Presentations, deadlines, meetings, traffic delays and a redundant coffee machine — it may feel like just another day at work for you. Boom! the doors open and a horde of furry four-legged creatures dash at you. And poof! just like that, your bad day turns out all right; you forget your troubles as you cuddle and pet the cutest doggies ever. All thanks to Rajeshwari Ramachandran and her Corporate Canine Express Programme.
An initiative to create a dog-friendly society, Rajeshwari believes that the world can do with a lot more empathy and compassion.
“And dogs are the best teachers and therapists for that.” She has all her facts when she says this. With over 12 years of experience in HR, a move from being a human behaviourist to a canine behaviourist and creating the Human Dog Interaction Project, Rajeshwari is honing her skills to make the corporate world a dog-friendly space.
Dogs are more than mere pets, she says. “There are a lot of lonely people in the world who seem to have friends but don’t really have any. That is especially true in the corporate world. Being with canine friends helps with not just giving you company and a real friend, but also instils compassion and empathy in you. That can do the world a whole lot of good. Dogs help us handle our relationships better and make life worth more than just making money and chasing fame. They help you forgive others and let go of hurt feelings. They also help you reign in your anger. Being with dogs is the way to make the world a better place. I know it sounds ideal but it is true!” Rajeshwari affirms.
Elaborating on the Corporate Canines Express programme, Rajeshwari points out that the corporate sector was largely untapped when it came to pets. “It is still in a very nascent space. India is not that pet-friendly yet. There is a taboo on not letting dogs into work spaces. For a doggie programme there are also a hundred levels of approval I need to get. Of course, once people experience it, they love it; but there is still a long way to go. Getting people to overcome their fear of dogs is the first step.”
She adds that the biggest challenge we face at work is stress. “And dogs make great stress busters. We conduct a burst session where we take the dogs in as a surprise and let the employees interact for an hour. We’ve seen stress levels come down almost immediately and people becoming a lot more emotionally easy to connect. It makes them less cold in the work place and better people to interact and work with.”
Her happiest moments are when people touch a dog for the first time.
“People overcoming their fear and loving dogs is the ultimate goal.”
The young dog-preneur also works closely with children through programmes in education for kids that includes reading around dogs and learning life skills from them.
“It makes a world of difference working with children. Kids are very open to trusting and embracing experiences. They also seem to have it instilled in them that they have to take care of dogs. They start early at becoming responsible citizens. That secures our future. If they can show compassion towards dogs, they will be compassionate with everyone. So many issues, including bullying, are addressed when children get along with dogs since over time, their emotional response becomes calm and compassionate.”
Rajeshwari adds that “the programme helps children overcome their fear of dogs. A future society that is pet-friendly is possible only through children.”
Get in touch with Rajeshwari at rajeshwari.09@gmail.com
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