In Stockholm there is a district called Vasastaden, where most of the houses were built in the early 20th century, except for a small part called Sibirien. The houses in Sibirien are mostly built in funk style in the 20s and 30s. The name comes from the fact that it was thought that the new residential area was so far away that it might as well be in Siberia!

Today it is a very popular and central district where the funk style is part of the atmosphere. Here, Lotta runs a hairdressing salon called Hårnästet , where her dogs play a big role as a source of joy and companionship during the day.

We met to hear a little more about Lotta's experiences with having dogs at work.

- What is your dogs name, what breed and age?
Flora Miniature Schnauzer 11, Nancy Bedlington terrier 6, Ziggy Lagotto mix 8.

- What does the dog mean to you?
The dogs mean everything to me! Can't imagine a life without it.

- Best dog-related memory?
Difficult to answer because there are so many different wonderful memories! But the day you pick up your dog is a big one.

- Has it always been obvious that you would bring the dogs to the salon?
For me, it has been obvious to have the dogs with the salon! Likes dogs in all environments!

- What are the main advantages of bringing your dog to the workplace?
The dogs get used to meeting new people and do not become shy, people who come are almost always happy to meet the dogs. It gives the salon a feeling of home.

- What challenges do you see having a dog in the workplace?
The only challenge for me is finding time to rest them. Should someone come who is terrified or allergic, we can always lock them up temporarily in the washroom.

- Are there any customers who have stopped coming because of the dogs?
Not that I know of :)

- Has anything extra fun (or boring) happened at the salon because of the dogs?
Perhaps the saddest thing was when Malva accidentally got a toy in the hood of a child and then became afraid of children... which she might have been anyway. It is extra fun when the customers are extra happy that they are there!

- Do you or someone else exercise with the dogs?
Neither Flora nor Nancy likes to go on runs or bike rides, so it's mostly different long walks.

Professional hairdressing brush for dogs, check here ->

- Do you work with any "brain training" e.g. nose job, fetch or problem solving?
We often play fetch at home, the dogs love it.

- What is your dogs favorite pastime?
Flora loves to cuddle, Nancy loves to look for voles, Ziggy loves to guard :).

- Is a dog person different from a cat person?
Animal people in general I think are the same. You love your animal and do everything you can to make them feel as good as possible. The big difference between just dog/cat human is that dog types go more for walks and meet other dogs and dog owners = maybe a little more social.

- What tops your bucket list (with or without a dog)?
Top of the list is having a barn with lots of different creators and full of happy dogs in every corner!

It sounds wonderful and we hope to be able to follow up the next interview with Lotta, in her creative barn! In addition to Hårnäst, Lotta also has a ceramics workshop north of Stockholm where she organizes popular drej courses in a wonderful setting. Expression of interest here ->