Shantee used to be satisfied to curl up just under the desk (she’s so small it didn’t matter if there wasn’t much room), but now she insists on sleeping on my lap while I worked.

After Marc resigned from his day job and started working full-time on our company, he had wanted to impose a “no dogs in the office” policy. But I stood my ground. I couldn’t work properly without my dogs near me—I’ve just been so used to having them around that I found it really hard to come up with designs when they weren’t there. I suppose this effect on creative productivity convinced my husband that he just had to get used to having the dogs in the office

Maybe it’s because it’s just what I’m used to, but really, having dogs in the office can help a workers’ productivity. I saw a documentary on TV about a dog who’s job was to hang out in the office and keep the employees happy. Some job eh? The dog loved it. I even know of a local company that had a cat in the office.

Shantee pretending to be “stressed” with work

I don’t know what the effect of having furry friends in the office for other people, but for me, my dogs somehow alleviate my stress. Seeing Shantee curled up on my lap calms me down even after seeing an email message that really pissed me off. It’s hard to do anything productive when you’re in a bad mood (especially in my line of work, it’s hard to get inspired and create designs in a bad mood), but my dogs take care of that. One look at my furry friends napping loyally beside me doesn’t fail to bring a smile on my face no matter how terrible my mood was.

I’m so lucky I have these furry guys (and girl) beside me And yep, I’m still having pets in the office even after we move to our new home.

Meet Hunter, a fully certified mold dog. He’s currently employed by Advanced Mold Diagnostics from New Jersey, helping the company get rid of mold and their sources from homes infected by these fungi.

According to their site, molds result from moisture and can be very hazardous to one’s health once inhaled. Molds are only detected when they’re already doing damage, and the source is usually very difficult to find. Well, that’s where Hunter comes in to save the day!

I think it’s common knowledge that dogs have a very keen sense of smell. They can detect things that we can’t. And as highly intelligent creatures, dogs can be trained to detect smells that are otherwise undetectable to the human nose. As an avid fan of the Animal Planet, I’ve seen how dogs are being used in the US for detecting diseases, prohibited food and other stuff from airport baggage, as well as concealed bombs and illegal drugs. Heck, they even help the police look for missing cadavers buried deep down in the ground.

I have honestly been a bit skeptical taking on this review. I thought, at first glance, that dogs are being used to test molds or some drug or something. But reading further, I was able to see that it wasn’t like that at all.

I always admired dogs who “work,” they’re like heroes having great fun with their jobs. They aren’t just there to enrich our lives, but are actually more than willing to help us.

I think what Hunter can do is pretty amazing. Sure, it’s his instinct, but still. It’s not every day you encounter a dog who can detect molds that may turn incredibly hazardous to your health.

I don’t know how much Advanced Mold Diagnostics charges for its mold testing services. And maybe I’m also biased because of my fondness for these talented, furry animals. But I think it would be quite safe to say that you’d get your money’s worth when a dog is on the job. The accuracy of their detection is way beyond what a human alone can do.

One thing I do hope for is that the company treats Hunter and their other mold dogs with tender loving care. I have seen dogs-at-work here in Manila, and I’ve already come across at least two or three who are obviously not well-cared for. But then again, there are Filipinos who make use of these lovable creatures as part of their menu. It’s not like in the US, where animal abuse is a punishable offense.

Good luck, Hunter! Happy mold hunting