Working from Home with Pets: Tips & Tricks for Success
As the world opens back up again, we are starting to get a feel for the ‘new normal’.
One positive change that came from the craziness of 2020/2021 is the fact that remote work or working from home is more common than ever before.
For pet owners, this means the added benefit of being at home with your pet all day, however, there are some challenges to consider as well!
In this post, I’m going to discuss the reality of working at home with pets including tips and tricks for success.
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Are you considering adopting a work-from-home or remote working lifestyle?
It’s a shift that many people are making after being introduced to the benefits of working from home during the restrictions of the last year and a half.
As a pet owner, the idea of being at home all day with your pets is a tempting one. I know that it played a role in my decision back in the day!
This eliminates the need for pet sitters and dog walkers.
Instead, you can attend to the needs of your pet throughout the day by spending your breaks with your furry best friend. What better way to step away and destress during the workday?
However, after over 5 years of working from home with my pets, I can tell you that it isn’t always easy!
Those adorable little furballs can quickly become a distraction, pulling your attention away from the task at hand and interrupting your productivity.
Before you start questioning your sanity for making this decision (trust me, I did at times), let’s take a step back and look at how you can successfully work from home with a pet.
After all, studies have found that there are positive benefits to having your pet at your place of work.
I am going to share some tips and tricks that you can apply to your work from home experience including both things that I have done well and how to avoid the mistakes that I have made along the way (and there were plenty).
But remember, at the end of the day no two pets are the same!
Don’t be afraid to make changes, as needed, for your unique situation and think outside of the box.
Tips and Tricks for Successfully Working from Home with Pets
Start Your Morning Right
The best advice that I have for pet owners considering working from home is to create a morning routine that sets both you and your pet up for success.
This includes more than just your skincare needs and your morning coffee…
There is some truth to the old saying ‘a tired dog is a well-behaved dog’, so put it to work for you!
Kick-off your morning with a walk or playtime with your dog or cat, burning excess energy and wearing them out a little before you sit down at your desk to start working.
Provide Mental Stimulation and Distractions
Rather than being frustrated with the fact that your pet is demanding your attention, take a step back and look at why they want your attention so badly.
In most cases, your pet is simply bored. The solution? Provide something to keep them entertained.
Imagine, for a moment, being stuck inside all day with little or nothing to do to occupy your time? I’m sure that you would be looking for something to do too…
The key to choosing the best distractions for your pet is to pay attention to what your pet enjoys most in terms of play.
For dogs, there are a wide variety of different interactive toys that will encourage most pups to play alone happily for an extended period, freeing you up to get your work done.
Our boy Indiana isn’t much of a toy-loving dog, but he’s the most food-driven dog that I’ve ever met.
With this in mind, we use food puzzles and treat toys to keep him busy while providing him with some great mental stimulation throughout the day.
Outward Hound Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Dog Puzzle
This fun, intermediate level (level 2) food puzzle features multiple challenges for your dog, including sliders, flip top lids, and removable brick bones. The puzzle comes apart to make it easy to clean with soap and water. Has your dog already figured it out? Freeze goodies in the puzzle for an extra challenge.
For cats, there are also several great interactive cat toys available.
Pippen has recently developed an addiction to her PetSafe Dancing Dot Laser Cat Toy recently, occupying her for hours on end.
There are also free cat videos on YouTube that are designed to entertain your cat while you are otherwise occupied.
I will often throw a video on the television on days where they are feeling overly needy.
PetSafe Zoom Interactive Cat Laser Toy
With two lasers and 360 degree rotation, this interactive cat toy is the perfect option to keep your active cat entertained while you’re working. It runs off three AA batteries, allowing you to set it up anywhere. The toy turns on with the touch of a button and shuts off automatically after 15 minutes to prevent overstimulation.
Create A Routine and Stick to It
Pets thrive on structure, so make that work to your advantage. Create a daily routine and stick with it as much as possible.
This allows them to know what to expect throughout the day.
For example, if your dog knows that they are fed at the same time every morning, they are less likely to become impatient and start asking for their meal at other hours.
Include mealtimes, walk times, playtime, and solo time all in this routine so that your pet will know when to expect your attention and when they should be occupying themselves.
Create A Pet Safe Location and A Pet Free Workspace
This next point is especially important if you have a pet that tends to be destructive or a new puppy/kitten joining the family.
Take the time to completely puppy/kitten proof a room or designated area in your home where your pet can play safely.
During ‘solo time’ in your routine, this is where your pet will remain.
In doing so, you are alleviating the stress that comes from not knowing if your pet is getting into something when you’re not around, freeing your mind to focus on your work.
Not only does this help with your productivity but it prevents unnecessary accidents and injuries that come from trying to juggle everything at once.
MidWest Homes for Pets Foldable Metal Dog Exercise Pen
With 8 panels, each 24″ wide, the pen offers your dog up to 16 square feet of enclosed (and safe) space to hang out while you’re working. It easily adjusts and adapts to any environment, including more uniquely shaped rooms. One panel features a convenient door with a secure double latch design. Available in 6 different heights for dogs of all sizes.
