelter and breed rescue clubs.
We didn’t adopt Jake, our resident dog, from the local shelter. We did visit the shelter, and it just about broke my heart to see the animals waiting for a “forever” home. But we were looking for our first dog, and I thought it more likely dogs from a shelter would have “issues” — behavioural problems I didn’t feel equipped to handle.
Little did I know that dogs, like people, come with their own personalities and issues, which you have to deal with anyway. I’ve done some volunteer work this year for my local Humane Society, and that inside look has convinced me that adopting from a shelter is a good thing.
But back to this special day, which for Jake is every day. In fact, the main reason we even have a dog is that I have a home office; that, along with the pleadings of two (then) small boys! Jake’s job is to make sure I get out and walk each day, rain or shine. He makes sure I stop working at a decent hour (his supper time). He also thinks his job is to bark at people who have the nerve to walk past our house. While sometimes this is annoying, there have been break-ins in the neighbourhood, and I have to think a vocal dog helps deter random crime.
So here’s to Jake and all the other dogs out there busy rounding out family life. Happy Take Your Dog to Work Day!