Working from home with a dog is no easy task. Thankfully, I usually work in the office – until this past year. Like many other people, the pandemic has shifted the way I work, and now I work from home full time – with Milo by my side. That’s why I’ve come up with these easy ways to make working from home with your dog easier!
Ways to Make Working From Home With Your Dog Easier
- Stock up on dog toys
- Give your dog plenty of exercises
- Teach your dog the ‘quiet command
- Establish a routine
- Incorporate cuddle moments between work
- Dog-proof your home
- Mask outside noises
- Mornings at the dog park
- Ask for help
- Reward your dog for good behavior
- Put a doggie bed nearby
- Shake things up on weekends
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1) STOCK UP ON DOG TOYS
Milo loves to play, just like most dogs.
And even though I try to tire him out with a morning walk, he often wants to engage in playtime when I’m working – usually right in the middle of a video call!
Thankfully, he also loves his toys.
Dogs never seem to outgrow their playful habits, and if you start playing with them, you may be in for a busy day of fetch!
Stocking up on toys is a great way to keep them busy for hours – especially if you only give them the toys you know they will love!
Most dogs also love to chew on things.
And in your living room, there are many things dogs can chew on. So stocking up on safe chew toys for him when you’re working is step number one!
Just make sure to keep an eye on him from time to time ensures that he’s safe and is not at risk of choking on toy parts!
And to make his playtime more interesting, you can give him a treat stuffed toy, like a peanut butter filled Kong – just make sure they aren’t playing with it on the rug – or you’ll have a mess to clean up later!
Plus, when I have a big meeting coming up, giving Milo a treat stuffed toy buys me at least an hour for my meeting!
2) GIVE YOUR DOG PLENTY OF EXERCISE
Throughout the day I try to make sure Milo gets to stretch his lets a few times – either for a walk, a quick game of fetch, or even just tossing the ball from my desk!
Exercising your dogs keeps them in shape, active, and helps their minds and bodies stay stimulated. Plus, it does a great job of tiring them out!
There are plenty of exercises you can do with your pooch, both indoor and outdoor ones, all of which your fur baby will love!
For example, you can run up and down the stairs with your furry friend for a few minutes. Dogs with longer backs and shorter legs may find the stairs exercise a challenge, but that shouldn’t deter you from finding other games to play.
You can also play fetch in your backyard or run on the treadmill.
After this exercise, your furry pal will want to lay in his quiet place and relax, which gives you peace and time to work!
On my lunch break I always take Milo for a long walk – as long as it’s not too hot out!
He loves the mid-day break and I get some quiet time for my afternoon meetings!
3) TEACH YOUR DOG THE QUIET COMMAND
Teaching your dog to obey your commands is easier said then done, but it’s necessary for the smooth running of this new work from home world.
And the quiet command is a perfect fit!
It teaches your pup to quit barking, growling, or making other noises that can be hard to ignore during your daily tasks.
Plus, it’s hard to explain why your dog sounds like he’s having a panic attack to all your co-workers on Zoom!
The trick with this is consistency.
For example, when he starts barking unnecessarily you can say “Milo, quiet”.
At first your pup won’t know what it means. But when they turn to look at you (and inevitably stop barking for a minute) you can give them praise and reward them.
Keep at it and they’ll learn to associate the work quiet with the action to stop barking. You’ll soon see your pup obeying your ‘quiet’ command and you can use this command during your workday!
4) ESTABLISH A ROUTINE
Dogs, just like humans, like routines. It makes them comfortable knowing what’s going on around them – especially since we can’t explain things to them!
Instead of getting off your desk to play with him for a few minutes every other hour, set a block of time for just playing with him.
For example, if you want to take time off between 10am and 10:30am to play with your pooch, establish that routine instead of taking 10 today and 11 a.m the following day.
Just like you teach your dog about mealtime, you can train them on playtime.
When it nears their playtime, the doggie-clock in their brain dings and they wait at the designated area.
Milo already knows that every day at noon is play time – whether that’s taking a stroll if it’s not too hot out, or chasing the ball in the backyard!
5) INCORPORATE CUDDLE MOMENTS BETWEEN WORK
Sometimes, all your fur bestie needs is a little TLC.
It doesn’t mean he’s needy. He probably just feels neglected.
Cuddle moments make your four-legged pal know that you care that he’s there.
You don’t have to make it an every-hour activity. Just two to three times during your work period should be good enough.
And you might find that they don’t even need cuddles. They’re just happy you’re there and they want you to recognize their presence too.
When you do, your pooch may very well leave you alone to your work!
So whenever Milo comes over to me, I make sure to pet him and give him a hug. Usually once I do this he goes back and lays down on the couch.
He just wants to say hi and know that I still love him, even when I’m busy!
6) DOG-PROOF YOUR HOME
You may have fun times with your dog when you’re working from home, but it doesn’t mean there are no safety hazards in your home office.
From simple things paper clips to more dangerous ones such as naked wires, dog-proofing your work from home space ensures there is no risk of accidents with your pooch when you’re trying to meet deadlines.
Dogs are curious by nature.
They scratch, bite and chew anything they can get their paws on, especially when they’re bored!
So keeping toxic items like a stapler, ball point pens, and laptop cables is essential.
And I know this one is hard – especially if you usually don’t work from home. But when you have your makeshift office in your pup’s reach, you’ll have to do some puppy-proofing!
A good addition to your doggie-proofed home office is his bed next to your desk!
Your four-legged companion might want to stay near you when you’re working, even if it’s not play time.
Put a doggie bed close to your desk and give him a toy to keep him entertained!
