Every office needs a dog

In March, Isaac brought Tilly to the office for the first time. (Obviously, she has her own Twitter account: @strategydog)

She's a Weimaraner. That's a big hunting dog bred originally by aristos for hunting. Very beautiful, quite unhinged.

Wikipedia notes that:

Weimaraners are high-strung and often wear out their owners, requiring appropriate training to learn how to calm them and to help them learn to control their behavior. Owners need patience and consistent, firm yet kind training, as this breed is particularly rambunctious during the first year and a half of its life. This breed is known for having a penchant for stealing food from table and counter tops whenever given the chance. 

That's certainly my experience. Yesterday, she urinated on me from the mezzanine floor.

And yet, despite all this we all love her, and it has been a genuinely brilliant experience to share the office here in London with this dog.

My sister-in-law, who is a teacher, told me how dogs are being used in classrooms.

There's something about the way humans and dogs get on with each other that calms children. Brain scientists have identified that stroking a dog releases oxytocin, a hormone that reduces anxiety. 

Apparently, research suggests that dogs lower blood pressure, and senior citizens who own dogs tend to live longer with fewer health problems. People suffering from Alzheimer’s disease also seem to benefit from hanging out with dogs; many recall the best friends of their youth and become happier when given access to a dog once again.

So, however challenging Tilly's unpredictable behaviour becomes - and yesterday's urine shower was a new low for me - I still believe that she's doing good overall. 

And of course her training videos - available on Strategy Dog's Vimeo channel - that look at Agile, Design Thinking, Brainstorming and Customer Development, are legend. This is her latest, called Citrus Fruit.

citrus fruit from strategy dog on Vimeo.