Dogs lead people to behave better. Should we have more of them at work?

I have the world’s best dog. I know, I know, you say that about yours too, but this one, our fifth family dog, is remarkable. And what she brings out in others is even more interesting. I am about ready to argue for more (well behaved) dogs in workplaces, partly because of good manners they elicit.

Matisse and I became “a therapy dog team” last year. We visit a local hospital, memory care units, schools and libraries. At the hospital, we visit various units, from pediatrics and maternity, to surgery recovery, ICU and the emergency department. We visit with patients and families but also with (probably more) staff members each week. The ER head nurse sends a radio call out when we arrive:

“Matisse is here. Who needs some dog therapy?”

Some days 20 people show up.

Matisse knows when she’s “on duty” and remains calm in all of the visits, sensing who might need a little extra “dog love,” and who might be happy with her just sitting for few minutes. But what has amazed me is how the dog seems to bring out the best in people.

We always ask the nurses on a given floor who needs a visit. Sometimes they’ll say, “The man in that room is really grumpy today. Misses his own dog a lot so it might upset him to see yours, but you could try.”

Or, “The child over there has been crying solid for an hour. You might see if her parents need the dog, even if she doesn’t.”

So I knock on the door and ask if people would like a therapy dog visit.

The grumpy man says, “Oh yes.” And as we walk in, he smiles at the dog, sits up straighter and reaches out his hand. Grumpy-ness be gone. We sit for 10 minutes and he tells Matisse and me all about his dog. As we leave, he seems relaxed.

The weeping child, a 2-year-old, stops crying immediately when we walk in and scooches up on the bed to see the dog. Her parents pet Matisse. I give the child a “business card” with the dog’s photo and small bio, and again, we sit together for a few minutes in a no-cry zone.

As we leave, I say, “If you need to be happy, look at Matisse’s picture.” The child nods and studies the photo.

With the dog there, people tend to be on good behavior, and, for a few minutes can forget (I hope) their ailments. They smile, stroke the dog, and tell about their own pets.

It’s good for them, it’s a “spa day” for the dog with all of the “massages,” and it makes me happy that we can bring a few minutes of calm(er) sense to people who really don’t want to be where they are.

Are good dogs are a secret to good behavior? Maybe we do need more of them at work.

Nancy Napier is a Boise State University distinguished professor. nnapier@boisestate.edu