Viral Video Shows Hilarious Reality of Working from Home with Dogs
Working from home when you have a canine family member isn’t easy. If they aren’t showcasing their barking prowess in the background while you’re on a conference call, they’re either pawing at your keyboard for attention or making themselves comfortable in your workspace.
It’s a struggle that TikTok user Anne Sophie Lange — who owns a dog and cat — relates to whenever she works from home. Anne recently shared a short clip on her TikTok account @lillelangis that captured her dog and feline silently pleading for attention as she tried to get work done. The furry duo camped on her desk, making it hard for her to stay focused with those cute faces staring at her.
So far, the amusing clip has racked up 8.8 million views and thousands of comments. We’re happy to report that the comments section didn’t disappoint.
“Dog looks worried that you work too much, while the cat makes sure you work hard to pay those bills,” wrote one user.
“Your colleagues are cute,” another added.
“The only acceptable type of micro-managing,” a third person commented.
Watch the clip below:
@lillelangis ♬ original sound – Anne Sophie Lange
How to Work From Home With a Dog: 4 Tips to Keep Your Dog On Their Best Behavior
Our furry friends are the perfect stress busters when we come home after the end of a hectic work day. But if you’re working from home, they can be the ultimate distractors, given that they don’t understand working hours and deadlines.
Thankfully, there are ways to make this work arrangement a successful one without you or your dog losing your sanity. Here are four tips guaranteed to set you up for success while working from home with your dog:
- Tire Out Your Dog Before You Start Working
Consider taking your dog for a morning walk before you settle down for work. In doing so, there’s a good chance that they’ll be too tired to cause chaos when you’re working, especially during the morning hours.
“I get my dogs super tired in the morning so they are set for the day. I get up at 6:30 and we’re out of the door by 7. I’m in a lucky situation where we have a dog park that isn’t crowded in the morning…We’re there a long time, usually an hour and a half so they’re absolutely zonked out by the time we get back home…I work from home full-time M-F and that’s the routine. Is it worth it? 100%,” shared user @monique1397 in a Reddit discussion post on working from home with a dog.
- Keep Them Mentally Engaged With Interactive Toys
If your dog has nothing exciting to do while you work from home, they’re likely to bark out of boredom or disrupt you every other minute. To prevent this from happening, get them interactive puzzle toys such as food puzzles to keep their mind occupied for a long period. As he gets busy figuring out how to remove the treats hidden in their puzzle toy, you’ll at least be able to tick off much of your work checklist.
- Set Up Your Dog’s Designated Safe Space/Play Area
When working from home, it’s a good idea to have a designated safe space for your dog away from your home office. Having a playpen that has your dog’s favorite blanket and plenty of fun toys can go a long way in ensuring they enjoy some alone time as you focus on your work. Plus, this will eventually teach your dog that even though you work from home, you’re not always available.
“This is what I did and it was a lifesaver. I put him in a playpen attached to his crate so he could go in and out of his crate as he pleased. I actually put it in a different room from where I work so that he could get used to being alone and not get attached. It was really hard for a while because he would just jump and jump in the playpen and never seem to get tired. But then eventually he understood….He now associates 9-5 as “chill time” because that’s what he’s used to,” wrote user @Inventiveusername123 in a Reddit discussion on using dog playpens while working from home.
- Make Time for Short Play Sessions
To ensure your dog doesn’t experience separation anxiety as you work from home, consider scheduling short breaks to spend quality time together. Something as simple as playing a quick game of fetch or having a brief but fun training session during these short breaks can do wonders in reducing stress and any extreme attention-seeking behaviors from your dog during your working hours.
“I set my own schedule, so we take short ‘play breaks’ whenever I need a break from work — tug, flirt pole, or fetch,” commented user @thewardrobenerd in a Reddit discussion post on keeping your dog occupied while working from home.
Working from Home With Dogs FAQs
How to work from home with dogs
There are steps you can take, such as tiring out your dog with a morning walk, keeping them mentally engaged with interactive puzzle toys, scheduling short breaks for playtime, and setting up a play area for them.
Tips for working from home with a dog
Try taking them for a morning walk to tire them out, keep them mentally busy with interactive puzzle toys, set up a designated play area away from your work area, and have regular breaks for brief play sessions.
Dealing with a barking dog when working from home
If you’re working from home with a barking dog, ensure to keep them occupied with interactive puzzle toys and schedule short breaks to spend time with them. Also, prepare in advance by taking them for a morning walk to tire them out.
