Bill Pleasants Jr. says his new buddy Benji has been a comfort following the recent passing
of his dad Bill Sr., whose portrait watches over both.
Contest highlights the joys of having your best friend at work
By Andy Kriege, YSN
Since the first ever belly rub, dogs have been humans’ best friends. Energetic, playful and forever loyal, dogs completely change the daily routines of the people who open up their lives, homes, and yes even their businesses to these tail-wagging ambassadors of joy.
As we trod into the hot months of summer, YSN will celebrate these “dog days” by featuring man’s best friend in a weekly tribute to our K-9 friends that brighten so many of our businesses.
The show-us-your-work-dog contest was inspired by a recent post by BrandSource member Bill Pleasants Jr. of Plaza Appliance Mart in Charlotte, N.C. Pleasants recently started bringing his seven-month-old goldendoodle Benji to the office. Benji is the first dog Pleasants has ever owned and he is ecstatic about the joy his new best friend brings to work every day.
“Everyone loves Benji” Pleasants gushed. “The stress level has diminished greatly since he has been here. It seems everyone experiences so much joy and happiness at work when they are around him.”
Benji has also given great comfort to Pleasants as he adjusts to his new role as president/CEO following the recent passing of his father and Plaza founder, Bill Pleasants Sr.
“Benji has been great therapy for me and has helped give me some comfort after my father’s passing,” the younger Pleasants said. “He brings a smile to everyone here. I’m blessed to have this dog not only in my life, not just for me, but also for the Plaza team, who enjoy him so much. Now I understand what they mean when they say dogs are man’s best friend.”
There is much research to back Pleasants’ claims as to the measurable benefits of having a dog in your life. According to AmericanHumane.org, dog owners are less likely to be depressed and in fact have higher levels of serotonin and dopamine than non-dog owners. This is primarily due to the calming effect dogs have on their owners, which translates into having less stress and anxiety.
Another bonus to business owners is that dogs are natural conversation starters, making it easy to break the ice with anyone who shows an interest in your pooch.
Pleasants’ dog Benji is confined to the office area of the business. If you are considering allowing your dog to mingle with your customers, it is important that he or she is well behaved, non-aggressive and well trained. Be considerate of those customers and colleagues who may not be as fond of your pooch as you are, allowing them to operate in a “dog-free” zone.
BrandSource, a unit of YSN publisher AVB Inc., is a nationwide buying group for independent appliance, furniture, mattress and CE dealers.
