How to Keep Your Dog Entertained While at Work

Whether you commute into the office five days a week or split your time between home and work, there’s one member of the household who probably isn’t particularly interested in your working arrangements: your dog.

They just know you're gone.

For many owners, figuring out how to keep your dog entertained while at work can be difficult. Dogs need more than food, water and somewhere comfortable to sleep. They need exercise, stimulation, interaction and a routine that keeps their days interesting.

The good news? A little planning can make the working week much happier for your dog.

Give Them Exercise Before You Leave

A morning walk is one of the simplest ways to set your dog up for the day.

Rather than making it a rushed lap around the block, give them time to sniff and explore. Sniffing provides valuable mental stimulation, so don't worry if you don't cover huge distances.

The aim isn't necessarily to exhaust your dog before 9 am. It's to give them an opportunity to use some energy and engage their brain before settling down.

Give Them Something to Do

Imagine spending eight hours in your house without a phone, television, book or anything else to occupy you.

That's essentially what you're asking of your dog if you leave them without any enrichment.

Food puzzles, treat-dispensing toys and safe chews can all provide additional stimulation while you're away. Rotating toys can also help keep them interesting rather than leaving the same overflowing basket available every day.

Just make sure anything left with your dog unsupervised is safe and appropriate for them.

Create a Predictable Routine

Dogs tend to thrive on consistency.

Regular feeding, walking and rest times help them understand what happens throughout the day. If you leave and return at roughly predictable times, this can also make the working week feel more familiar.

Routine doesn't mean every minute needs to be scheduled. Your dog isn't going to complain because Tuesday's walk started at 7:43 instead of 7:30.

It's simply about creating enough consistency that they know what to expect.

Don't Forget About Social Interaction

Toys and enrichment are useful, but they can't replace interaction.

If your dog regularly spends an entire working day alone, think about how you can break that time up.

For some dogs, a dog walker or sitter visiting during the day may be enough. For more energetic or social dogs, structured doggy day care can provide much more stimulation.

At daycare, dogs have the opportunity to exercise, explore and interact with compatible dogs rather than spending the majority of the day waiting for you to return.

Even one or two daycare days each week can add variety to their routine.

Working From Home Doesn't Automatically Solve the

Problem

This one catches a lot of owners out.

You're technically home with your dog all day, so surely they're getting plenty of company?

Not necessarily.

Between meetings, emails, deadlines and calls, your dog might actually spend most of the 9–5 sleeping beside your desk and waiting for you to become interesting again.

Working from home is brilliant for reducing the amount of time dogs spend completely alone, but they still need dedicated exercise, enrichment and social opportunities.

A regular daycare day can be just as useful for dogs whose owners work remotely. Your dog gets a day devoted entirely to them, while you get a completely uninterrupted working day.

Everyone wins.

Consider What Your Individual Dog Needs

There's no perfect routine that works for every dog.

Age, breed, health, temperament and energy levels can all influence how much activity and interaction a dog needs.

Some older dogs may be perfectly content with a quiet day and a lunchtime visitor. A young, sociable, high-energy dog may find the same routine incredibly boring.

Pay attention to your dog's behaviour.

Restlessness, destructive behaviour, excessive barking and constantly demanding attention when you return can sometimes indicate that your dog needs more stimulation, although behavioural changes can have many causes.

The important thing is to build your routine around the dog in front of you.

Could Doggy Day Care Make Their Working Week Better?

If you're regularly worrying about how to keep your dog entertained while at work, doggy day care can provide a more complete solution than simply breaking up their time alone.

At Eddie's, dogs enjoy structured days with outdoor exercise, enrichment, familiar handlers and carefully matched canine friends.

With more than 6 acres of secure outdoor space, strict assessments before dogs join our pack and regular weekly attendees, we've created an environment built around consistency as well as fun.

We also provide free collection and drop-off across our service areas, making daycare easy to fit around your working day.

Because while you've got meetings to attend and emails to answer, your dog's diary could probably do with something a little more exciting.

Get in touch with Eddie's to find out whether joining our pack could be right for your dog.