Peter keeps the peace at Lyka’s dog-friendly office

Peter’s mum April Gore, social media manager at Lyka Pet Food, describes the little pooch as “hilarious, very cheeky, cute (and he knows it) and demanding.”

As the Chief Fun Police, Pete always barks at the other dogs who are playing loudly or running around the office.

“I think he prefers things calm and orderly,” laughs April. “He has a very high sense of self-importance and makes it very obvious when he wants something or doesn’t like something.”

But despite Pete’s demanding nature, he is incredibly affectionate and is happiest when surrounded by humans. He requires constant love and attention, she says.

Based in Sydney, Lyka Pet Food’s office isn’t just dog-friendly – it’s dog-encouraged! There are lots of dog beds, bowls, toys, endless treats, plus pet first-aid and clean-up kits scattered around the office.

“The space is big and open, so it’s normal to see dogs chasing balls or playing together off-leash while we work,” she says. “Our social events are planned with pups in mind, and we have access to free parking, making it easy to bring your dog to work. It’s a very fun office!”

April works in a hybrid role, and on her office days, Pete is always by her side.

“I keep a small dog bed next to me or on the desk where he sleeps. But if it’s a sunny day, he will be lying in whatever sunspot is available and will often move around the office to stay in the sun,” she says.

“My workmates all love Peter, and I often find him asleep on someone’s lap or in their arms. He gets lots of treats and cuddles all day and he loves it.”

Pete also has an “amazing” positive effect on April’s productivity, stress levels and creativity!

“Pete forces me to take breaks during the day and get fresh air as he needs toilet breaks and sometimes an afternoon lap around the block if he’s getting restless,” she explains.

“Productivity-wise, it can be distracting initially, but once all the dogs have arrived and said hello to each other they usually settle down and everyone can get on with work. It’s a huge relief not to have to pay for daycare on office days or stress about leaving him at home for long stretches. Having him with me makes every day better!”

The rest of the team seems to agree – no one has raised a complaint about pets in the office.

“The only challenge would be if someone had allergies, but otherwise it works really well,” says April. “We of course make sure to keep an eye on the dogs so they’re all happy, relaxed and getting along. We’ve also set up gates around the office to keep them safe and prevent them from wandering into areas where we can’t supervise them.”

For April, having Peter by her side makes every workday brighter. She believes more workplaces should welcome pets, because “dogs bring people together, create a relaxed, fun environment, and spark conversations that make it easier to connect across teams.”