Is your office going to the dogs? Five top dog-friendly employers.

Only 17 percent of US employers allow pets, even though researchers find that dogs make employees happier, more productive, and encourage teamwork. Plus, having your Pekinese or chocolate Lab begging for a walk is a perfect way to break up a routine workday. Here are five top dog-friendly companies:

Google

Michael A. Jones/Sacramento Bee/ZUMA Press/Newscom/File
Urs Holzle, Google fellow, with his dog, Yoshka, a leonberger, as he enjoys the day with his owner at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., in this 2002 file photo.

With more than 23,000 full-time employees worldwide, Google has consistently ranked in the top 5 of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” Unless you’re a cat. The self-professed “dog company” says in its code of conduct that cats would be stressed out in its offices.

“We recognize that dogs can be a valued and important part of employees’ lives and, in many cases, bringing them to work enhances their quality of life,” said Stacy Sullivan, Google’s chief culture officer. “Of course, dogs must be properly licensed, vaccinated, supervised, and leashed at all times.”

Because you never know when a “felix non grata” might tempt fate and try to case the joint.

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