"The Giz" wakes at 6:00 am, by 7:30 she's out of the house, and after a 30-minute commute to work, starts her workday with a leisurely walk and a flurry of good morning salutations, before curling up to nap until lunchtime.

For Alexei, the best part of the day is break time, when he plays Frisbee in the company's parking lot. When his break is over, it's back to work, so he returns to snoozing under the desk, awakened only by an occasional interruption from a co-worker, to whom he raises only one tired eyelid and falls back to sleep.

A worker who is prone to sleeping on the job is not likely to win the "Employee of the Year" award, yet both "The Giz" and Alexei aren't about to change their ways. So how do they get away with it?

"The Giz" (short for Gizmo) and Alexei are dogs, beneficiaries of a pet-friendly policy at Wildfire Communications in Waltham, Massachusetts, one of several enlightened companies that allow employees to bring their dogs to work. As long as the dogs are on a leash, no one cares. To the dogs, it sure beats hanging out at the house all day barking at the mailman, as their owners bust their butts to "bring home the kibble."

While many humans complain of "working like a dog," today's four-legged friends are extolling its virtues, especially when contrasted with the hectic schedules of their working "human" counterparts. A day at the office is far more rewarding than a lonely, boring day home alone.

Ten-year old Basset Hound, Gizmo, perks up at the mere mention of "going to work," says her adoptive mother, Karolyn Blondin, a senior software engineer at Wildfire. “She gets excited the night before, and by morning she's anxiously sitting by the door eager to go.” When was the last time you felt so positive about going to work?

Isabelle Chopin, Wildfire's resident dog mother and expert, can attest to the joy the dogs receive from being at work.  Alexei, an eight-year old Golden Retriever, receives a hero's welcome every day as staff members call out "Alexeeeeeei!"  He greets "Cosmo" and "Clio," two regular staffers at Wildfire, with enthusiasm and exuberance as they share another workday. Could it get any better?

The notion of "dogs at work" is not new. In 1888, an abandoned and freezing mutt named "Owney" actually accompanied postal workers on their routes in Albany, New York, in gratitude for taking him in and nursing him back to health. With nine years of service under his collar, trekking up to 140,000 miles in Albany, and later across the country as the U.S. Postal Service mascot, Owney can lay legitimate claim to being the first "working dog."

In the years since, dogs have been trained to engage in work and make life easier in many ways. They help police officers catch criminals, find people lost in the woods and sniff out drugs and explosives. On September 11, 2001, search and rescue teams with special dogs worked around the clock to search for survivors and victims in the rubble of the World Trade Center-- a very dangerous job. Yet, the dogs were eager to do it.

Some working dogs act as eyes for blind people, ears for the hearing impaired, and helpers for the physically challenged. And then, of course, there was Sigmund Freud's faithful Chow Chow that used to sit in on analytical sessions, putting nervous patients at ease and sometimes alerting Freud to those subtle points that his less sensitive observational skills may have missed. Today, we're well aware of the wonders performed by therapy pets, whether speeding the recovery of seriously ill children or enhancing the quality-of-life for nursing home residents.

Now there's ample evidence that dogs have similar positive effects on workers in the workplace.

"There's something about pets that really brings people together," says Carol Moulton, former director of the American Humane Association.

Research continues to show that pets put people at ease, resulting in lower stress levels, happier, healthier employees, with more motivation, creativity and productivity -- all essential to success.

In a recent nationwide survey, the American Pet Products Manufacturer's Association (APPMA) found that having pets in the office created a more productive work environment among 73 percent of participating companies. Also of interest, 27 percent of the participating companies had a decreased absenteeism rate. All of the companies polled, 100 percent, agree that having pets in the workplace relaxes employees.

The most compelling reason to invite dogs into the workplace is that they make great work partners. They’re tight-lipped confidantes who don't partake of office gossip or company politics. They’re prepared to listen to your point of view over and over again without making judgment. They’re always glad to see you. As far as I can tell, their only weakness is a tendency toward occasional brown-nosing with their canine colleagues!

"Kersee," vice president of Canine Communications at The Iams Co., greets visitors in the lobby of the company's headquarters with a firm paw-shake. Other times, she participates in product research and testing by sampling Eukanuba and Iams pet products. Its all part of her job description -- and she executes it perfectly.

Back at Wildfire Communications, Alexei's job responsibilities aren't as clearly delineated, observes Isabelle Chopin. Although he comprehends commands in both English and French -- and has upgraded his skills from "wf5.0" to "wf6.0" (Wildfire technospeak for WOOF) -- Alexei can overextend himself into areas that are outside his area of responsibility. Recently, someone left a platter of sandwiches unattended, at eye level.  Alexei "retrieved" them, most certainly assuming that as a Golden Retriever, that was his job.  Oh well, every dog has his day.

On the plus side, Alexei gives much more than he takes. It’s hard to look at him without smiling. Everything is new, everything is exciting, everything is fun. In the words of 17th century poet and writer Samuel Butler, "the greatest pleasure of a dog is that you can make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you, but he'll make a fool of himself too.” Try getting that kind of support from your boss!

Matt Weinstein, co-author of "Work Like Your Dog," writes, "Dogs are great models for us to emulate in our own work lives. Dogs approach their lives not only with dedication, loyalty, discipline, sensitivity and love, but also with joy, enthusiasm, and a willingness to see their work as play."

Weinstein, along with co-author Luke Barber, outlines 50 ways to work less, play more and earn more. Their monthly newsletter, "Bow-Wow," continues to spout the "wisdom of the working dog" for those who need to be reminded to take time to play.

Of course, nothing in life is perfect and, as you might suspect, animals and humans working blissfully and productively side-by-side presents its share of problems.

Co-workers may have allergies to animals, and pets tracking in dirt or shedding fur can be a problem in laboratory, hospital and clinical environments. Although dogs don't stab each other in the backs (as people sometimes do), doggie disputes can take an unpleasantly physical form. And, certainly, liability for dogs biting human co-workers can be costly.

Because of this, a "dog-at-work" policy, with clear rules and guidelines, is necessary. But the rules can be pretty simple and should be part of a dog's life anyway. Most policies require that the dog be at least four months old, completely inoculated and flea-free, and of course, housebroken. The dog must display good canine skills, responding consistently and quickly to basic commands like "down," "sit" and "stay.” And a strict outdoor "pooper-scooper" law is an absolute necessity to maintain harmonious relations among two-legged co-workers.

The payback, however, is enormous. Hugging a dog when you're having a rotten day is better than downing six beers and barking at your spouse or partner. It’s instant stress relief. Your state of mind improves just by looking at your dog. Try it and you'll see what I mean!

In fact, as I write this article, I'm stressed by an already overdue deadline on an already overburdened "to-do" list. I’ve been "working like a dog" to get this written. But at my side is my most trusted assistant, "J.P.," a nine-year-old Springer Spaniel, continually reminding me that I'm the "center of the universe. “I only hope my editor thinks so too!  

© 2002, Career Planning and Management, Inc., Boston, MA.  All rights reserved.