Eight Northland canines in running for country's top office dog title

Kerikeri's celebrity dog, Tsar, is among eight Northland pooches in the running for Top Office Dog 2021. Photo / Supplied

Eight Northland canines are the running to be crowned the country's top office dog.

Dogs are increasingly being taken into workplaces across Northland and the rest of New Zealand, and the award recognises the important role a four-legged friend plays in the health and wellbeing of employees.

The winners of New Zealand's annual search for the nation's top office dogs will be announced in a Zoom call on September 28 and eight dogs from Northland, including a border collie, rottweiler and an Irish wolfhound, are in the running to win one of the coveted titles.

Now in its sixth year, the Frog Recruitment Top Office Dog competition celebrates Kiwi workplaces – including home offices – where pooches are an integral part of the business. More than 400 "working" canines put themselves forward for the top prize along with their human carers.

Categories include Top Office Dog, Top Dog with a Job, and People's Choice awards, and this year the competition has a new category – Top Dog-Friendly Workplace.

The new award honours a Kiwi organisation that puts its people first by recognising the important role a four-legged friend plays in the health and wellbeing of its employees, and one that has welcomed their dogs to work in a well-managed way.

A judging panel consisting of Petstock, Frog Recruitment and dog trainer and behaviourist Mark Vette will decide the four winners.

Kerikeri's Sean Scully reckons his Irish wolfhound Tsar is worthy of a prize because "during lockdown Tsar was a top dog in Kerikeri as he brought a laugh and ray of sunshine to our community".

''People from all walks of life have been watching and enjoying Tsar's little escapades around town and at home in lockdown. He has become a celebrity in the town and a loved community member.''

Research undertaken by Frog Recruitment in New Zealand in April last year found there is a positive impact from having a canine colleague at work, particularly on the mental health of the work-from-home workforce, and especially in a tough Covid-induced lockdown.

"Our Frog Recruitment poll last year heard from office and home-office workers that having a dog working near them improved morale and reduced stress through pandemic times. This is echoed in this year's entries – the common thread reveals the effect that dogs have on their owners while they work from home or through the pandemic, that having them close has helped their physical and mental health," Frog Recruitment managing director Shannon Barlow said.

The awards will be announced on September 28 at a Zoom meeting where all entrants are invited, and could be the world's largest gathering of dogs in a video meeting.
Public voting for the People's Choice dog is open until September 27 at www.nztopdog.co.nz.