There are many reasons I appreciate working at the Orvis Home Offices in Sunderland, Vermont: The upland cover and brook trout fishing just outside the door; the conservation work we support; the view outside the window; and the good people who are as committed to outdoor pursuits as I am. But on days like today, hands down the best reason has to be the love of dogs among associates and the dog-friendly atmosphere.
At lunch during the summer, the field and pond outside the building are overtaken with the dogs our associates bring to work. They run and wrestle and swim and practice their retrieves and tire themselves out in all manner of ways.
In the winter, the dogs tend to stay home. But today, it’s a different story for me. Today, Toby, my 6-year old golden retriever, has joined me at my desk. Toby is a tad neurotic about unexpected noises and my wife and I are having some remodeling done at home. The demolition phase is just underway and Toby and the sounds of a sledgehammer pounding away at the horsehair plaster and lath walls of our 1867 Vermont home do not a good pairing make. There is lots of barking involved. Dog nest humping. And worse for Toby, trembling and shaking and generally freaking out.
Now, if the weather was good, my wife would bring Toby outside somewhere to get him away from the chaos. But, as a quick look on weather.com shows, a COLOSSAL storm is underway. It’s cold, raw, windy, and the snow is flying.
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View Outside the Window Tim Bronson |
Not only that, but we have a 2-month old daughter, Samantha Sunshine, and between the demolition, Toby going berserk, and Samantha and mom needing their rest, it’s a prime set up for someone to have a major melt down.
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Samantha Sunshine Needs Her Sleep Tim Bronson |
Have no fear.
I simply brought Toby into work after I went home for lunch. And here he sits at my feet, being a good boy. Snoring and jangling his collar. Yawning and stretching. Everyone knows Toby by name, as they know all the dogs’ names here at Orvis. They stop by, give Toby a pet, get a good jolt of the smiles and leave a bit happier. Me. Well, I not only get to be with my buddy, but he also nudged my arm to, I swear, give me the idea for this blog.
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Toby Helps Out! Tim Bronson |
Either that or he was after the cookie at my elbow.
What are your dog stories? Do you work where dogs are welcome?