If you struggle to focus on your work when your pet is around, create a pet-free workspace.
Be honest with yourself. Can you focus 100% on your work while your dog is laying on your feet or your cat is sitting on the desk next to you watching your computer screen?
No? That’s okay! By setting up a pet-free workspace, you are able to create boundaries in your life between work time and playtime.
As long as your pet has a comfortable place during this time with some form of entertainment that they enjoy, they will be fine playing on their own for a while so that you can get your work done.
Don’t Discount the Role of Basic Obedience
Basic obedience training is going to help you out immensely in two specific ways when working at home with pets.
Teaching your pet the basic obedience commands will help you to enforce proper behaviour throughout your day by setting firm rules and expectations for your pet.
For example, if you are on a video call, having a dog that will listen instead of barking at everything and anything is important.
Secondly, obedience training is a great way to exercise your pet and provide additional mental stimulation during those designated playtimes.
Don’t Forget the Snuggle Breaks
Schedule some snuggle breaks and/or play breaks into your day and treat them with the same importance as your video call or meeting.
This comes back to the importance of making and sticking to a routine!
Your pet wants to be around you and interact with you. By creating this block in your schedule, you’re showing them that you will reward them for giving you space when working.
Over time, your pet will realize that they don’t have to worry about being ignored, their special 1 on 1 time is coming just as it does every day.
Don’t Give in to Begging
Building further on the last point, you should only reward good behaviour.
This means NOT giving in if your pet is crying, whining, or begging for your attention, as doing so will get them what they want.
Sure, it’s not always easy to say no to those sweet puppy eyes but doing so will create a structured environment that’s better for everyone involved.
Be Flexible
Most importantly, be flexible and prepared to accept that things are not always going to work out the way that you want them to.
After all, no one is perfect (I know I’m not).
There will be days that you are super productive and there will also be days that you struggle to get anything done outside of cuddling up with your dog or cat on the couch.
For freelancers, this is often further complicated by the fact that your workload can change from day to day, week to week.
If you find yourself cuddling with your dog while making a second cup of coffee on Monday morning, that’s okay, just know that to meet your deadlines you will likely have to put in a few extra hours later to make up for it.
It’s Not Right for Everyone
Personally, I LOVE that I get to spend all day at home with our pets and wouldn’t change my current work situation for the world.
That being said, I recognize that this isn’t the best situation for everyone.
If you try working from home and find that it simply isn’t a good fit for you, that’s okay. It doesn’t make you any less of a loving pet parent.
The most important thing that you can do is to be honest with yourself and find the best situation for you and your pet. THAT is the sign of a good pet owner!
Are you a pet owner that works remotely? If so, I invite you to share your best advice and working from home with pets tips in the comments!
Feature Image Credit: SeventyFour | Canva
I love working from home and getting to see my pets all day. My dog is the perfect companion while I’m working. My cat, on the other hand, likes to lay on my laptop constantly while I’m typing. So needy.
I have one of those cats too. I actually have to disable the touchscreen on my laptop often so that she doesn’t close windows and mess things up because she likes to sit beside the computer and paw at it. That’s Pippen, the one that we focus on offering distractions to.
Great tips! Having a morning routine that involves your pets is such a wonderful idea. I love being able to work at home with my pets, but it can be distracting. Thank you so much for sharing these amazing suggestions! I will definitely be using them.
Wear them out early and they’ll sleep while you tackle your work lol That’s the approach that has helped me the most! That and do the same over your lunch break to give you some undisturbed worktime in the afternoon
Awesome and informative post Britt! I have been a stay at home mom for the past year or so and I did recently find a remote job. Luckily I only have a cat currently to worry about but he does enjoy me being around much more. Although I have found some stay at home jobs to be just as rigid as the real office. Who would have thought? ?
Our cats LOVE that I’m home but they also love the attention that they get when they’re walking across my keyboard or pawing at my screen during a Zoom call haha
I can certainly see how pets could be distracting while working from home and your suggestions seem like well thought-out way to manage it.
However, I think the biggest concern at the moment with lockdowns ending and organisations pushing for people to return back to work is what’ll happen to the pets? A lot of people got pets because of the pandemic, so there’s a high chance a lot of people will try to get rid of their pets once it’s over. And for those that keep their pets, there’ll be separation anxiety to deal with.
That is definitely a concern that many rescue organizations are now facing, one that we’ve talked about on here before 🙂 I have quite a few different posts to help those that are looking for ways to help entertain their pets at home or searching for the ideal interactive toys to offer a distraction.
