Dear Joyce: I have a well-behaved dog I want to bring to my job in a modest-sized office of 12 people. I'm feeling guilty about leaving her at home all day long. Can you help me marshal my arguments to do this? -- C.D.

Dear C.D.: My bias is that I have always taken my dog to work -- but it's my office. So I can't readily think of objections. Others can.

Draw insight as to what you face in making your request by reading these words from human resource (HR) managers who went online recently to discuss the issue on a professional resource, the "Electronic Recruiting Forum Digest." These excerpts are an abstract of about 20 viewpoints, only one of which was a non-negotiable "no."

• I would treat the dog situation as if it were secondhand smoke. Animals in the office are not professional or sanitary. They distract attention from what these highly paid folks are there for, namely work.
• Ask people with allergies to dogs. They're used to dealing with their allergies in a world of pets and don't want to be the killjoys over the office mascot. It can be as simple as an air filter or doggy gate on their cube.
• There are companies that allow dogs and limit pet access around conference rooms and other gathering spots.
• Consider a weekly pet day with a rotating schedule so there aren't more dogs than people in the office on any given day. I occasionally bring my puppy to work. Employees stop in when they need a little break, and the puppy brings a smile to their faces. He doesn't bark or run around the office.
• If co-workers don't object, what could the real harm be? Barking in the background on the phone? The possibility of chew damage in the office? If co-workers object, pooches will have to stay home. I find that people respond very well to making policy and working it out among themselves.
• I disagree with the notion that pets and the workplace do not mix. Many people bond deeply with their pets and truly feel guilty about leaving them alone all day. Any steps you take to make people happy on the job will pay back in multiples.
• In this era, no firm can really afford to rest on outdated ideas about the boundaries between home and work, family and co-workers, and all the stiff rules that define and divide the workers from the owners.
• Conduct a short survey to see if there is an interest in bringing pets to the office. Ask: Do you have a pet, what is it, do you have allergies, is the pet trained, etc. This provides you with facts you need to present to management for approval.
• Contact your facility department to ask about pet restrictions in the lease. Contact your legal counsel to ask about liability issues -- you don't want an employee suing because their Chihuahua was a happy meal for a Labrador. Employees may have to sign waivers. Then rent "Turner and Hooch" with Tom Hanks and have a company pet show in the parking lot on a Saturday.
• I'm one of those allergic types, and if we were to change the office landscape because of something that affected the health of even one person, I would have to ask all of our employees to stop wearing cologne and perfume. On the other hand, I've met pets who are truly family members. From an allergy or personal-preference perspective, I don't see much difference.
• It would be a great PR opportunity for the company to not only allow it but to publicize the fact. Might make a difference in attracting candidates.
• Concerning furry animals in the workplace -- come on, we already have hiring managers! They beg when they want something, bark if they don't get it right away, need to be trained and retrained and still mess up the paper(work) and play dead when you need an answer.

All the HR managers who made comments agreed that it's OK to bring a seeing eye or canine companion dog to work.

E-mail career questions for possible use in this column to Joyce Lain Kennedy at jlk@sunfeatures.com.

© 2000, Los Angeles Times Syndicate