Take Your Dog to Work Day 2027 is on Friday

About Take Your Dog to Work Day

On Take Your Dog to Work Day, participating offices, shops and studios let staff bring a well-behaved dog to work for the day. The organizers' stated aim is less about office fun than adoption: coworkers without pets see the bond between colleagues and their dogs, and some companies use the day to raise money for local shelters, invite rescue groups to bring adoptable dogs, or collect donations of food and supplies.

Pet Sitters International (PSI), a North Carolina-based educational association for professional pet sitters and dog walkers, created the event in 1999. PSI says about 300 businesses took part the first year and that founder Patti Moran conceived it as a way to give back to the community its members serve. PSI says the idea initially met with skepticism, but companies of all sizes in the United States and abroad have since joined. Businesses do not have to register, so there is no official count of participants.

The day falls on the Friday after Father's Day. PSI's announced dates have followed that pattern for years, from June 26, 2015, through June 20, 2025, its 27th annual event. PSI also runs Take Your Pet to Work Week during the same Monday-to-Friday week, opening with Take Your Cat to Work Day, for workplaces closed on Fridays or staff with other pets. The event name is a registered trademark of PSI. It is not a public holiday, and participation is entirely up to each employer.

Sources: Pet Sitters International: 27th annual Take Your Dog To Work Day (press release, June 5, 2025), Pet Sitters International: Take Your Dog To Work Day celebrates 20 years (press release, May 30, 2018), Pet Sitters International: Take Your Dog To Work Day news archive. How we check dates.

How to mark Take Your Dog to Work Day

• If your workplace allows it, check with coworkers first about allergies or fear of dogs, and set up a dog-free area.
• Only bring a dog that is healthy, vaccinated and comfortable with strangers and noise; a calm day at home is kinder for an anxious dog.
• Do a quick safety check of the office for hazards such as loose cables, chocolate, sugar-free gum and cleaning products.
• Pack water, a bowl, a leash, waste bags and a familiar bed or mat, and plan regular outdoor breaks.
• Invite a local shelter or rescue group to bring an adoptable dog, or run a collection for the shelter's wish list.
• Working remotely? Share dog photos in a team chat and pool donations for a rescue group.

Take Your Dog to Work Day dates