5 Tips for Working From Home with a Dog

Happy National Take Your Dog to Work Day! Since March many of us have been working from home and with better technology, this option is likely to become a viable option for a lot of organizations moving forward.  As a lot of us continue to WFH here are our favorite benefits:

●      Shorter commute times

●      Unlimited coffee

●      Loungewear

●      Increased flexibility

●      Extra dog time…

Who can argue with extra dog time?! Well, a small problem we’ve run into is the increase in distractions, like the noise of Knaughty Knox counter surfing upstairs while in the home office. While I’d love to play with our dogs all day, we still need to fulfill our job responsibilities.

The Importance of Boundaries

Cute dog eyes are hard to resist, especially when you have Harper Seal staring up at you, so it’s best to have a plan in place when you need some desk time.  It’s easy to have boundaries when you go to work, but its harder when your dog is just outside the door! We’ve got a few tips to help you be a successful work from home dog parent, in case you haven’t quite mastered it yet.

1. Create a Schedule

Time boundaries are important when you work remotely. It’s easy to work all the time with your laptop in the next room, but the opposite problem could be true as well, some of us get distracted easier than others… 🙋🏻‍♀️.

First, create a work schedule. Set a time when you start and end work.  Then add in times where you and your dog need a break.  This allows you to know exactly when mealtime, potty breaks, and playtime happens. With a schedule in place, you can have a work/life balance and you don’t have to worry about having enough time with your dog!

2. Designate a Work Area

Whatever your living situation, set aside a specific place that is just for work. This can help separate your work life from your personal life, but it can also keep your four-legged friends from interrupting. 

If you don’t have an office door that you can shut, you may have to invest in some baby gates. Baby gates can help you define a space and keep your dog out of that space. A crate is another excellent option that can keep them contained and safe in another room… and let’s face it, every pup could use some relaxing crate time once in a while.

 3. Prepare Enrichment Activities 

Depending on your dog’s activity level and age, it may be difficult for them to lounge around all day, waiting for you to be done with work.  It’s important to have a realistic idea of ways you can keep them occupied.  For example, if you have video conference calls all day, multiple walks might not be possible.

Here are some ideas to keep your dog busy during the workday:

●      Hire a dog walker or send him/her to doggie daycare Yes, even if you work from home!)

●      Have multiple KONGs filled and ready to go

●      Keep chews on hand (Earth Animal’s no hides, pigs ears, bully sticks)

●      Make or purchase a few puzzles toys

 Leave the House

Working from home with a dog can be awesome, but it’s necessary for your dog’s well-being to leave the house every now and then! Our dogs love that we are around, but at some point, you will want to run errands or go out to eat again. And if they haven’t had any practice being alone, separation anxiety can come knocking.

Allow your dog some time to practice being independent. Leaving them alone in a different room is a great option, but work on getting out of the house for different periods of time. Especially as puppies, start this right away.  This sounds like an excellent excuse to go grab yourself a coffee or treat yourself to a dinner out… ahh COVID times.

Noise Management

Unless you work at a doggy daycare, dog noises are not usually a problem at a workplace. However, if you work at home, this is definitely something to consider.  Your company may not appreciate hearing a dog bark or squeaky toys on an important business call. Even if you have a noisey pup (talking about you Knox!), you can still successfully work from home. Take a look at these options to manage the noise:

●      Hire a dog trainer to help with barking triggers

●      Keep your dog in a separate room while you work

●      Invest in a good pair of earphones :)

●      Use calming music or the news to block out outside noises

Work From Home Dog Parents 

While National Take your Dog to Work Day may look a little different this year, we are fortunate to be celebrating this holiday every day these past few months :) We hope the above tips can create a home workspace that works for both you and your pup.