The pandemic has kept us indoors for over a year now and because of that we have had to work from home. Gone are the days when we had to leave our dogs behind because now we get to stay home with them all day!
However, as much as dogs may be great home buddies, the pandemic has taught us that keeping our dogs around does not make a productive work environment. So here are five tips that can help you manage your dogs while you work from home.
Step 1: Set boundaries
Setting boundaries is a must, whether it is in relationships or with your furbaby. In order to create a work friendly environment you must create a dog-free space where you can work. In order to do this you need to keep your home office where your dog cannot easily enter or a space different from where you and your dog socialize most of the time.
Keeping a space strictly for work is also good for your mental psyche because when you enter your work space you step into a work mood that will help keep you productive throughout the day. It’s just like mimicking your routines pre-pandemic; when you had to leave your home to get to your workplace, it’s just that now your office is located inside your house. Most of the time when you mix work and play the time you spend on each tends to be muddled throughout the day.
Step 2: Prepare a care box
Keeping your dog away from your designated work space on its own will not totally keep a work friendly environment because most of the time especially if you don’t have much space in your house, dogs will bark their lungs out just to get your attention. At this point you will need to prepare a ‘care box’ which will keep them occupied. Right before going to work, you need to leave your dog with this box filled with toys and treats that you know will keep them occupied for several hours just enough to give you time to focus on work.
Toys that grab attention often do the trick; choose the ones with bright colors and those that are meant to be chewed on. There are also many puzzle toys great for dogs that will definitely keep them occupied for hours. It would also help if you mix up the contents of the care box from time to time just to keep it interesting for your furbaby.
Step 3: Keep an eye out
During breaks, it is recommended to take some time to check on your dog because although you have to keep a dog-free space, it is still a requirement for you to keep an eye out for your dog from time to time.
If you have other people living with you whether it be a roommate or a family member, ask them to help you keep watch on your dog. It’s just like looking for a babysitter who only needs to peek at how your dog is doing and maybe feed your dog after a few hours.
If this is a difficult task for you to keep because you don’t live with anyone else then keeping a camera where your dog is would be recommended just to be able to see how your dog is doing.
Step 4: Set a schedule
Dogs tend to follow routines pretty easily so it is best to set a schedule for both you and your dog to follow. Figure out the time you need to start working and the time you need to stop, also include the breaks you need to take in between to check on your dog or to get a quick breather.
Being a pet owner is not an easy task especially during the pandemic but you need to pencil in your furbaby in your schedule in order to keep them happy and healthy.
Step 5: Don’t give in
After setting a schedule, the only thing you need to do now is to stick with it. The first days in may be quite difficult since it would be a change of routine and for dogs, changes could be scary. However, over time your dog will learn to understand and adjust to your work routine, and in order to help them adjust you need to be firm and not give in to their calls every time they need attention. Setting a schedule can be easier with the new YepiPet app. With YepiPet you will be able to focus on your work and set reminders for the schedule you set.
Not sure where to buy toys and treats for your dog’s care box? Check out YepiPet’s Price Watch, with Price Watch you can find all the attention grabbing toys and treats your pet needs and most importantly, you can compare the prices and watch out for promotions from different stores. Download Yepipet for free and spoil your dogs while saving money.
YepiPet is available for download on iOS and Android.
