The Unofficial Upper Room Team (Yes… we mean the dogs)

There’s a certain moment that happens when someone new walks into The Upper Room for the first time. They take in the space … the light, the desks, the quiet hum of people working away … and then, almost without fail, their attention shifts. “Wait… is that a dog?” Yes. Yes it is. And if you stay long enough, you’ll realise it’s not just a dog … it’s a whole unofficial team.

Over time, we’ve had all kinds of dogs become part of the space. From cocker spaniels to bulldogs, and everything in between. Big, small, fluffy, slightly chaotic, beautifully well-behaved (and occasionally… not so much). Some arrive a little unsure on their first day, sticking close to their human, while others walk in like they’ve been coming here for years … confidently making their way around the room, checking in on everyone like tiny, four-legged hosts. And then there are the ones who simply find their spot under a desk, curl up, and fully commit to doing absolutely nothing for the next six hours … arguably, the dream.

What’s interesting is that, as small as it might seem, the dogs genuinely change the feel of the space. They soften it. There’s a lightness that comes with having them around. Work still happens … a lot of it … but it doesn’t feel heavy or rigid. There’s a natural rhythm to the day, with moments of focus, moments of pause, and moments of connection, and somehow the dogs sit right in the middle of all of it.

They give people a reason to look up from their screens. A reason to chat. A reason to step outside for a quick walk or reset. And those small, in-between moments … the ones that aren’t scheduled or forced … are often where the best parts of the day live.

In a lot of ways, the dogs represent something bigger about how we see work at The Upper Room. That productivity doesn’t have to come at the expense of feeling good. That you can be focused and still feel relaxed. That your environment should support you, not drain you. Because when a space feels calm, welcoming, and just a little bit joyful, people tend to do better work. Simple as that.

At this point, the dogs aren’t just visitors …. they’re part of the fabric of the place. Woven into the everyday. The coffee runs, the conversations, the quiet afternoons, the busy mornings. They don’t add to the to-do list, and they don’t ask for much (aside from the occasional pat), but they make the whole experience of being here feel… better.

And maybe that’s the point. Not just building a workspace where people come to work, but creating a place where people … and their dogs … actually want to be.

If that sounds like your kind of setup, you’re always welcome to come in for a trial day. Laptop encouraged. Dog very much welcome. 🐾