More and more Danish workplaces are considering making room for a four-legged colleague. An office dog can reduce stress, build social bonds and make the working day a little happier – but it requires that you have the rules sorted out before the dog gets its own basket by the desk. In this guide you'll get an overview of the benefits, what the law says, and a simple policy you can put to use right away. And if you see the dog as part of a broader effort to boost wellbeing and togetherness, it works nicely alongside your other teambuilding activities.
An office dog is quite simply a dog that comes along to work during the day. In some places it's a permanent arrangement, where one or more employees bring their dog every day. In others it's a trial a couple of days a week. For some it's a single dog; in larger offices it can be several. What they all have in common is that the arrangement works best when it's agreed in advance – not something that just appears one Monday morning.
Interest has grown as many people got a dog during the years of more working from home. When offices reopened, quite a few employees were left with a question: what do we do with the dog during the day? For the workplace, the answer isn't just practical – it's also about wellbeing, retention and being an attractive place to work.
A dog at the office is more than just a bit of fun. There are several concrete gains when the setup is right:
An example: A small agency let an employee bring their labrador two days a week. After a month, the short walks had become a regular breather where people from different teams caught up on both tasks and weekend plans. The dog became an occasion to meet – not a distraction.
In short: fresh air, less stress and more wellbeing. That's a good cocktail for most offices.
Whether you call it an office dog, a dog-at-work scheme or just a dog at the office, the question is the same: are you allowed to? Here's the short version.
There is no specific Danish law that bans dogs at the office. At the same time, it isn't a right either. The decision rests with the employer, and it has to be made within the framework of the Working Environment Act. The law requires that the workplace is safe and healthy for everyone – both physically and mentally.
In practice, that means you need to take account of:
If an employee needs a guide dog or another service dog in order to do their job, different rules apply. In that case the dog is always welcome.
As the employer, you're the one who makes the decision – and the one responsible for making sure the working environment is in order afterwards. If an employee experiences problems, for example, allergic reactions, you have to act on it. That's why a clear agreement from the start is worth its weight in gold, which brings us to the policy.
In short, the answer to "are dogs allowed at the office?" is usually yes – provided you've talked it through and written a simple policy that everyone knows.
A policy sounds more elaborate than it needs to be. Half a page is often enough. The most important thing is that expectations are clear before the dog shows up. Use this template as a starting point:
Write it down somewhere everyone can find it – for example in the staff handbook or on the intranet. And discuss the policy with the whole team before it takes effect. It's often the colleagues you hadn't thought of who have the most important input – and involving people creates a sense of security from the start.
Not all dogs thrive in an office, and that's perfectly fine. Before the dog becomes a regular part of everyday life, it should:
If the dog is young or very active, a busy office can be too much. In that case it's better to wait – for the sake of both the dog and your colleagues.
Everything takes getting used to – including a dog at the office. Take it in small steps:
A little tip: Try starting on a Friday, when there are often fewer meetings and a slower pace. That way both the dog and the team get a gentle start to the arrangement.
An office dog is one of the informal ways to strengthen togetherness. It does something good for the mood every single day, without requiring any planning. But it can't stand alone. If you want to build wellbeing and relationships more deliberately, it makes sense to combine the daily feel-good factor with planned activities that involve the whole team – whether or not they're dog people. Think of the dog as the seasoning and the shared activities as the meal itself. Both pull in the same direction: an office people actually want to come in to.
Is it legal to have a dog at the office? Yes. There is no Danish law that bans dogs at the office, but it's the employer who decides. The decision must stay within the Working Environment Act and take account of things like allergies, unease and any food regulations.
Are dogs allowed at the office if a colleague is allergic? It depends on your working environment. You have a duty to ensure a healthy working environment for everyone, so if there are people with allergies, you have to find a solution – for example fixed dog-free zones – or drop the arrangement.
What requirements must an office dog meet? The dog must be healthy, vaccinated, insured and sociable. It has to be able to stay calm during the day and be comfortable around people.
Can an office dog replace teambuilding? No. An office dog lifts the daily mood, but it doesn't replace shared activities where the whole team builds relationships together. The two complement each other.
An office dog is rarely a big decision – but it's a good one when the benefits and the rules have been thought through. Talk to the team, write a simple policy, and start with a small trial. That way you'll quickly find out whether a dog is right for your particular workplace.
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