Is it okay to have a dog and work full time? Can dogs be left alone in your house for eight hours or more per day? These are great questions to ask before getting a dog, but they are also questions coming up now that many of us are easing back into the office after 18 months of WFH life. This is especially true for people who got a quarantine puppy or dog.
Much like any aspect of having a dog, the answers to these questions depend a lot on your dog. Some dogs have seperation anxiety, which makes having a dog while working in an office difficult. Other dogs are extremely high drive, high energy, and while it is totally possible to balance these dogs and working full time, it does require your time and energy outside the office. This is why it is so important to choose a dog that aligns with your lifestyle.
Curious how having a dog and working 9-5 works? Still not sure about being a full-time working dog mom? Let’s break this down.
Is It Okay To Have a Dog If You Work Full-Time?
In short, yes! Although owning a dog and working full time can sometimes be a challenge, many dogs do just fine at home during the day while you are working full time. However, all of your dog’s biological needs must be met, otherwise you can end up with a destructive, frustrated, unhappy dog.
At some level, all dogs need physical exercise, mental stimulation, and social connection in order to be fulfilled. This can happen in the mornings and the evenings rather than all day, but it does need to happen. If you take your dog for walks, play with them, let them enjoy puzzle toys, practice training, and of course show them plenty of love and affection, then you can definitely meet their needs and work full-time away from home.
What Do Dogs Even Do When You Are At Work?
Sleep! Most dogs sleep for the majority of the day, whether you are home or not. If you have been working from home throughout COVID-19, this is something you might have noticed. In fact, an average adult dog sleeps approximately 8 to 13.5 hours per day, with 10.8 hours being the average. Most of this sleeping is done at night, but they also spend about 3 hours napping during the day. That said, dogs’ sleep cycles are much shorter than ours is, and the average dog only sleeps for about 45 minutes at a time.
Just like with humans (and really all animals), sleep is crucial to the health and well being of our dogs. Quality sleep helps with brain development, memory, and learning capacity, as well as supports a healthy immune system. If you have ever brought a rescue dog home from a shelter, you might have noticed that one of the first things they do is sleep. A lot! This could be because dogs rarely get good sleep in a shelter environment, as well as the fact that sleep helps process and remove stress from the body.
So, before you feel guilty about leaving your dog home alone while you are at work, consider the fact that this is prime uninterrupted nap-time.
Tips on Caring for a Dog While Working FullTime
As I said earlier, the key to working full-time as a dog mom is to fulfill your dog’s needs. There is no one-size-fits-all recommendation here, but all dogs need physical exercise, mental stimulation, and social connection. A great way to ensure your dog is comfortable and content to snooze the work day away is to fulfill some of these needs in the morning before work. A few ideas are:
- Take your dog for a sniffari walk.
- Complete a training session (just 10 minutes is perfect).
- Offer your dog a puzzle toy while you get ready.
- Pet or cuddle your dog while enjoying your morning coffee.
- Play a game like tug or fetch.
- Give your dog a snuffle mat breakfast.
None of these activities need to take a ton of time, and it’s great to mix and match and switch it up from day to day. Of course, a lot of these depend on how much energy your dog has. A low energy dog can be fine with a short walk and a puzzle toy while a higher energy dog may require some intense playtime (like fetch) followed by a solid 10-15 minutes of training.
One of my favorite routines is to wake up, sip my morning coffee while petting the dogs, go for a walk, and end with a training session before getting ready for the day. Am I able to fit this in every single morning? Of course not! But if I can do at least one activity before heading out the door, I consider that a win.
Getting Home From Work
One of the responsibilities of owning a dog while working in an office is to get home in a timely manner. Yes, that often means postponing happy hour so that you can go home first to let your dog out; but, on the flip side, it gives you a great excuse to avoid working late!
Most dogs will be extra excited and full of energy when you get home after working all day, and that is okay! If your dog is a little too excited, have some treats or kibble right by the door so you can scatter it on the floor and prevent your dog from jumping on you. Personally, I like that my dogs are excited to see me. I’m excited to see them, too! I think it’s great to greet your dog with a kind, loving energy. No, I don’t get all hyped and frantic and encourage them to go nuts, but I do say hi first thing!
Obviously, the most important biological need to meet when you first get home is the need to pee! Get your dog outside to use the bathroom. This is not the best time for a structured or training walk; your dog is excited and refreshed after napping all day! Instead, let your dog sniff! Let your dog explore! If the weather is good and you have the time, enjoy a long leisurely walk together. This is the perfect opportunity for your dog to release any pent up energy or tension that might have accumulated throughout the day. And you know what? It’s the perfect opportunity for YOU to release any stress or tension from the work day, too.
Depending on how much time I have in the evening, I like to incorporate a longer walk, some play time, a good training session, and/or an enrichment activity like a puzzle toy. Sometimes I do all of these things, but often it’s just one or two. Of course, I always end the day with more cuddles and affection.
Other Options for your Dog If You Work FullTime
While most dogs can be left home alone during the work day, this is definitely not true for all dogs. Puppies, for example, cannot be left home alone for 8+ hours. An older dog could have a medical issue like seizures or require medication. Small dogs may not be able to hold their bladder for a full work day. Many dogs experience separation anxiety, sometimes quite severely. And, some dogs are high energy, high drive working dogs that need a full time job of their own.
Ideally, you should consider all of these possibilities before bringing home a dog, which is why I recommend adopting from a foster/rescue or shopping from an ethical breeder with puppy rearing protocols. This will give you a better idea of the personality and needs of an individual dog and help you make an informed decision.
That said, life is full of surprises. If you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to leave your dog alone for a full work day, there are definitely options!
Tips for Dogs Who Can’t Be Left Alone For a Full Work Day
- Come home at lunch! If you live close enough, come home at lunch to let your dog out and spend some time with them. This is great for your dog, but it’s also a great break for you, too!
- Hire a (trustworthy) dog walker. I have heard wonderful things about quality dog walkers, and this is a great way to give your dog a break during the day if you can’t make it home on lunch. A dog walker can take your dog for a full walk, play with them a little inside, or just let them out for a potty break. Of course, it is crucial to find someone trustworthy and qualified, as the pet industry is dangerously unregulated! It’s also important to find someone your dog likes and is comfortable with.
- Doggy Day care. Again, you want to find a qualified facility that you trust to take care of your dog, because the dog industry is NOT regulated. That said, doggy daycare can be a great option for energetic dogs who LOVE to play with other dogs.
- Work from home full-time! Obviously this is not an option for all of us, but many workplaces are shifting to a remote or hybrid remote schedule. Working from home, even on a temporary or part-time basis, is a great option for some situations.
Can You Take Care of a Dog If You Work Full Time?
Yes! I’m sure most of us would love to take our dogs to work with us, or even be a full-time stay at home dog mom. I thrived over the last year and a half working from home, and I have to be honest and say I am not really looking forward to going back. Nevertheless, I want to emphasize the fact that you CAN have a dog and work full time. In fact, I think dogs are the best motivation to wake up in the morning and perfect for decompressing after a hard day at work. Many of the things we can do to fulfill our dog’s needs, like taking a walk, are wonderful opportunities for us to fulfill our own needs, too.
Just remember to set your dog up for success these quick tips:
- Fulfill your dog’s needs! Physical, mental, and emotional.
- Wake up early enough to spend time with your dog before you go to work.
- Spend time with your dog when you get home.
- Consider a puzzle toy to give your dog something to do during the day.
- Crate train.
- Invest in a quality pet service like daycare or a dog walker.
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