Imagine a job where the second you walk in the door, your co-worker jumps up to greet you with big slurpy kisses.

Imagine a job where if an officemate is demanding too much of your time, all you gotta do is throw him a bone - or a squeakie toy.

Welcome to the joys of working with dogs.

Friday is the 10th annual Take Your Dog to Work Day, a national holiday of sorts dedicated to promoting the benefits of dog ownership - especially second-chance dogs adopted from shelters, humane societies and rescue organizations.

Locally, Take Your Dog to Work Day is sponsored by A Pause for Paws pet sitting service and the Capital Humane Society.

While Take Your Dog to Work Day is just one day, increasingly Lincolnites are bringing man's - and woman's - best friends to the office each and every day at all variety of businesses - automotive shops, retail stores, professional offices, even accounting and law firms, said Tonia Tauke of A Pause for Paws.

Giant and petite, these wet-nosed, four-legged fur balls, with melt-your-heart eyes and clear-the-table tails are great customer icebreakers and always cheerful companions, she said.

"They are kind of morale boosters," said Jessica Lindersmith, who works with her dog Kane, a toy Australian shepherd, as well as her boss's dog Harley, a miniature schnauzer, at Swanson Interiors.

"When you're having a bad day, they are there to cheer you up," Lindersmith said.

Besides, what other employee can get away with flopping on their back and begging customers to rub their belly?

Larry Rigby has been taking dogs to work with him for the past 15 years.

These days it's 18-month-old Molly, a Brittany spaniel, who enthusiastically greets Husker Accounting clients at the door.

Dogs in the workplace are a nice icebreaker, Rigby said.

"People who come to an accountant have to share a lot of private information. It is a good thing to have someone that is warm and loving by your side while you have to talk to me," he said.

And outside of tax season, when Rigby spends most of his day alone in front of the computer, Molly gives him just the right amount of interaction and distraction.

"It's nice to have the companionship and company. Plus I don't have to explain the tax code to them or chase them for payment," he said.

At Goin' Postal, a shipping center at 33rd Street and Old Cheney Road, 8-month-old Champ does a lot of sleeping on the job.

The thigh-high German shepherd pup is laid-back, mostly.

"He'll get excited around 4:30 p.m. when the UPS driver comes in," said Chuck Lewis, owner of Champ and the Lincoln franchise.

At 5:30 or 5:45 p.m., Champ starts playing with his leash, letting Lewis know it's time to close up shop and head on home.

"When he gets home he's a holy terror," Lewis said, noting that it takes him, his wife, their three sons and their 8-year-old dog, Schooner, hours to wear him out.

Champ goes to work with Lewis because he doesn't trust the pup left alone in the house, and he hates the idea of locking the pup in a kennel all day. Goin' Postal encourages its shop owners to take their pets to the store, Lewis said.

"Champ has his own social network," Lewis said. Some people stop in just to say hi to the dog. And regulars bring him treats.

The three dogs on staff at Pro Automotive, 3017 N. 35th St., have also trained delivery drivers to come with treats in hand, said Mark Fredrickson, who owns the shop and labrador retrievers Brandy and Tank.

Several days a week, business partner Wayne Berry takes his Rottweiler mix, Harley, to work in the shop, too.

Fredrickson said he can't imagine - or get away with - leaving the dogs at home.

"It's like having a close friend with you at work all day."

He said they're like co-workers - really diligent co-workers who don't understand or care about the concept of weekends off.

Gina Hageman, office manager at Dr. Vinyl, 3535 N. 40th St., describes 18-month-old Windsor as her buddy, companion and one of her "most dependable workers."

"He shows up on time every day," she said of the boxer owned by boss Larry Rozmiarek.

Windsor is always happy to be there - and happy to see Hageman.

"When he first comes in in the morning, the first thing he does is run sideways and greet me.

"Sometimes he wants to hug, hug, hug," she said.

Other times, he's just gotta lick her.

"There has not been a day where I haven't told him I loved him," she said.

Just try doing that with a human co-worker.

Reach Erin Andersen at 473-7217 or eandersen@journalstar.com.