Learn how to make taking your dog to work a great experience for everyone!

This course helps employees with dogs earn certification to participate in their employer’s bring your dog to work program. Employees with dogs learn dog bite prevention, reward based dog training, responsible dog ownership at work, containment in the office, tools and dog handling equipment to make having your dog at work easier, understanding dog body language, knowing when your dog is stressed, and teaching people how to meet your dog the safe way. Included are several basic reward based dog training exercises to help your dog listen in the workplace.  Find out the policies and procedures your company needs to make dogs in the workplace a pleasant, safe experience for everyone.

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Dogs In The Workplace™ For Employees is a one hour online course that guides dog owners who want to bring their pet to work, through best practices and general policies for participating in a Dogs In The Workplace™ program.

The Employee course covers must haves for their dog’s space in the office, proper dog handling equipment, dog body language signs to know when their dog is stressed, and health requirements. This course also comes with online dog training exercises to teach your dog several attention games and basic commands, to help your dog learn to behave in the workplace. Each employee must complete the course and pass the online quiz offered to become certified in Dogs In The Workplace™ Safety.

Reduce the risk of dog bites and unhappy employees in your workplace. This course is 100% online and self-paced, which allows each participant to start and stop at any time, as often as necessary, to accommodate their busy schedules. Developed by dog training, dog bite prevention, and insurance experts.

This course engages employees and verifies an understanding of the material by using interactive features, such as:

  • Objectives
  • Define a successful dogs in the workplace program
  • Covers space management and containment
  • Recommended equipment and dog handling tools
  • Pet proofing your office space
  • Teaching people how to safely meet your dog
  • How to be your dog’s advocate in the workplace
  • Dog body language
  • Knowing when your dog is stressed and it’s time to go home
  • Identifies what is and is not appropriate conduct in the workplace
  • Generates a certificate of completion and certifies the learner as Dogs In The Workplace™ Compliant and Workplace Ready
  • Basic training and attention games to practice with your dog

What is the true cost of a dog bite?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 4.5 million dog bites occur each year. Sadly, any dog can bite and many people do not know how to recognize an impending bite incident and have no idea how to actively minimize a bite. According to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) and State Farm, dog bites and dog-related injuries accounted for more than one third of all homeowners liability claim dollars paid out in 2017, costing almost $700 million. The average cost paid out for dog bite claims was $37,051 in 2017. That’s up 93.4% from 2003.

But dog bites and dog-related injuries are even more costly to businesses. The US Postal Service alone had more than 6,200 employees suffer from dog bites in 2017. A Commercial General Liability policy will cover the associated costs with dog bites for business owners, but generally will not cover the costs associated with reputational damages, such as crisis communication efforts to combat negative media attention. If a dog bite happens on a business property, a lawsuit can almost always be expected. The largest dog bite settlement in state history occurred in Illinois in 2013, for a whopping $1.1 million. A dog bite for a business goes beyond just the insurance claim. Time off, sick leave, a disruption to the workplace environment, medical treatments, etc. stack up to tens of thousands of dollars for a single dog bite.

Educate your work force and provide dog bite prevention training as part of a comprehensive dogs in the workplace program, to make sure your workplace is dog safe.

Course Curriculum

Dogs In The Workplace for Employees With Dogs

Your Instructors

Kim Merritt Butler - Good Dog in a Box

Kim Merritt

Kim Merritt is the co-founder of Good Dog in a Box, a dog products and training company that focuses on reward based dog training, dog bite prevention, and humane education. She is the co-creator of the Dog Smart Card Game teaching dog bite prevention through the use of dog body language and she co-wrote the “Reach And Teach Humane Education” curriculum, used around the world to teach elementary school aged children how to be safe around dogs and be responsible pet owners.

She is also a professional speaker and trainer with more than 30 years of experience in breaking down complex ideas into entertaining and easy to understand concepts for business use. Kim has been the principle creative director at her boutique online marketing and e-learning agency where she specializes in creating online e-learning content for companies to successfully teach via the internet. Kim speaks and trains annually at America’s Small Business Development Center conferences and for SBDC’s around the country.

Beth DeLaForest

Beth DeLaForest has spent her career combining her passions of dog advocacy and insurance. She is the owner of the Aspire Insurance Group, a full service Independent Insurance Agency licensed in MN and WI, and Doggone Insurance, a one stop shop for animal liability insurance, breed friendly homeowners insurance, and home insurance after a liability claim. Beth has been in the insurance industry for more than eighteen years. In addition, she has spent more than two decades advocating for Pit Bull and Rottweilers, among other marginalized dog breeds.

In 2005, Beth started the Dog Safety Program which educates children about dog safety and in 2009, worked on the dangerous dog law in MN, to create a responsible dog owner bill. She is an authority on dog insurance and liability issues and speaks around the country on topics related to those subjects.

Top 5 Reasons You Need This Course:

  • 1. Insurance Loss

    One dog related insurance claim against your company and you could lose your insurance.

  • 2. It Sends The Right Message

    A dogs in the workplace program sends a strong message from the top that animals are important and you value your employees and their connection to their furry family members.

  • 3. Strengthens Your Workplace Culture

    Allowing employees to bring their dogs to work with them motivates your team members to act responsibly and gives them a sense of pride and connection to their employer.

  • 4. Increases Awareness of Acceptable and Unacceptable Behavior

    Employees know what’s expected of them and their dog at work. Promotes responsible dog ownership.

  • 5. Minimizes the Risk of Dog Bites

    The ability to recognize dog body language, the proper way to meet a dog, and identifying dog stress helps all employees be safer around dogs.

Training is one of the most effective and efficient ways to raise awareness of the different types of unacceptable behavior – from the obvious to the subtle – and remove all uncertainty about what is and what isn’t appropriate in the workplace.

Have Dozens or Hundreds of Students? No Problem!

We offer discounted pricing for corporate clients and non-profits with multiple students. Please contact us directly for more information and pricing at kimbutler@gooddoginabox.com or by calling 814-243-3023. We’d be happy to discuss training options with you.

Would your business like more information about Dogs In The Workplace™ training?

Please fill out the form below and we’ll contact you with information about our training program.