Working from home can be a real blessing for some people. Whether you are a stay at home mom or a person who works for a company with the option to work from home, it can help you get a lot of things done around the house while staying in your PJs. How can anyone beat that?
But if you stay home with your dog all day, they might think that it’s time to play at all times. There needs to be some firm boundaries set up so they know work time is work time no matter what. In this article, we aim to explore several different ways you can entertain your pup while working from home so you can get your work done and they can stay entertained in the meantime.
The 7 Tips for Working from Home with Your Pup
Some older dogs might be totally chill with just hanging out by your feet while you do your thing. They don’t really bark or create much of a fuss, so you don’t need to worry about them.
Other dogs are a little bit more attention driven, and want to be on your lap or creating a ruckus around you to try to get you to play or give them attention. This can be very distracting and hard to manage when you have a job to do. Here are some things you can do to keep your dog from distracting you while you work.
1. Tucker Your Pup Out
The best way to get good results is to make sure your pup is all the way tuckered out. If you have a younger dog on your hands, it might be especially difficult to tire them out so they will take a snooze for a while.
Make part of your routine include burning off some steam before you even start your workday.
2. Buy Interactive Toys
Buying interactive toys is a great way to get your pup to entertain themselves. It can feel a lot like they’re being played with since these interactive toys usually come with noisemakers, flashing lights, and other distracting features.
You can buy interactive toys on sites like Amazon or Chewy, just make sure that they’re totally pet safe. Even though certain products can be geared towards dogs, that doesn’t always mean they’re totally safe.
If you have an avid chewer on your hands, it might not be the best idea to give them an electronic toy that they can break bits off of, potentially chewing it up and causing an obstruction.
3. Give Backyard Breaks
If you have a fenced-in backyard, it can be a really good idea to let your dog out during times when you’ll be on important phone calls or in meetings. This way, they can burn off some steam, running around the yard and barking at the neighborhood squirrels.
This way, they’re not in the house distracting you or creating a ruckus while you are doing important tasks. Granted, during months of extreme temperatures, such as in the dead of winter or summertime, it can be extremely hot or cold. So always take into consideration the outdoor environments before you just toss your dog outside for a long period without checking on them.
However, if it’s a nice day out and your pup could use the time to play, they would likely enjoy it more if they could be outside exploring the space rather than stuck inside with nothing to do.
4. Crate Them During Meetings or Calls
If you are on an extremely important call or in a meeting, it can be extremely distracting to hear a dog barking in the background or running around the room. Instead of just letting them roam freely, it might be best to put your dog in a crate or kennel while you are doing the important parts.
You can always let them back out when the meeting is over, and it is certainly a lot better than spending a whole 8 hours in a crate while you’re working a job away from home.
5. Separate Your Dog from Your Office
Just because you’re working from home, doesn’t necessarily mean you have to let your dog in your office space. You could always use this area for business and the rest of the house for relaxation.
If you always keep your office off-limits to your dog, they will understand over time that when their parent is in the office, they need to find something to do to occupy themselves while they’re waiting on you to re-emerge.
Even if your dog doesn’t like it initially, they would likely accept this boundary once they get acclimated to it.
6. Put Up a Camera with Audio Capabilities
If you’re still in the house but away from your dog in your office, you can set up a camera that connects to your cellular device. That way, you can actually talk through the camera to console your dog when you can see them getting into something or can tell that they are pretty anxious.
It might feel an awful lot like you’re right next to them if they can just hear the sound of your voice. You can buy cameras for relatively cheap that have this feature.
Even a $20 camera can really prove to be a priceless commodity to have in the home. If your dog is getting too loud, you can always mute a phone call or audio on a meeting to get your dog back in line verbally. You can say things into the camera like, “Don’t chew that up!” or shout their name to get their attention.
7. Take Breaks to Interact with Your Pup
If you work a semi traditional job, you will likely have breaks during the day. If you make your own schedule, even better! When you have a few minutes of downtime, you can relax with, play with, or go on walks with your pooch.
You can even take them out to the backyard to play while you sip on a coffee to boost your energy. If you take time to spend with them, they will get used to you being home—and maybe not bombard you as much during your work time.
Conclusion
Learning to navigate working from home with your pup might be a little tricky at first, but you can manage. You can find ways to make them feel included without them interrupting your daily tasks. You could implement your own creative ways to keep them busy while you are working and take breaks for you and your pup to play or take a walk during the day.
Featured Image Credit: Kampus Production, Pexels
