UPS drivers have never had an easy job, but their career has only become more challenging in recent years with the pandemic. As many of us have been able to stay in, work from home and order any essentials we need online, UPS drivers have been out in the field, more active than ever. Jack Warren, one UPS driver from Providence, Rhode Island, told CNN in 2020, “I'm working more than I ever have in almost 24 years at UPS.” Not only due to the massive number of deliveries but also because of the necessary health and safety precautions that employees must now take.

“I go in an hour early every day and oversee our safety committee,” Warren says. “Every morning we make a new mixture of water and bleach and fill spray bottles. We spray parts of the building — handrails, doorknobs, some of the machinery. We've got 400 trucks that need to be sprayed twice a day. We even spray down the forklifts.” The increase in workload has not slowed down though, even as time has gone on.

In the fall of 2021, UPS announced that they were looking to hire many new employees, at least for the holiday season, to meet rising demands. “We’re preparing for another safe, record peak holiday season. With COVID-19 continuing to impact Americans, our services are more important than ever,” said Nando Cesarone, the President of U.S. Operations. “We plan to hire more than 100,000 people for seasonal jobs, many of whom will have an offer in hand within 30 minutes of applying. Our seasonal hires will help us provide the most reliable service in the industry, just like we did last year.”

But as they noted in their press release, UPS has a “track record of turning seasonal jobs into careers”. It is very likely that anyone who did well in their seasonal position is still working for the company today. And although working for UPS can be a grueling job, it certainly has its perks, including being able to earn money to put towards college expenses, excellent insurance, and the opportunity to meet adorable doggos along the way.

We reached out to Alex Sessa, owner and head trainer at Peach on a Leash Dog Training & Behavior Services, to get some insight from an expert on man's best friend. First, we wanted to know why dogs are so special. "What makes dogs so special is the incredible bond we’re able to mutually develop with them," Alex told Bored Panda. "Despite not being able to speak the same language, we are able to communicate with each other and develop such a beautiful relationship."

We also asked Alex what the benefits are of being around dogs, particularly at work. "Having dogs in the workplace can have an incredibly positive impact on what may otherwise be a stressful environment," she explained. "Studies have shown that just the act of petting a dog can have a positive impact on our mental and physical well-being, including lowering our stress hormone (cortisol) and increasing levels of the 'feel-good' hormone that promotes bonding, oxytocin."

We also asked Alex what her thoughts are on the misconception that dogs often become aggressive when the doorbell is rung or someone is spotted outside their home. "While there are absolutely dogs that can present a danger to visitors, often the barking and frantic scrambling you hear at the door is just an excited dog that’s desperate to say hello," she explained. "If you’re afraid of dogs or have concerns about a dog at the door, ask the homeowner to put the dog away or behind a barrier."

Lastly, Alex added, "It’s worth mentioning that not all dogs are the right fit to join us at work - the workplace can be a busy and stressful environment that may be overwhelming for more anxious or fearful dogs. Dogs that are uncomfortable in new environments or around new people might prefer to stay at home; a dog walker or pet sitter can be helpful for those extra-long days."

If you'd like to learn more about dog training and hear more expertise from Alex and her team, you can check out Peach on a Leash right here.

We also reached out to Maggie Marton, creator of the Oh My Dog blog, to hear why she thinks dogs are so special. "Dogs evolved to be our besties! Our co-evolutionary history means we and dogs understand each other better than any other interspecies relationship," Maggie told Bored Panda. "And how lucky is that?!? Dogs are the best!"

We also wanted to hear what she thinks the benefits are of being around dogs while working. "Have you ever felt super tense or stressed after a tough call or meeting? Having a dog to love on can actually reduce stress in the moment," Maggie says. "Of course it's great to come home to your pup after a tough day at work, but having her with you while you're working? Even better!"

Lastly, we asked Maggie what her thoughts are on the assumption that dogs are violent or aggressive when they hear the doorbell ring. "Some dogs are, sure, but dogs can learn anything, even to sit quietly near the door and wait for you to open it," she explained. "If your dog is a barker, just remember that he or she feels like it's a responsibility to protect you--and that's lovely! The behavior can be a problem if you're on a Zoom and a package gets delivered, but there are lots of strategies to work on to get past overzealous door barking. And, if all else fails, keep treats or a squeaky toy in your desk drawer to distract your pup in a pinch."