7) MASK OUTSIDE NOISES
Oftentimes, our furry friends alert us when there is movement close to our houses such as the mailman, an intruder, or even a squirrel.
Your dog’s sense of hearing is more sensitive than yours and he may catch noises you wouldn’t hear.
And every time his attention is turned to the window, barking is most certainly going to follow!
But when you’re working, it may be distracting to have them bark at every car that passes by or every rodent that runs across your yard.
Try blocking out the noises or sights that alert him by closing the windows and the blinds to prevent your fur baby from catching outside movement.
And if closing the windows and curtains or blinds doesn’t seem to work, you can put on some soft music that doesn’t distract you but muffles the sounds for them!
8) MORNINGS AT THE DOG PARK
Ever heard of the old saying that a tired dog is a happy dog?
If your dog is tired, he is less likely to become destructive, which allows you to do your work in peace!
So before you start your day, going for a quick trip to the dog park will allow your fur baby to get some workout in!
It’s good for both of you!
I am lucky to have a dog park in my community – only a golf cart ride away. But even when the dog park was a 15 minute commute, it was well worth it!
When your pooch comes back from his morning play time, he’s less energetic than he was when he got up, which gives you plenty of time to get caught up on all those emails from the day before!
So grab a cup of coffee in your favorite to-go container, and enjoy that sunrise at your nearest dog park for a great way to start your (and your pup’s) day!
9) ASK FOR HELP
The old saying that no man is an island has always been true.
But it’s especially true in this new pandemic (and post-pandemic) world!
You may be a super parent to your pooch and he may always want to follow you around, but it is not always possible for you to be there.
We all need a little help sometimes, and when you’re busy with work, it is good to ask the people you live with to help chip in!
If you have kids, you can ask them to play with your fur baby for certain periods.
And the same case applies to your partner. Ask them to play fetch with your pooch or take them out for a walk when you have important calls!
When I have an important meeting that just cannot be interrupted, the boyfriend will take Milo into another room or out for a walk.
Nothing beats a quiet house to help you finish your work, and without your pooch demanding attention every few minutes, you’d be amazed at the amount of work you can get done!
And if you live alone and can’t work with your four-legged companion in the house, it might be worthwhile to find a sitter if you have to meet certain deadlines.
10) REWARD YOUR DOG FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR
We all want to feel appreciated for the things we do right. It motivates us to keep doing good if we’re showered with praise or tokens of appreciation.
Dogs are the same way.
If they stay on their best behavior, it is important to reward them for it. They’ll want to keep doing it because they’re receiving gratitude for it – or even better, yummy treats!
I reward Milo when he’s on his best behavior when we’re out in public. He also knows to stay in his ‘place’ when we’re having dinner, and I reward him with a treat for it when dinner is over
If your pooch obeys your ‘quiet’ command, give him a treat.
If he keeps it up, reward him more. He’ll stay quiet because he knows the benefits he’s getting from it.
But as with everything, moderation is key.
If you’re giving him treats loaded with sugar, don’t let him have too much or it’ll have the opposite effect!
11) PUT A DOGGIE BED NEARBY
Dogs like to relax where their parents are.
And if you’re a fur parent, you know that your pooch wants to cozy up to you most of the time!
But when it is time to work, it can be difficult to give him that much attention and still do your job.
Having a doggie bed close to your workspace can definitely help.
I have an extra dog bed that we usually keep in the living room.
But if the boyfriend is on another important call, I’ll move the bed into the office with me and close the door.
This usually keeps Milo pretty calm, knowing that he’s close to one of us.
Plus, it’s always good to have some treats on hand and toss them to him every once in a while!
When your pooch realizes he’s being rewarded, he’ll stay put on the bed because he assumes more treats will fall in the same spot!
12) SHAKE THINGS UP ON WEEKENDS
Weekends are for having fun and letting your hair loose.
After a week of video conferences and meeting deadlines, you need a relaxing activity.
So does your fur baby!
He’s been stuck in the house the entire week and also wants to change up the scenery a little.
Finding some fun doggie activities that you don’t do during the weekdays is a great way to mix things up!
Just try to avoid activities you do on workdays, such as using the same route to walk your dog.
Instead, try different activities, such as going to the beach if it’s possible in your location, or find dog friendly swimming pools!
When you start a new week, you and your fur baby will both be refreshed enough to get into the routine without too much push!
TIPS TO KEEP YOUR DOG SAFE AT HOME
Dogs like to play with anything and everything, even porcupines!
It is important to keep a close eye on your pooch when you’re working from home to prevent accidents from happening.
Here are a few things you should do to keep your four-legged companion safe at home:
- Keep your trash can tightly closed. If your dog loves rummaging through the trash can, he may come into contact with unsafe foods and other inedible objects.
- Keep unsafe toys out of reach. Small toys that can be swallowed by your fur baby should be kept away to prevent choking.
- Don’t leave your dog in the backyard alone. They may eat plants that are poisonous or come into contact with insects such as wasps and bees, or small animals such as porcupines and snakes.
- Keep cabinets latched. Cleaning supplies, bug spray, human food, and some fruits can be hazardous to your pup’s health. Keeping them dog proofed keeps your dog safe.
- Cover your electric cords. Pups love to chew and if there is no chew toy to distract them, they may mistake the cords for tug toys, which poses the danger of shock or electrocution.
- Don’t leave office supplies laying around – your dog will not know what they are and you’ll have a mess to clean up – or worse, a sick dog!
Working from home is awesome for bonding with your fur baby. You spend more time with them while (hopefully) getting your work done. And you can even cuddle up with them during meetings as long as they’re well behaved! By using these 12 ways to make working from home with your dog easier, you can get your work done successfully and keep your pup safe in the process!
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