Take Your Dog to Work Day
In 1999, Pet Sitters International founded the first Take Your Dog to Work Day in the U.S. to emphasize the importance of the human-animal bond and to encourage employees without pets to rescue and adopt a furry friend from a shelter or rescue program. This year, Take Your Dog to Work Day will be recognized on Friday, June 23.
DutchCrafters is a pet friendly workplace, with wagging tails making their way through the office on a regular basis. Our pets are part of the company family, but make no doubt about it, we put them to work.
Here we tap into the workings of the FPT (Furry Paws Team) through personal interviews.
Name: Bela Gingerich
Breed: Maltese/Bichon Frise
Nickname: Bela Boo or Sweet Pea
Age: 2 years, 2 months
Job title: Human Resources
Job responsibilities: Visiting with employees, listening, being playful, alerting teams to visitors, exhibiting a maximum dose of cute factor.
Describe your personality: Bubbly, sweet and playful but sometimes timid.
What’s your favorite hobby? Carrying my leash handle in my mouth or twisting my body into interesting contortions while I sleep.
What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning? Stretching and then going to say “Good Morning” to Daddy.
What kind of pet would you have as a friend and why? I have a pet friend – a cockatiel named Sidni. He doesn’t like me very much but I like him because he sometimes drops food that I can eat.
What inspires you? Crunchy chicken treats
Leash or stroller? Leash. I have too much energy to sit in a stroller.
What is your favorite word? Sit, because a treat often comes with that word.
What are your best features? Besides being super cute, I love nearly everybody, and get very excited to greet people, which I believe goes well with the work I do at JMX.
Any exciting news or message that you’d like to share? I love coming to work with Mommy and seeing all of my work friends. I may nap more than the other staff but I still think I contribute a lot to the company.
Name: Patrick Meldman
Breed: Shih Tzu
Nickname: Patty
Age: 4 going on 40
Job title: Furniture Model
Job responsibilities: Posing next to solid wood Amish furniture. I only work with the finest. Any hopeful candidates should know a modest amount of movement is required for this position.
Describe your personality: Sassy with a dash of serious.
Favorite hobby: Taking long strolls where I can ponder my pensive curiosities.
What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up? Which bed I should relocate to.
What kind of pet would you have as a friend and why? Definitely Bela in Human Resources. Even I can admit that she’s just so sweet.
What inspires you? Greenies
Leash or stroller? I’m pretty independent. Leash if I must, but I prefer to wander freely.
What is your favorite word? Spunky
What are your best features? Probably my large, endearing eyes. My stares are often compared to the cat from Shrek 2. I could outstare him easily——if I wanted to.
Any exciting news or message you’d like to share? Bring Your Pet to Work Day is fantastic, but more businesses should consider being pet-friendly year-round like DutchCrafters. What if I’m not in the mood for work on Bring Your Pet to Work Day?
Name: Rose Rice
Breed: Dwarf Bunny
Nickname: Rosie
Age: 5
Job title: Security
Job responsibilities: Staring. Sitting among fine Amish furniture. Lots of staring.
Describe your personality: Quiet and patient, super playful when I’m not working.
Favorite hobby: Creative hopping – I consider myself a dancer by nature.
What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up? Sliced bananas
What kind of pet would you have as a friend and why? I’m not fond of winged criminals who could swoop down and pick me up and carry me off. Goldfish are good.
What inspires you? Good behavior, which bodes well with my job at DutchCrafters. Oh, and carrots.
Leash or stroller? I’m sorry what? Excuse me?
What is your favorite word? Salsa
What are your best features? My small ears, pushed in nose, cotton ball tail and adorable expression, which makes it impossible for anyone to be cross with me.
Any exciting news/message you’d like to share? There hasn’t been any trouble in the Amish toys section of the showroom under my watch. I’m hoping to get promoted to the dining room area!
Name: Crosby Miller
Breed: Portuguese water dog
Nickname: Crosby
Age: 1 ½ years
Job title: Product Tester
Job responsibilities: Trying out the Amish furniture. I have my own DutchCrafters video.
Describe your personality: Energetic
Favorite hobby: Playing fetch with my tennis balls.
What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning? Where’s my tennis ball?
What kind of pet would you have as a friend and why? Any kind of dog that likes to play.
What inspires you? Tennis balls and DutchCrafters solid wood furniture (I did not get paid to say that)
Leash or stroller? Leash for sure – a stroller could tip and ruin my game.
What is your favorite word? Let’s Go – because it means I get to go on a walk.
What are your best features? I’m friendly and willing to try new things. Also, my sleek black curls. Everybody loves for my “man bun” ponytail when I need a haircut. I’m not sure what that’s about.
Any exciting news or message that you’d like to share: I’d like to set something straight for the record. Despite being called a dumpster diver because I plant my nose in every trash can I pass, I am not. I am inspecting them as any good product tester would do – Geesh.
Name: Finnegan “Finn” Dunder Miller
Breed: Goldendoodle
Nickname: Finnie
Age: 7 ½ months
Job title: Intern
Job responsibilities: Assist wherever a helping hand is needed.
Describe your personality: Stubborn and strong-willed. Sensitive and sweet. Bubbly and happy.
Favorite hobby: Squeaking the loudest toy around whenever the TV is turned on.
What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning? Telling everyone good morning by sitting on them and licking their mouths.
What kind of pet would you have as a friend and why? Dogs: my girlfriend is a golden retriever and my best friend is a Portugese Water Dog.
What inspires you? Gazing out my window, cool breezes and a sunny sky. Also, peanut butter.
Leash or stroller? Neither (leash if I have to choose).
What is your favorite word? Walk
What are your best features? My smile, my soft fur, my big teddy bear paws, and my luscious eyelashes. Sorry, was that too many?
Any exciting news or message that you’d like to share? Today I got a Kong filled with peanut butter and got to cuddle with my parents before they went to work. The exciting news is that they eventually left.
Name: Blue Anderson
Breed: Weimaraner
Nickname: Boufy
Age: 2
Job title: Stuntman
Job responsibilities: I’ve got a lot of freedom at my job. I basically show up and go with what comes naturally. I’m thinking of getting a good pillow fight going in the bedroom display at the store.
Describe your personality: Adventurous to the extreme. Curious and energetic.
Favorite hobby: Hunting lizards. I hold the tail until it drops. What? Is that wrong?
What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning? Breakfast in my belly!
What kind of pet would you have as a friend and why? Probably a bearded dragon: those guys are wicked cool.
What inspires you? Food and my older sister, a lab mix. Definitely food first though, she’s not that adventurous.
Leash or stroller? Ummm……..Bungee!!
What is your favorite word? I don’t usually pick favorites, I go with the flow. I’m open to new things. I’ve seen a lot and enjoyed a lot of experiences…..wait, what was the question?
What are your best features? Look into my eyes man, like seriously, you won’t be able to look away. And my athletic physique. #Stuntman
Any exciting news/message you’d like to share? I can eat through a couch, old or new, in less than two hours. I’ve chewed a hole in the wall with my bare……..stuff. I got a new bone recently. That’s about it.
The DutchCrafters office wouldn’t be the same without our top dogs (and bunny). We keep our pets supported in style with the finest pet products handcrafted by the Amish. Browse pet beds, crate tables, feeders and more on our site for your family pet.
Stop by the DutchCrafters Furniture Store in Sarasota, Florida and you just might catch one of our furry friends in action!