Vulric, the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, is only ten months old, but already an over 31 kilos beast. He enjoys going to work with his owner Matt at WeWork several days a week, filling the ranks of Waypoint Partners’ team as office dog.
Wolfdog of WeWork
When Vulric walks into the lobby of WeWork, the first adjective that comes to mind if you are watching is probably ‘majestic’. As he approaches me, he immediately understands that somewhere in my bag there are treats and starts sniffing around to determine the source of the interesting smell.
“Vulric is a boisterous, friendly and switched on puppy. Although he is big and makes quite the entrance, he is still only entering adolescence and far from being a full-grown adult”, says Matt.
Wolfdogs are known for being a challenging breed that requires continuous training and a lot of time to be dedicated to their physical and mental stimulation in order to make them thrive and not end up with serious issues. Matt and his partner Lora did their research before getting Vulric and have been working on his training since day one. “Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs are foremost working dogs who excel in man trailing, search and rescue, running in harness and many sports”, explains Matt. “Vulric must be one of the very few of his kind who spends time in an office. We are able to do this due to extensive training, responsible breeding for temperament and in part due to luck”.
Vulric is also known for…
Loving: Other dogs, getting wet and jumping around in water, and home-made liver treats.
Hating: Cows (no idea, we are working on it), being left out from the fun resulting in funny monkey noises and half-howling.
Funniest habit: Sighing demonstratively if told he can’t have something, sleeping spread out on his back, getting food stuck on the top of his nose that he then can’t reach with his tongue… take your pick!
Most annoying habit: Staring you down when you’re eating, will try to drink water from glasses even if his own water bowl is full.
– His adventures and training are also documented on his Instagram account (@wolfdog_of_london) –
Vulric’s office dog life
As an office dog, Vulric starts his day with a morning commute. Since dogs must be carried on TfL escalators, Vulric enjoys a ride in Matt’s arms like a baby. “There must be hundreds of tourists with his photo based on the number I see snapping him every time we travel”, he concedes.
While Vulric hasn’t been awarded an official job title yet, Matt explains that, in the interim, he is referred to as the Office Wolf and Chief Toy Tester. Almost since he arrived in Matt and Lora’s lives, when he was 4 months old, Vulric was introduced to the office environment. “At first it was for shorter spells but he is now relaxed in the environment and can pull off a long working day when needed – he gets a lot of attention from people around the office so is never lonely or bored”, noted Matt.
WeWork’s beautiful offices combine different decoration styles. On the first floor, there is a meeting room with a full wall image of a forest and swinging chairs secured to the ceiling with natural ropes around the board table. Vulric really looks in his natural habitat and the “forest” the perfect setting for a wolfdog photoshoot!
“When at work, his focus is entirely on where the next treat will come from”, recounts Matt. “Bonus points if the person dishing out the treat has a high-pitched voice, that’s his cup of tea. Aside from treats, he is very partial to tennis balls and squeaky toys, but when in the office we find that chew toys are quiet and therefore more suitable”. But, in general, office days are downtime for Vulric, notes Matt, so “he mostly snoozes at my feet until it’s lunchtime and we head out to Hyde park. We usually find other dogs to play with or watch the ponies on the track, Vulric is fascinated with them.”
Wall of Fame // Wall of Shame
Wall of Shame:
He can get a bit overexcited around other dogs and he may have walked into the glass door once or twice when he sees one of his buddies.
Wall of Fame:
He also makes appearances on the team video conferences, because people always ask to see him so he has to be lifted up in front of the camera.
WeWork’s dog culture
We Work prides itself on having a very dog-friendly policy and welcomes well-behaved canines of all sizes. Every day not just in London but all over the world, so many dogs and owners enjoy this perk, excited to be able to spend the day together while working in such a vibrant environment. “[Dogs] enjoy a lot of freedom [at WeWork]. The small dogs can often be found lurking on the reception desk, while the bigger ones hang out in the communal area, or on the roof terrace”, comments Matt.
Regarding Vulric’s impact on the team, Matt continues, “He is a superb mood booster – if you’re having a challenging time with work, it takes 10 seconds to give him a belly rub and see his wolfdog grin to feel refreshed and happy, ready to dive back into work. He brings a lot of cheer and makes everyone laugh being a big clumsy puppy. I understand one of the big concerns about having dogs in the office is that they can be a distraction but as long as they are trained well, there is no barking or jumping up, no one minds having him snooze around for the day.”
Note about Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs from Matt: “If you are interested in [the breed], please do not buy one without having done the appropriate research, including spending time with them, speaking to owners and to breeders – they are a challenging breed and unfortunately too many end up in rescue even as young puppies. If you want to learn more please get in touch with the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog Club of Great Britain.”
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Related posts | This week in the Office Dog Series
- Monday Office Dog | Jake studio dog of Architecture 00
- Tuesday Office Dog | Macy of Monocle
- Wednesday Office Dog | Nora of TransferWise
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