We are officially in the work-from-home ‘era,’ where more people are figuring out ways to balance their careers and home life simultaneously than ever before. For some, this means navigating childcare/children while attempting to attend Zoom calls. And for others, this means creating new routines for furry friends.
As a mama (of both a human and dogs), I’ve been juggling both—in addition to running my businesses. And while I’ve had the advantage of being remote for several years, I’ll be the first to admit it isn’t easy. But, with intentional self-care, communication of my needs, and a few good products, life isn’t just manageable, it’s good.
Whether you’re a pet owner or considering investing in a little guy or gal, here are 7 work-from-home solutions for pet lovers that I honestly can’t go a day without.
1. All-Weather Dog Door
Working from home, in theory, would mean that you have more time for your pets. . . right?!
Well, sometimes. Other times, you’re on calls, switching from one digital meeting to another, or squeezing in walks between appointments or other obligations. While it’s definitely easier to spend more time with your pets, sometimes you just can’t stop what you’re doing. And that’s why it’s important to have a dog door that helps your pet handle his/her business with minimal effort on your part.
My all-time favorite doggy door is PetSafe’sExtreme Weather Aluminum Pet Door™ which is durable, strong, easy to install, and great for bigger dogs (like the two I have). Here are a few reasons why this bed outranks the rest:
- It has 3-layer insulation that helps to block more energy than a standard dog door (in layman’s terms, this means it will less far less hot/cold air into your home).
- It has a magnet to ‘lock’ the door in place when it’s not in use (preventing leaking air).
- It’s super durable with a metal exterior frame and reinforced corners.
- It comes in sizes M-XL (which can fit dogs up to 220 lbs!)
- It’s relatively easy to install (as long as you have a door you can use!)
To learn more about the door, check out this informative post on The Pupperonis!
Or, if you’re ready to purchase, you can find the door on PetSafe’s website or on Amazon!
2. Chew-Proof Toys
I adopted my rescue dog, Smokey, in early June. We learned (rather quickly) that while he wasn’t going to chew our special things (thank goodness!), he would chew anything that we offered him. And, being an Amerian Pit with a big, strong jaw, it was pretty easy to destroy any and all toys.
But, we can keep him occupied with his two favorite toys:
- This heavy-duty chewing rope which can keep him occupied in a tug-of-war game for hours, or, if we need to be hands-off, he will just sit and chew it to his heart’s content.
- The Buddy Bristle Bone or Busy Buddy Jack: funky little toys that have hidden, middle inserts where you can put rawhide ring treats. The dog’s goal is to eat around those, which is both mind-stimulating and tasty!
These chew toys are great work-from-home solutions for pet lovers because they help to self-entertain. While we all strive to spend as much time with our pets as possible, sometimes it’s just challenging! Having toys that can withstand the chewing, tugging, biting, etc. can make our lives (and schedules) much easier.
PS: Check out Smokey in action in this Instagram reel!
3. Inclined Bed Ramp
Lazy pups, old pups, or pups who just need a little extra *love* will completely benefit from this bed ramp! We purchased one for our older dog, Styles, and now instead of whining (and interrupting me during work calls), he can easily maneuver his (chunky) body up and down from the bed.
It’s a no-brainer if you’re home but don’t have the time to lift your dog in and out of different areas, or if you want to set up shop in another room and prefer to be a little more hands-off.
4. FlexiSpot Sit-to-Stand Desk
I can’t rave enough about my FlexiSpot adjustable desk! It’s truly a work-from-home dream because you can sit, you can stand, you can change mid-day, and you have ample underneath room for dogs. My dogs love to curl up underneath me and I’ll often set up their bed so that they can be right in my foot-petting range.
Working from home is all about flexibility—and with this desk, you can have any setup that works for you without the hassle of changing locations.
Check out the FlexiSpot desk on Amazon!
For a more personal review, I also brag about it on my Instagram.
5. Indoor/Outdoor Pet Bed
As highlighted in this post’s featured image (above) the bed under my desk is the most versatile pet bed I’ve found!
This water-resistant pet bed is both an indoor/outdoor bed, meaning that it’s incredibly durable and resistant to wear and tear. It’s gotten peed on, it’s been left out in the rain, and it’s still without any rips, tears, or even fading! Another perk is that it’s incredibly lightweight, so as I’m setting up my remote days and switching locations from room to room, I’ll move it from our bedroom nook to the office (and back) This way, wherever my dogs can be, they’re comfortable.
6. HP ENVY Inspire (With ‘Quiet Mode’)
Working from home, regardless of your industry, may mean finding DIY solutions for everything you need: from product or material creation, to on-the-go resources and printouts. As such, I’m always looking for ways to make my life easier. . . and I finally found a printer that not only helps me to do my best but doesn’t disturb my dogs!
Being a pet owner means attempting to keep your home *chill* so that there are fewer disruptions and disturbances. (Trust me, barking during a recorded podcast is the absolute worst!) So, my goal was to find a printer that had a quiet mode that didn’t set my two furry friends into absolute chaos.
I LOVE the HP ENVY Inspire because it’s not only incredibly efficient, but it’s user-friendly and super silent on the ‘stealth’ (quiet) mode. I can print packets for all of my students with two dogs napping at my feet and honestly, life is good.
PS: The HP ENVY Inspire was also named the best all-around printer!
PPS: HP also offers FREE and themed printables, check them out here!
7. Furbo Dog Nanny
For Christmas this past year, my fiance’s brother bought a Furbo Dog Nanny (camera and subscription) for me, and honestly, it’s changed my life. With a senior pup and a (sometimes) rambunctious rescue, I love knowing what’s going on in all corners of my house, regardless of whether I’m home or not.
In fact, I set up my cameras to link to my iPad, so when I’m in one room on a call, recording a podcast, or tutoring a student, I can still glance over and quickly check on my dogs.
While a ‘dog nanny cam’ doesn’t seem, to fit the category of work-from-home solutions for pet lovers (at least not at first glance), I encourage you to invest in it! The peace of mind for appointments, day trips, holidays, times when I’m running late, and/or just the day-to-day obligations has made me feel not only more at ease but connected to my dogs, too!
The Furbo camera comes with a mic so you can talk to your pets directly, take pictures/video throughout the day, access Cloud recording (once you purchase the Furbo Nanny Subscription after the FREE 30-day trial!), and you also have the ability to toss treats, too! It’s a worthy investment (and it’s fun to see your dogs’ Daily Diary, too!).
Check out one of our ‘Daily Dog Diary’ recap videos, below! ↓
Other Work-From-Home Solutions For Pet Lovers
In my opinion, being a good pet owner means finding ways to balance your life and work schedule alongside taking care of your animal(s). Outside of purchasing great products, here are a few shifts that have been game-changers for me:
- Carving out a 45-minute block of time in the morning for a walk
- Using my lunch break to take the dogs out and get fresh air/exercise
- Talking on the phone with someone I love while walking the dogs to pass the time
- OR leaving my phone at home so that I can be more present with the dogs and nature
- Stopping work by a certain time each night so that I can walk or spend time with the dogs/fam
For other pet-lover products, head to our pet page! Or, explore The Pupperonis.🐾