Man's best friend in the metal fabrication shop

Nina, a 140-pound bullmastiff, from Dallas fab shop Kitchen Kandy Range Hoods.

February is Dog Training Education Month and Responsible Pet Owners Month. What better way to celebrate these observances than feature a few fab shop canines?

A couple months ago we ran a story about a shop in Indiana that launched during the pandemic. Besides the impressive fortitude Crosby & Drumm have shown, we were also equally pleased to see their doggo Auto. So we asked metal fabricators to share pictures of the good boys and girls that bring joy to their shops. Here are few submissions (view the photos in the gallery at the end).

Dog: Nina. Shop: Kitchen Kandy Range Hoods, Dallas. Elisa Lane, founder: "We have a character of a shop dog named Nina, or Moose as she has been nicknamed. She’s a 140-lb. bullmastiff. She loves to steal tools and items that the guys leave unattended, and she always seems to think she is helping. She really thinks she’s a part of the fabrication team. She also greets all customers and sits on their feet."

Dog: Bo. Shop: Professional Metal Works, Haslett Mich. Jerry McKenna: "Our shop dog Bo, a German Shorthair Pointer, is a great attitude adjustor with his positive, upbeat, and high-energy personality."

Dog: Henke. Shop: Amada Scandinavia, Alingsa, Sweden. Peter Book, sales manager: "I work as sales manager for Amada in Sweden, and we have had our office dog Henke for 12 years. He is a chocolate Labrador and has been in the office since he was a pup. He gives the staff a soothing environment and normally sleeps all day in the office—until it’s time for a lunch break. Then he is very active, looking for somebody to drop some food on the floor that he can eat. He sometimes follows me to customer meetings. Sometimes I wonder if the customer is looking forward to meeting Henke more than me."

Dog: Roxy. Shop: Wesco BHT Manufacturing, Denver. Mark Welle Jr., president: "Roxy brings our sales director to work every day and she understands the importance of safety in the shop."

Dogs: Mya and Miko. Shop: Westermans International Ltd., Groby, Leicestershire, U.K. Claire Spillane, finance director: "Two of our four-legged friends that come to work with us each day. Mya is helping to repair some equipment, and Miko found a nice spot to pose underneath a seam welder. Hope you like the dogs!"

Dog: Harper. Shop: Welding Test Center, Eastern Maine Community College, Bangor, Maine. Tom Giles Lab, director: "Here's my “lab Lab.” He is a 3½-year-old black English Labrador retriever. I run an independent mechanical testing lab, and he’s been coming to work with me since he was a puppy. One of our functions is operating an American Welding Society-Accredited Test Facility for the last 30 years. When welders come into the lab to take certification tests, they are understandably nervous and anxious. I had heard about dogs being used at universities during finals to help calm the students and had always thought, “Well, that’s nice but, come on, is that really necessary?” Then I witnessed the profound impact Harper had on welders coming into the shop to take certification tests. You could see the stress just melt away. I was sold! He also performs double duty as the mascot/therapist for our first- and second-year welding students. I mean, how can you not have a great day when you’re met by 90 lbs. of wagging tail."

Dog: Kevin Barkin Deuling. Shop: Deuling Design LLC, Muskegon, Michigan. Adam Deuling, owner: "Whether at my welding table or the press brake, he's always right behind me, with a ball."

Dog: Bob Barker. Shop: Blue Barn, Gardner, Mass. Jason Hoynash, owner: "He’s my favorite animal on the planet. He’s a chocolate lab. I think having him and having the shop attached to where my wife and I live makes it very personal"

Editor's note: If you feel like sharing your fab shop dog, send me an email.

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