I’ll tell you one thing: Europe is leading the way when it comes to hiring office dogs! I’ve interviewed so many awesome working pals from all over the continent. Today I’d like to introduce you to Zippy, the Velocity Partners canine co-worker who hails from England. This spunky little guy keeps his officemates in line, models for photo and video shoots, and even has time to fit in a comedy routine. It’s impossible not to be impressed with Zippy. I hope you like him as much as I do! Thanks, Velocity Partners for allowing me to interview him!
Napa: What breed are you?
Zippy: Jack Russell Terrier/mystery dog. I was adopted from an animal shelter and brought in as a stray, so I couldn’t say exactly who my parents were. But the vets and shelter team are fairly confident I’m mostly a Jack Russell Terrier.
Napa: Tell me more about your job. What company do you do your marketing?
Zippy: I work for Velocity Partners, a business technology marketing agency in Richmond, just on the edge of London. We have a great view of the river Thames, and we get to walk in every morning over the bridge. We have clients from all over the world, and those that visit our office always seem excited to see me. Those that can’t meet me usually hear me on the phone – I’m pretty talkative.
Napa: What is a typical day like in the office?
Zippy: We walk in for an 8:30 start, and I run straight through our office – we’re on the middle floor of a former 1930’s factory building, so there’s lots of space – to see who’s in. If my favorite colleague (Sohvi) is in then I jump straight on her lap. After that, I get my daily dental chew and take in the news from our overseas clients. Sometimes I sit in on meetings, and I love to be involved in the briefings with our creative and digital teams. In the afternoon, there are a lot of calls, and I get a bit bored, so sometimes I take a nap in my crate. I get my second walk of the day in the late afternoon, and then it’s time to play! There are always balls and toys available, and I can always find someone to play with me. If not, I just speak a bit louder to get everyone’s attention so that someone realizes it’s play time, not work time! We leave around 6:15, but sometimes we work later, and then I get a special dinner at the office. If we’re feeling social, we go to my favourite pub, The Red Cow, where the owners are friendly and let me hang out with all of my colleagues.
Napa: Whose desk do you sit under most often?
Zippy: I spend as much time as possible soaking up sun rays when they appear on the floor, but as this is England they don’t appear all that often! When it’s a bit cloudier, I like my cushion by Jess or my crate as there are cozy fleece blankets in there. Oh, and I like to jump on people’s laps and have a snuggle just about any time. Lucky I’m only sixteen pounds, or that could be a bit of a challenge.
Napa: When you get bored around the office (in between important in the office tasks), how do you keep busy?
Zippy: Well, I’ve discovered I’m great at de-squeaking toys. Sometimes my co-workers set challenges for me, like “how fast can you get the squeak out of a toy?” Then I have to show off and get it out super fast. I also take chewing pretty seriously, so I get down to business on a dental chew that takes anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes to destroy. Usually, I get bored before it’s finished. Since I work for such a cool, creative agency, I find myself in photoshoots a lot. I’ve been featured in a few pieces of marketing content for Sprint (not any advertising though, just their Sprint Business campaigns), and a few promotional videos. I’ve been told I’m very photogenic, but I have a reputation for being a bit difficult on set. More than anything I like to make sure our Velocity Facebook page is up-to-date and full of exciting tidbits and funny photos. Oh, and I tweet the best ones on my Twitter page.
Napa: What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten around the office (even if you aren’t supposed to)?
Zippy: I LOVE BACON SANDWICHES. We have a tradition on Fridays where we draw straws, and whoever gets the short straw has to go get bacon sandwiches for the office. Everyone knows not to give me any, but I am super crafty and have been known to leap onto a desk with minimal effort to secure one. I know, it’s pretty amazing.
Napa: What’s your favorite funny dog video? Please share the link!
Zippy:
I am lucky never to have to wear shoes or socks, but I know it’d be pretty funny if I did!
Napa: Where are you from? What’s your favorite trait about the area you live in?
Zippy: It’s great living in Twickenham, home of England’s Rugby team. It’s right by the river and is great for seeing other dogs. All of the parks are open for dogs without leads, so I see a lot of friends there regularly. I particularly like the one with a big fountain – it always attracts birds for me to chase. It’s ace.
Napa: If you could tell your human co-workers anything, what would it be?
Zippy: It’s ok to give me bacon. Really – go for it.
Napa: Can you share any advice for other office dogs?
Zippy: I’ve learned “Zippy, shut up” is not said when I’ve done something good. So if you hear “shut up” before or after your name, you should reflect on why they might be saying it.
Napa: I’m also so interested in your comedy. Do you perform for large groups or are you more of a solo performer?
Zippy: I love making people laugh. Sometimes I don’t even realize I’m doing it, which must mean I’m a natural. I can do a few tricks to make people smile, but I prefer more natural, organic set ups. When clients come in, I try to get them on our side by doing a few tricks. I find I get the biggest laughs when I take something I’m not supposed to – like a sandwich – and run the opposite way when they call my name. Oh, they also like it when I jump on a table and grab a cup of tea. People always act surprised, but they know it’s my favourite drink.
Are you a working dog? Is your co-worker a canine? We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch via email or leave a note in the comments section below!
Side note: Do you run a business in the pet industry? Would you like to drive more traffic and sales to your site through a search-optimized pet blog? Get in touch with my office-mates at Lantern Content Marketing!
Thanks for getting in touch Napa! Zippy is full of pride with the interview and loved talking to you.
How cute – he looks so comfy on that chair! haha