What was the most unusual contract demand Karen Coe has negotiated between an executive and a company?

Well, there was the time she had to find a nanny for an executive’s dog.

A Middle East company wanted to hire the executive on a two-year assignment.

But, before his family’s beloved pet could roam in that country, according to the law of the land, it would have to be quarantined for six months.

His children became distraught at the thought of putting their four-legged friend in a cage for that length of time — and they balked.

Coe, who operates Calgary-based executive search firm Coe and Company International, negotiated a compromise.

She arranged for the animal to stay with a family in France, which has less stringent imported-animal quarantine rules, for the entire two-year period.

The executive, his wife and kids visited the dog during vacations and enjoyed memorable times together.

When the executive and his family moved back to Canada, the dog came home, too. Another time, said Coe, a deal fell through when a Calgary company attempted to hire an executive from Vancouver.

The executive’s 16-year-old son, a budding actor, had just completed a TV commercial, which he felt would launch his career.

The teen felt his acting prospects were better in Vancouver and wanted to pursue opportunities.

Dad couldn’t convince his prospective employer to fly him back to Vancouver regularly to assist his son. So the executive stayed on the west coast.

Meanwhile, said Coe, in cases of Canadian executives moving to the U.S., American companies have been asked to provide employment, or cover educational expenses, for spouses whose career prospects have been affected by the move.

(U.S. immigration law prohibits spouses from working full-time, said Coe, but contract positions are permitted.)

Coe predicted this trend will increase in coming years as “human capital” becomes more valuable than “intellectual capital” in a very tight market.

In addition to providing the usual salary and benefits, she suggested, companies will look at the complete person and make sure the new job suits the employee and his or her family’s lifestyle.

That doesn’t mean employers will have to spend a lot of money.

What will they have to do?

“Just simple, caring things,” said Coe.