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Working from home can help many people create a healthy work-life balance, but having a dog as a co-worker can also bring some unexpected challenges. From managing interruptions during meetings and belly rub demands to making sure your dog isn’t getting too dependent on 24-7 companionship, there’s a lot to consider.
Dr. Josh Smith, owner of Pawspital Animal Hospital in Meridian, Idaho, offers advice on setting boundaries, enforcing good routines, and finding a healthy balance for both pet parent and dog. He also emphasizes that working from home with your dog is a great way to establish a strong bond and relieve stress, which sounds like a win-win.
1. Set a Work-From-Home Routine with Your Dog
Dr. Smith emphasizes that dogs thrive on routines—and many humans do too. They’re important both for establishing breaks and laying down the rules of the road. Here’s how to build a work-from-home schedule with your dog.
Before the work day starts
Meeting your dog’s needs before the workday starts will help your pup to relax into the day, and it can minimize interruptions once you’ve started work. Before you sit down at your desk, try to fit in the following:
- a morning trip outside
- a walk or some play time
- breakfast
During the work day
Every work day needs some breaks, and this is a great time to include your dog. Use your breaks to:
- eat a snack
- go for a lunchtime dog walk
- incorporate an afternoon play session
Having consistent breaks for your dog at roughly the same time each day can help to make sure they’re exercised, entertained, and content—and a content pup means a more productive day.
After the work day
The end of the workday is a great natural break point—and a good opportunity to celebrate. Making a point of doing the following immediately after you shut your laptop can help communicate a transition point in the day:
- going outside for some exercise
- a game of fetch
- a training session
2. Meet Your Dog’s Exercise Needs
Pet parents can avoid a lot of unwanted interruptions by meeting their dog’s exercise needs. If you’re seeing these behaviors during your workday, there’s a good chance your dog needs more physical activity:
- periods of restlessness or pacing
- constant nudges for attention
- destructive behavior
- barking at activities or passersby outside the window
- frequent requests to go outside
Exercise time doesn’t just need to include walks. Mentally and physically stimulating activities can include a game of fetch, a mini training session, or even a puzzle if that’s what your schedule permits.
If you aren’t sure how much exercise your dog will need throughout the day, your vet can help. Dr. Smith recommends a baseline by breed size:
- 30-60 minutes for small dogs
- About an hour for medium breeds
- Between 60 and 90 minutes for large breeds
These sessions can take place throughout the day, and they don’t need to be in one large block. In fact, shorter sessions more often may be better!
Zbynek Pospisil via iStock
3. Set Up Your Space
Setting up the right space is key to successfully working from home with dogs. You need a space where you can effectively go about your daily tasks and meetings, and your dog needs a place where they can concentrate on their most important task: relaxing.
The more appealing your dog’s space is to them, the easier it will be to set boundaries. Consider incorporating:
- a sleeping area (think blanket, bed, or open crate, depending on your dog’s preferences)
- toys that you can rotate in throughout the day (puzzles, chews, or plush)
- a water bowl
- some well-secured treats to have on hand
4. Keep Your Dog Occupied While You Work
A well-exercised dog will usually spend much of their day resting, so keeping your dog occupied shouldn’t take up too much of your time. In fact, too much entertainment in the form of toys and treats can actually be overwhelming.
Depending on the rhythm of your work day, there are typically natural times to incorporate some entertainment for your dog. A combination of routine short breaks, introducing an afternoon treat, or a lunchtime playdate can do the trick.
If your job allows more flexibility, Dr. Smith recommends switching up the scenery to help keep your dog occupied. This can include a quick trip to a dog park or a visit to a local dog-friendly cafe, where you can still get some work done while your dog enjoys a change of pace. Working from public places can be part of your dog’s socialization or behavior training, and it can be done in short spurts until your dog is a professional at enjoying new work spaces.
Other at-home options for entertaining your dog can include:
- Interactive toys, such as puzzles
- Chew toys
- Lick mats
- Treat-dispensing dog toys and KONGs
Troubleshooting
If a work-from-home arrangement is new to you and your dog, you may encounter some growing pains as you get started. These can be especially acute if you have a dog who is needy, frequently barks, or is prone to destructive behavior. For all of these issues, training and patience can go a long way.
Demands for attention
If your dog is needy, this is an opportunity to work on setting the right boundaries. If you’re finding that your dog cannot stay in their designated area, consider some small changes you can make to help create a better work environment.
- Don’t give in to constant requests for interaction; instead, use the opportunity to work on teaching cues like “go to spot” and “settle”
- Consider practicing crate training for short periods
- Take more frequent but shorter breaks
- Incorporate some interactive toys in your dog’s space
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Barking
One side effect of working from home could be learning that your dog is a serial barker. The good news is, if you are home, you can work with your dog to curb this tendency. The best way to minimize barking is a combination of limiting your dog’s exposure to things that inspire barking (activity outside the window, noises, and knocking) and training.
If your dog’s office setup includes a street view to other dogs on their walks or fun friends (think squirrels), consider finding them an alternative location or installing blinds.
If that is not an option, work with some tried and true methods to limit barking, such as:
- Interactive toys
- A white noise machine
- More exercise or interactive play
- Training interventions
One technique for bark-training is to approach your dog while they are barking with a highly desired treat. Use your training cue (such as “that’s enough”), and when your dog stops, offer them the treat. With consistency, this method can work to limit excited barking.
Puppies
Puppies can be difficult to manage during a work day. They have more needs, more frequently. If you are a puppy parent, plan on incorporating more frequent breaks into your schedule to meet your puppy’s needs.
Consider using a crate or puppy playpen some of the time to limit wandering and accidents. While it can be tempting to hold a puppy all day during your work day, this is also a good time to start establishing household boundaries. Good habits now will help to make your future work-from-home experience more enjoyable for both you and your pup.
High-energy dogs
High-energy dogs need exercise to keep them content. If you have one of these breeds (think German Shepherds, Labs, and Border Collies), Dr. Smith recommends planning on 90 minutes of exercise a day to keep them healthy.
Because of this, your work breaks will likely incorporate some type of outside interactive play, such as frisbee, fetch, or a run. Working in longer exercise sessions prior to your work day can help to keep your dog’s energy manageable throughout the day.
High-energy dogs can be great candidates for dog parks or doggy daycare, where dog friends can help keep their activity levels up throughout the day.
Consider Doggy Daycare or a Dog Walker
Doggy daycare is one option to provide your dog with care and entertainment during the day while you work from home. Similar to a dog park experience, it can provide great interactive play for your dog. Many dogs love an opportunity to play with new friends and explore a new play area. As an added bonus, they usually come home exercised, tired, and content.
Timid, anxious, and reactive dogs are likely to have a hard time at daycare facilities with lots of other dogs. But your pup can still get some exercise and mental stimulation from a dog walker or a private sitter, who can offer one on one care in the comfort of their own home.
Changing things up—even just one or two days a week—can make a big difference in a dog’s mental health and your productivity at home.
