Everyone thinks working from home with their dog is the dream, right?
Well, as a freelance documentary filmmaker and editor who works from home 90% of the time with my adorable puppy dog, I can tell you that it can actually get pretty difficult.
This is my dog Olive and she is wonderful and perfect. She’s almost a year old, and her entire life she’s been my work buddy. Even when she was a couple months old, I used to bring her to an on-site editing gig I had and she was wonderful.
But, no matter how great your dog is, they will get confused when you suddenly are home all the time due to social isolation/self-quarantine due to coronavirus.
Over the past year with Olive, I’ve learned some tips and tricks that are life-savers when it comes to working from home with a dog. (I put our full schedule at the bottom!)
#1. Decide on a Schedule Day 1 and Stick To It
Dogs thrive off of routine, just like humans do. They are social creatures and can adapt to new environments, but they need structure to do so. So, day 1, look at your dog and see what their needs are. Is your dog young and hyper? Or old and needing space? Your dog may even develop anxiety from this radical change. It’s best to keep them to a strict routine, they will thank you for it!
#2. Ignore Them
Your dog is going to think every day is Saturday. They are going to want you to play with them all the time. Usually if you get them tuckered out, this isn’t a problem. But if it’s a cold or rainy day and you’re in an apartment, it can be really hard. So feel free to draw boundaries. Ignore them if they bother you while you’re working and reward them when they are good. They’ll eventually give up—and if they don’t, that means they have a basic need (food, water, walk) that needs to be met. You know your dog—so use your discretion.
#3. Put a TV Show on For Them
This sounds silly—but it WORKS. Every day, I put the 10-hour fireplace on my TV and Olive loves it. She almost immediately falls asleep on the couch and I have a few hours of uninterrupted bliss. There are also more interactive TV shows on Youtube that are just for dogs. Olive loves this bird video.
#4. Make Space for Naps
Remember, dogs sleep more than humans do, and when you’re at work, your dog is probably taking some major naps. Don’t feel weird or bad if you’re dog is taking 1 to 2-hour naps throughout the day—this is normal!
#5. Consider Calming Aids
Some days, you just have a lot of work you need to get done. You’ve fed/played with/walked your dog, and they just won’t settle down. They’re whining and wanting you to play. So, have some back up calming aids to help them chill out and understand it’s chill time now. For Olive, I sometimes (in the winter) put a sweater on her that kind of acts as a thunder jacket. She loves it! It instantly makes her feel zen. Also, bully sticks are amazing. They are a healthy alternative to raw-hide and keep Olive occupied for at least 30 minutes. They’re nutritious and recommended by kennels and vets to aid anxiety. Always supervise bully sticks as they are major choking hazards!
#6. Mild Sedatives for Hyper Dogs
Sometimes when she’s what I like to call “unhealthy hyper” (overtired), I’ll give her Soloquin. My vet recommended it and it’s a lifesaver. It’s a little yummy treat and just has a little bit of L-theanine (which I take too sometimes!). It’s extremely mild but sometimes it helps her get to her naptime a little quicker. She loves them! *These treats have a build-up effect, so they’re more of a daily supplement that may take 30 days to take full effect*
#7. Puzzles
If you have a hyper dog, you probably have a smart dog. Smart dogs are always looking for challenging things to do, so I would research some “enrichment toys”. I got this wooden puzzle off Chewy and Olive loves it. I just put a little bit of kibble in and she spends about 10 minutes trying to get it out. By the end of it, she’s all tuckered out! *Just a note to always supervise puzzle play because these complex toys are choking hazards!*
#8. Playdates
Playdates are a lifesaver. We don’t take Olive to our local dog park anymore after an incident with irresponsible owners, but we have other friends with dogs who we can organize small playdates with. It sounds ridiculous, but after a few hours of intense play, Olive sleeps the rest of the day—and the next! Both your dogs get exercise and you get to work in peace. It’s a win-win!
#9 Work Out with your Dog
If your dog is young, healthy, and hyper, consider running with them! In this current state of social distancing, I can’t go to my gym, so I’ve started running with Olive. She’s a great jogger and really loves this activity. It tuckers her out and I get my exercise! A great idea if you and your dog make good running partners. However, be sure to properly assess your dogs' health before deciding to run with them. Dogs younger than one should not be running partners.
Here is me & Olive’s daily schedule // I’m a video editor, so I’m oftentimes very focused on the computer for hours at a time. Olive is a moderately hyper puppy that is easily tuckered out. But she still has her days where she wants to play all day and I don’t know why!
6:30-7am // We do food & potty
8am // If she wants her morning “treat” (Soloquin) we’ll practice some tricks.
9am // We’ll walk up the street to get coffee together (.5 mile walk)
10-noon // She passes out on the couch to music or the fireplace
12–1pm // Enriching activity like a big walk/run/fetch, and puzzle/bully stick/training with baby carrots.
1–2pm // More naps!
3–4pm // Play with toys/look out the window/says hi to neighbors
5:30pm // Dinner
6pm // Cuddles into the night!
Hope this helps! When all is said and done, working from home with a dog is wonderful. They force you to get up, go on walks and stick to a schedule. And they’re always down to play and cuddle!
So, wash your hands, stay inside, and talk to your neighbors. We’re all in this together!
Erin
erinmcgoff.com
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I am **not** a licensed dog trainer or anything of that nature — these are just some things I’ve personally learned with my one dog that might be helpful to you.