Additionally, if anyone is looking for more information specific to Separation Anxiety, check out this short series on All Pet Voices that I wrote: https://www.allpetvoices.com/blog/understanding-separation-anxiety-in-dogs
This was so helpful Britt! I have a cat as a pet and most of the time it can be very distracting to do my school work etc. with him! I’ll be trying them soon! 🙂 x Penny
My one cat Pippen is SO bad for wanting my constant attention. I’ve had to find ways to distract her lol
Those are awesome tips!
Thank you!
Great tips! I’ve also worked from home for many years, long before the pandemic made it more status quo. I think, over the years, the biggest challenge for me has been making, and sticking too, a schedule. It’s hard for me some days to not take “breaks” to play with, spend time with, or care for my pets. I always regret taking long breaks because it forces me to have to work later, but even knowing this it’s still so tempting to do.
I definitely feel this! I have definitely had those days where I give in, cuddling or playing with the pets longer than I should, only to have to make it up later lol
Oh, I love working from home and wish it didn’t come to an end. I’m currently on a hybrid plan but you offer great tips to adjust to work-at-home life with pets. I currently don’t have any fosters at home but I know my sister’s cat/my furry niece Sushi would love that Zoom laser toy. I’ll have to check it out and see if I can buy that for her so she’s not distracting her mommy on Teams Meetings.
Few toys manage to keep Pippen’s attention for long, but the laser toys are by far the biggest hit!
This is great advice! I have been working from home on & off for many years. I really love having my dogs with me throughout the day. You’re so right – it’s really important to create a schedule for them & provide something to occupy their time so they don’t bug you or heaven forbit start barking during a conference call! My little one Phoebe is great, she loves to sleep right next to me all day. Icy on the other hand has greater needs. I make sure to let her in the yard for short breaks a couple of times a day and I keep a few chew sticks near my computer (out of sight of the laptop camera LOL!) just in case she gets antsy. I feed them breakfast on time and walk them early in the morning. Icy really needs that am walk!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Indy is usually quite content to curl up somewhere and relax. With Dav, it depends on the day. She has some days (like right now) where she’s more than happy to curl up beside me. Then, she has other days where she wants to play so badly that she starts picking up dog toys and throwing them around the room. I have definitely been hit by a flying stuffed animal while on a Zoom call before lol Luckily, it was with a fellow pet lover, so they just laughed.
I have mostly worked from home since we moved to NZ and the cats either nap or go their own way! They do not need me, except as a snack machine several times a day. No bad thing as it means I need to get up and stretch!
It would be different if I wanted a daytime nap, I could not get on the bed 😉
There are days that I DEFINITELY wish it was like that around here. My crew isn’t as good at keeping themselves occupied. There are many days that I’m thankful for the free cat videos on YouTube, putting them on the tv or tablet to keep Pippen away from my computer long enough to actually get some writing done without her adding her opinion lol
Fantastic post and so important is the routine, I feel once you are on that everything else will fall into place. I work from home and love it and feel so much better especially as we live in San Francisco and its earthquake area. Less worry for me plus Layla loves it
Yes, the routine makes a HUGE difference. I work from home with 4 pets and wouldn’t have it any other way, but there’s definitely some consideration for how to best manage it all if I’m going to be productive.
Having a morning routine makes the day go so much smoother! When we adopted Theo we had to extend the morning playtime 15 minutes longer because he was much more active than my other dogs and cat.
That is an important part, isn’t it? Knowing your pet’s activity level and how you can adjust your routine to best fit it.
My two cats will let me work for so long until they decide it’s time for me to take a break! Truffle can be a little stinker and will not leave me alone until I stop and give her attention. Sometimes, it takes twice as long to complete a blog post now.
They are demanding at times, aren’t they? lol
To my dogs’ delight, I’ve been working from home for many years now. I agree that a solid routine is important. And yes, a tired dog is a good dog–we do a walk early in the day.
Wearing them out first really does make a world of difference lol
When I’m working on my laptop, my cat sometimes jumps up and sits ON my keyboard which is very helpful… At the moment though, the weather is warm so she spends more time out in the garden so I can work in peace! x
I have a touchscreen laptop and Pippen loves playing with the screen, pawing at it and closing things on me lol
I actually don’t know how people manage it all. I find it distracting enough to be working at home with my fiance here, let alone a little pupper!
Rosie
A lot of careful planning and plenty of distractions to keep them busy lol
Aw, this is such a great post! At my previous job, we were lucky to have a dog-friendly office so people brought their pets often. I’m sure a lot of pets loved seeing their moms and dads working from home all day haha and getting a mid-day walk! Thanks for sharing x
Lynn | https://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
When I was working in the corporate world, I always wanted to work somewhere where my dogs were allowed. That’s one of my favourite things about working from home now.
I wanted to get my dog one of those food puzzles coz he is super motivated by food!! He is super needy and wants attention 24/7 so sometimes it can be hard not to give in and pet him instead of doing work.
We own two of the food puzzles already and we’re looking at purchasing more. They are such a great way to challenge them mentally as well as to wear out an energetic dog (or puppy in our case lol)
Awesome tips! So much better than others I have searched for, thank you!