If you'd like to gain even more insight from Maggie, be sure to check out Out My Dog right here.

With all of the hard work that they have to put in every single day, UPS drivers definitely deserve to have great benefits. That’s why the UPS Dogs page is so wonderful. Even during a stressful day of delivering hundreds of packages, every employee can at least look forward to meeting a few cute doggos along the way. And if they did not get to see any themselves that day, couriers can always log onto Facebook and check out the doggos that their colleagues have had the pleasure of meeting.  

The page’s audience reaches much farther than just UPS employees though, with nearly 2 million followers on Facebook and over 650k followers on their respective Instagram account. Everybody adores cute dogs and appreciates their faithful UPS workers, so what’s not to love? 

It’s no secret that pets can be therapeutic, and many offices are now dog friendly for that exact reason. Being able to pet a fluffy friend for a few minutes after staring at a computer for hours on end can be a welcomed and refreshing way to break up your day. But people who work on their feet, rather than having conventional desk jobs, rarely have the opportunity to have their pets with them during the work day. It’s wonderful that UPS couriers sometimes have the chance to bond with doggos during their day because it can boost their moods and potentially even benefit their mental health. 

Apparently, when employees are able to bring their dogs along to work with them, they report having significantly lower levels of stress, DogTime writes. But it is not only the employees who bring their own fur babies to work who get to reap these benefits. “Even co-workers that weren’t accompanied by their own pet felt that the presence of the dogs had a positive impact on their productivity,” notes Vicki Clinebell at DogTime. These benefits have also been seen in a variety of different fields, from sales and marketing to blue-collar positions. 

According to psychologist June McNicholas, taking care of a pet can also remind us to take better care of ourselves. “Pet care and self-care are linked. When you take a dog out for a walk, people talk to you and that may be the only social contact an isolated person has the whole day,” McNicholas notes. “If you have a cat, you can have a conversation standing in the cat food aisle in the supermarket, deciding which brand to buy. When pet owners leave the house to buy pet food, they’re more likely to buy food for themselves and when they feed their pet, they’ll sit down to eat too. People with disabilities often find that able-bodied people are socially awkward with them; if they have a dog it breaks down barriers and allows a more comfortable and natural interaction.”

And even though research does show that employees benefit from having access to cuddly, furry friends at work, we cannot ignore the fact that people just love dogs. And according to scientists, this is because dogs just innately understand us better than any other animal can. “When our canine pals stare into our eyes, they activate the same hormonal response that bonds us to human infants,” David Grimm writes for Science.org. "It's an incredible finding that suggests that dogs have hijacked the human bonding system," says Brian Hare, an expert on canine cognition at Duke University in North Carolina. “A finding of this magnitude will need to be replicated because it potentially has such far-reaching implications."

So anyone who views their dogs as their “fur babies” might actually be onto something. Any dog owner will tell you how great they feel after spending some time with their pet, but apparently, the bond goes both ways. The eye-opening study conducted by an animal behaviorist at Azabu University in Japan found that mutual gazing has a great effect on dogs and their owners. “Both male and female dogs experienced a 130% rise in oxytocin levels, and both male and female owners a 300% increase,” Grimm writes.

And when it comes to the age-old assumption that dogs are out to get anyone who rings the doorbell or attempts to deliver a package, writer Joe Duncan notes that they will almost never initiate violence. “Dogs usually wait until an actual altercation breaks out before attacking,” he writes. “They often have more patience and better judgment than we humans do. They understand one law, one code of honor: If you’re hurt, I will defend you, loyally and absolutely — to the death if need be, because I’m a dog and that’s what we’re designed to do — to love, to protect, to defend, to support, and to honor our human counterpart — even if they’re flawed in the way they love us back.”

Dogs and UPS drivers both play an important role in many people's lives, but we don’t often think of them as being pals. Thankfully, the UPS Dogs Facebook page has brought these unusual friendships to light. We hope you are enjoying all of these adorable photos; perhaps you’re even feeling inspired to befriend your presumed arch nemesis. Be sure to keep upvoting all of your favorite pics, and then if you want to check out even more, don’t forget to read Bored Panda’s previous articles featuring UPS Dogs here and here.