In hopes of creating a less corporate environment, The Squires Group in Annapolis is allowing their employees to bring their pooches to work every day.

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“On my list of pros and cons it's definitely a pro,” said Nancy Squires, CEO of Squires Group.

According to a new study in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, dogs in the workplace helps to reduce stress and make a job more satisfying.

“To be able to take a pause and pet them or walk them give them a treat its fun and it makes the work day more pleasant,” Squires said.

Dr. Randolph Barker, a professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University, who worked on the study said, “50 percent of people polled ... Productivity increase.”

Barker says the study also found employees would go out of their way to start up a conversation with other employees who had a dog, creating better communication among workers.

Christine Martein notices that happening in her office.

“I don't think I would get away from my desk as often or take as many mental breaks, if I didn't have something to go do,” she said.

Before working at her Fido-friendly job, Liz Angevine never owned a dog. After two years of taking care of other people’s pets in the office, she adopted her own pup, Winston, two weeks ago.

“It really just makes everything else, work related, so much smoother because there is that relaxed work feel,” Angevine said.

However, Dr. Barker says not all the findings were positive as some people in the study found the dogs were noisy or distracting.

“Here in this office everyone knows day one that while you may be able to do the work you have to fit in with the work environment which means fitting in with the dogs,” Barker said.

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