Warning: this article may invoke intense feelings of jealousy.
Welcome to Kurgo, a company that has one of the dog-friendliest offices out there!
This dog supply manufacturer, owned by brothers Kitter and Gordie Spater, is based in Salisbury, Massachusetts. The company designs and sells toys and gear for outdoorsy, adventurous pups and their owners.
“We try to model our brand off brands like L.L. Bean and Patagonia, but for the pet industry…We want to gain customers for a lifetime,” said Gordie Spater in a Boston.com article. The company even has a lifetime guarantee on all its products, except (understandably) for toys.
Almost the entirety of the staff has dogs, who are encouraged to tag along on their owners’ shifts. Sometimes, the pooches are even put to work–as product testers. “We get a lot of inspiration looking at our own dogs and our problems,” said Kitter Spater in the article.
The industrial-inspired office includes patches of turf for playing, Adirondack chairs for lounging, and refrigerators for (people and pup) snacking. There’s even a couple pieces of playground equipment for added fun, like a springing rocking horse and a slide that’s wide enough for doggies!
Aside from taking breaks for pooch-petting during the day, the employees often leash up their pups for a lunchtime stroll. As a company who sells gear for active canines and their companions, Kurgo encourages employees to enjoy the great outdoors.
Aside from practicing what they preach, the Spaters know that inviting dogs into the office is awesome for morale. “Any job can be stressful at times, but having dogs around gives us a release…Taking our dogs for a walk at lunch, or just giving them a scratch is a pausing point…like if you’re having a serious conversation and the dogs are doing something goofy. It makes everything a little less serious,” Gordie Spater said in the Boston.com story.
We think that all companies should consider allowing dogs in the office *hint, hint.*
Thanks to the folks at Kurgo for lending us pictures to share a peek into their office!
