Watch out for attention-seeking behavior
Many of us aren’t used to working from home with a dog in the house – and the same is true for our dogs! Your dog might be used to snoozing the day away, waiting for you to come home, and now you’re at home; they’re trying to figure out how to adjust now you’re home but not always focused on them.
In this situation, needy dogs might engage in a lot of attention-seeking behavior – including pacing, reactivity, excessive barking, or inability to settle.
Some dogs might also start displaying destructive behavior – chewing the furniture, running off with your shoes, or scratching at doors.
When your needy dog is carrying out attention-seeking or destructive behavior – they’re asking for your help. They don’t know how to cope with the change to their routine, and this could be making them feel stressed or anxious.
Working productively from home with a needy dog is totally possible! It’s all about planning ahead. I use a range of strategies to help my reactive and needy dog feel safe and secure when I’m working from home. These include:
Dogs are creatures of habit, so they’ll feel the effects of any changes to their routine. If you used to take them for two walks a day, stick to this, rather than deciding to go for a random walk, they’re not expecting. The same goes for mealtimes.
And not just your dog’s meal times but yours, too. Dogs are more comfortable when they know what to expect. A lot of people have found that even keeping their own meals around the same time each day can make that easier. CookUnity is a company that has done a great job bringing farm-to-table meals to work-from-home grinders. And because this is chef-created meals with whole foods ingredients, there is no guilt in sharing with your dog when you’re done! (You can get a CookUnity coupon from ShipTheDeal to save money your first order.)
Most dogs spend a lot of time snoozing when you’re out of the house. But when you’re home, they may feel like you should be paying them more attention. It can be tempting to give your dog plenty of fuss every time they approach your desk, but all this does is teach them to keep asking.
Make sure your dog has a targeted spot where they can settle down during office hours. For some dogs, this might be the regular crate you use when you’re away from home. For others, they may prefer a bed close to your desk so they can see you.
If my dog comes looking for attention while I’m at my desk working on an email campaign, I gently redirect them back to their spot. Giving them a long-lasting chew or something else to keep them entertained as they settle down is also a good idea. Before long, your dog will realize where they’re supposed to hang out while you’re at your desk.
Breaking up the day with training sessions is a great way to make sure your dog is getting enough mental enrichment. A short 7-10 minute training session at lunchtime gives about the same mental stimulation as a 30-minute walk.
Ever wanted to teach your dog to roll-over or shake paws? Now’s the time!
Create A Separate, Pup-Free Work Space
The best way to ensure your dog isn’t going to put a kink in the flow of your work day is to keep them in a separate area.
Yes, it’s nice to be able to pet your pup while you are listening in on a conference call, but doing this tells your dog they can get your attention whenever they want.
Setting up a separate work space is great, not just for you and your dog, but also for your work-life balance in general. It helps makes you feel like you aren’t actually living in your office.
Start off the day by walking your dog
A tired dog is a happy dog, as the old adage goes. Walking is just about the best bonding exercise you can do with your dog. The VCA explains that going for walks has many benefits for your dog’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Starting the day by strolling around the neighborhood with your dog will “deepen your bond and help deter annoying, attention-seeking behaviors such as excessive barking or whining.”
Once you get home, your dog should be content with lounging around for a bit while you kick off your day working from home.