Top New Zealand Office Dogs Crowned

Three Auckland dogs have been named the country’s best canine companions in the workplace, in a year in which four-legged friends were credited with saving the sanity of some workers.

The annual Top Office Dog, run by Frog Recruitment, selected three winners from a pool of more than 240 dogs.

Jagger, a rescue dog who “works” at Chained Dog Rehabilitation and Rehoming in Birkdale, was crowned the best dog in the office.

The results were released in a Zoom call attended by nearly 50 dogs.

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“Jagger is a vital member of the staff; a foster brother to the trapped, abandoned and abused dogs that come to the rescue center, ”said Shannon Barlow, managing director of Frog Recruitment.

“He’s calm, patient, and very tolerant even when they growl at him because they don’t know any better. She sleeps with them and helps them understand that they are okay now and there is nothing to fear. His understanding of what these dogs need is like nothing we’ve ever seen, and his work in this rescue, while difficult, is something he loves to do. “

Wren, a working mobility dog ​​and his owner’s companion, was named “best dog with a job.”

“Wren’s owner, Claudia, is permanently in a wheelchair and in 2018, during her senior year of high school, she was paired with Wren. Wren helps her physically, like picking up things, opening doors, pressing the ‘walk’ button, barking when she needs help, and more, ”said Barlow.

People’s choice was Mino, a Maltese toy poodle cross chihuahua who lives in an Auckland apartment, has his own Instagram account and “works” at home.

Mino’s owner said he got Mino after the first lockdown, when he went through a three-week confrontation with his employer, Air New Zealand.

“It was a really difficult time and during March and April my mental health was severely affected. Having Mino really helped my stress levels during that time and I felt more energetic having him around me. Then Air New Zealand restructured and I was able to secure a two-day-a-week position working from home with Mino by my side. I think it was my lucky charm! He’s fantastic support and the sweetest guy. “

Barlow said research had shown that having dogs at work improved employees’ mental health.

“When workers were forced to work from home through the Covid-19 lockdown, adjusting to an ever-changing work environment was stressful. Our research found a sharp increase in employee burnout, with more than 64 percent feeling more burned out at work than before closing. But there’s plenty of research to highlight the impressive impact a four-legged friend can have on the well-being in the workplace and, more recently, the mental health of the WFH workforce.

“Dogs in the office or home office help their owners and colleagues by providing benefits that include improving morale, reducing absenteeism and stress-related illness, and helping to improve the mental health of employees.”