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You might think that because you work from home, you’ve got the perfect setup to work from home with a puppy. If that’s something you like the idea of, perhaps because your kids have been asking or maybe because you just happen to be a dog lover, it could be easy to rush into things without any planning or taking anything into consideration.
The truth is that although working from home does make some aspects of getting a new puppy easier, it’s still not something you can or should do on a whim. You’ll have to think things through first to make sure it really is something that makes sense for you. Therefore, here are some of the things to consider if you want to work from home with a puppy.
4 Ways to Work from Home With a Puppy
Use the following ideas to learn how you can work from home with a puppy. This will help everyone in your home feel happier.
You Need A Routine
Puppies are like babies. They need a routine to settle into if they’re going to become part of the family and learn how to behave. Plus, when you’re working, you’ll have a routine to stick to as well. The best thing you can do is combine these two routines so that your timings are the same.
That means starting your day at the same time, taking breaks and meals at regular times. In addition, factor in some time for playing and going for walks as well. All of this should take place at the same time!
Not only is this good for your puppy because they’ll learn when they can and can’t expect your attention, but it will be good for you too, because you’ll be less distracted. That’s one of the issues that can come with working from home and having a puppy. Even the best-behaved dogs will be disruptive (because you’ll just want to be with them and not working). Those that need some extra help and training will take you away from your work even more. That’s useful to bear in mind.
Carry Out Training
All puppies, including breeds that are known to be intelligent and well-behaved, like chocolate labs, need to be trained. This is definitely something to take into account when you’re considering getting a puppy because you work from home. Training will help you be successful as you work from home with a puppy.
Training takes a lot of time and dedication. It’s not something that can be done on a now-and-then kind of basis. Training needs real structure and should actually become part of the routine we mentioned above. So do you have the time to put into training a puppy? Although you’re at home all the time, you are still working. If you don’t have a lot of free time, it might be wiser to opt for an older dog who has already been trained.
However, if you do have time and you want to use it to train your puppy, then the fact that you’re at home more than someone who works outside the home is definitely a benefit. You’ll be able to spend a lot more time with your puppy, and that means a lot more training opportunities.
Get A Lot Of Toys
Your puppy is most likely not just going to lie at your feet all day until it’s time for their lunchtime walk, or you’ve finished work for the day. Therefore, you’ll need to go outside with them. What they’ll want to do is play – they’re only babies, after all. They’re still learning their way around the world. Not to mention the fact that, just like your children, your puppy is going to get very bored if they’ve got nothing to do. This is when they get destructive.
Because of this, you’re going to need to invest in toys for your puppy. The best toys to get are enrichment toys. These will keep your puppy engaged and entertained while you’re working. Therefore, you can relax knowing all is well and you won’t be interrupted.
Enrichment toys, including things like puzzle feeders, interactive treat dispensers, and so on, will keep your puppy busy both physically and mentally. This gives you the perfect opportunity to focus on what you need to do.
They’ll Need Socialization
Socialization is one of the top ways you can work from home with a puppy. Puppies love to spend time with their owners. However, if those owners are the only people they ever see, they’ll miss out on learning social skills and being well-adjusted and well-behaved dogs.
Therefore, when your workday is over, you’ll need to ensure you take your puppy somewhere they can be around other people and other dogs. Not only does this give them some exercise and give them some interest and excitement in their lives, but it also means they can be comfortable in a variety of different settings. Make sure you leave time at the end of the day to make this happen.
