We Interviewed Dogs Who Use Our Coworking Spaces

31 March 2022

All of our Colony sites are dog-friendly, so we thought we'd give our four-legged friends a chance to have their say on what they like about coming to our coworking spaces.

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One good thing that came out of the pandemic was the amount of time we got to spend with our pets – much to their happiness! But what does the work-pet life balance look like as we slowly start to head back into the office?

At Colony, you don’t have to choose between working from home or leaving your precious pooch home alone. All of our spaces are pet friendly and bringing them into work is actively encouraged!

There are several proven benefits of having pets in the workplace: it reduces stress, and encourages breaks from our desks and screens, which in turn increases productivity. It also creates a less pressured and flexible working environment.

We asked our members, and most importantly their dogs, what they most enjoy about being able to bring their pet to work and what advice they would give to someone who may be considering it.

Hannah & Lola

Lola, 1. Chihuahua: “I own 51% of this company. I love coming into the office because my colleagues treat me like the absolute diva that I am. I have my own desk by mums’ feet, with a really comfy bed.

“There's something really satisfying about watching my colleagues work hard while I just sleep and do nothing all day. I'm a dog that prefers people, but only when I want attention! I love running to see my bestie Lucy (Colony Piccadilly co-ordinator) because she gives me great snuggles and tasty treats!”

Hannah: “It's wonderful bringing Lola into work with me because I don't have the worry and stress of doggy day care (and the expense!). It's the best thing in the world having your best pal by your side all day.

“I am a big believer that dogs enable better mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, which makes Colony such a wonderful working environment. Not to mention, the socialisation and confidence boost it's given Lola being around lots of people every day!”

Hannah & Bowie

Bowie, 1. Terrier: "I love coming to work. I roam around the office, getting endless pets and compliments (my ego is getting so big). I've made some good friends here. I've learned if I hassle Myles long enough, he feeds me Salmon. I like Angus too but for some reason, he calls me ‘Cinnamon Pup’… It's Bowie, b*tch."

Mike & Freddie

Freddie, 4. Whippet: “It’s great being able to be with my dad 24/7. I love the rug where I sleep most of the day. And I’ve managed to make lots of friends. Lucy is my favourite friend I’ve made at Colony.”

Mike: “Bringing Freddie to Colony gives me the opportunity to socialise him, with humans and with other dogs. It gives me peace of mind knowing that he’s well looked after and that I can monitor his wellbeing throughout the day. Plus, Colony members give him lots of attention if he wants it. Having dogs in a coworking space brings life to your workday. It encourages a lot of interaction, for both humans and dogs. And it gives me an excuse to get away from the screens and go for a walk to break up my day.”

Tom & Chai

Chai, 2. Labradoodle: “I love meeting all the people. I love people.”

Christos/Emma & Dotty

Dotty, 2. Whippet: “My favourite place to chill at Colony is on the sofa or next to my mum’s yoga mat. I am her assistant, although I often sleep on the job. The people at Colony are very nice to me and pleased to see me and I am always pleased to see them too, although I may not always appear to be, I promise I am!”

Emma: “Dot is a bit of a Colony site-hopper! She often joins her dad, Christos, at Piccadilly, where she is happy to chill by his desk and people watch. She also joins me at Jactin House where I teach yoga on a Monday evening, occasionally joining in with the odd downward dog…

Dotty is a very relaxed dog, but she likes being around people, so we love that we can bring her into Colony with us and we know that she has a relaxed, friendly environment to hang out in.”

Amy & Sid

Sid, 2. Lurcher: “I love being able to come into the space and sit under the table, overseeing all the important meetings that go on. I love meeting all the amazing people that come into Colony. And Freddie the whippet is my new best friend.”

Amy: “My favourite thing about bringing Sid into the office is that it makes life a whole lot easier. I don’t need to think about who’s going to look after him while I’m at work. He’s happy and well looked after.”

Rebecca & Percy

Percy, 10. Lhasa Apso & Jack Russell mix: "I love it!"

Rebecca: “After the Covid-19 pandemic, it feels inhumane to leave them at home alone. It’s much more socially acceptable to say hello to a dog than to a stranger.”

Interested? If you’re thinking about bringing your four-legged friend into one of our coworking spaces, here are a few tips from some of our dog owners for a successful induction:

Maintain good hygiene

We want to make sure our spaces are sanitary for both our human, and dog, members. Please make sure your pooch is toilet trained and any mess is cleaned up with urgency.

Make sure pet is well trained

We absolutely love hosting dogs in our spaces if they know play time can’t make up 100% of the day. If they’re happy lying under a desk and receiving occasionally belly rubs, they will be absolutely fine.

Introduce them slowly

We understand dogs get nervous just like us humans! If you’d like to introduce your dog into one of our spaces gradually, just let us know and we can let other dog owners know who may be in the space at the same time. Also don’t be afraid to tell other members if your dog is nervous and may not want to be touched. Boundaries are important and we will make sure they are respected wherever possible.

We post a lot of dog content on our Instagram and TikTok if you want to see more!

If you'd like to book a tour for you and your best friend just drop us an email at info@colonyco.work and one of our team will get back to you.