Hello friends! This is Jenny, Umbrella’s four-legged furry staff member. I’m very cute and a bit of a fashionista. I wear holiday and sports themed bandanas, and I have some awesome red boots for slushy winter days.
My human is Roxanne. I’ve been coming to work with her since I was adopted at 5 months old. I’ll be 5 years old in October. Some refer to me as the Office Mascot. I prefer Greeter. My responsibility is to greet everyone as they come in the door. People carrying food get special attention. People carrying tools usually get barked at because I’m not used to the noise.
One of my strengths is not barking. The staff talks on the phone a lot so I’ve learned to be quiet.
My typical day at Umbrella.
The most exciting part of my day is going off-leash so that I can make a grand entrance as we arrive at the office. I dash to the farthest point of the room as fast as I can. The staff is calling my name and clapping. They are very glad to see me and this makes me happy.
Then I get a treat, and snack on breakfast. I happily greet other staff members as they arrive. Now, its nap time. I crawl into my cozy kennel under Roxanne’s desk.
Mid-morning we take a walk. We typically go to the corner at 5th & Walnut and turn left. This route takes us by the streetcar stop. I LOVE going this way! There are lots of people waiting there. I’m pretty sure they all want to pet me as we go by. You see, I’m really friendly, plus my fur is soft as a bunny so they can’t help it.
We get to the grassy park, I do my doggy business and we come back to the office. Most times we walk around the block. All the neighbors know us. Sometimes we stop in to say hello. One day someone said I am the River Market Ambassador. Now that we’re back, it’s time for another treat, a snack, a drink of water and a nap.
There’s a lot of activity mid-day. The rest of the team is going out and coming back. Some bring food to eat at their desk. This is a very challenging time for me. It’s not polite to beg, so I sit patiently at their feet waiting and hoping for something to fall. Roxanne says I’m on a special diet and shouldn’t eat stuff that falls, but a girl can dream, right?
When visitors come to the office for meetings, they sit on the red couch while they wait. I like to sniff hello, and make sure they’re good people. They have to pass the “Jenny test”, because everyone knows dogs have an instinct for good character. That red couch must be special, though because I am not allowed on it unless invited.
The staff will occasionally sit there. They must need a break from their work. They ask me to sit with them and they pet me, which seems to make them feel better. This is a very rewarding part of my day. I like helping people feel better. I like seeing the smiles on their faces when they pet me.
At the end of the day, we pack up our stuff and head to the car. Now I can bark. I bark all the way to our car, telling the neighbors, its time to go home, good night, see you again tomorrow! It’s been a good day.
