How To Work From Home With Multiple Dogs [And Stay Employed]

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It never fails. It's 2pm and you are finally pulling out of procrastination station, ready to take on that stack of paperwork when chaos erupts.  You're a dog mom to multiple dog siblings or littermates and they have decided to put on a show.  Squeaky toys are squeaking, one dog is doing donuts in the middle of your office while the other fur kid is performing doggy parkour off the walls.

Or how about this?

You're 32 seconds into your next Zoom meeting with your boss and, trying to pretend you have your life together, when your dogs crash in.  One dog is barking at a squirrel outside like it owes her money, the other is dramatically vomiting up a sock, while your third is bringing you his mankiest squeaky to as a gift...mid-presentation.   

Yeah. Slow nods.  That’s happening.  But OMG why?

Welcome to the world of working from home with multiple dogs.  Working remotely with your furry friends is great until…it isn’t. And chances are if you are here you've got two or more four-legged coworkers –– maybe even dog siblings or littermates –– and they have desperately embarrassed you during at least one virtual meeting.  So much so that here you are desperately Googling "how to work from hoe with dogs without losing my job."

I see you, friend.

It can be a total nightmare win a multi-dog household.  I cannot tell you how many times my dogs have gone absolutely berserk at a mail delivery during the absolute worst time.  And while many employers learned to be more tolerant of interruptions post the pandemic, dog barking is still pretty taboo.  With three dogs in my home and a heavy Microsoft Teams meeting schedule, radio silence throughout most of my work day is a must. 

As a proud (and gainfully employed) dog mom of three, I've lived through the nose-booping, sock-eating madness and I will say this: working from home with dogs is not just a lifestyle.  It's a sport.

But don't worry, I've got you.  Nobody's getting fired today.  Keep reading as I break down how to:

• Create a WFH routine that doesn't revolve around potty breaks.
• Keep your dog pack entertained (minus all the doggy daycare vibes).
• Set boundaries that actually work.
• And, finally, how to stay productive and present –– even with your canine companions in tow.

Know Your Pack: Every Dog Needs A Day Job

Let's start with the obvious: as a pet parent to multiple dogs you already know that not all dogs are created equal –– especially when they are related.  Living with multiple dogs means you're managing different personalities, energy levels and drama levels.  Some of our dogs are all vibes and zen.  And some of our dogs are ready to film the next episode of The Real Housedogs in your living room.

Whether you've adopted a bonded-pair, full-blown littermates, dog siblings by surname or any other Brady Bunch combination of multi-dog home, you need to start thinking of your home work day as a job.  As a manager, if you will.  A manager of a very high-maintenance team.  Because here's the real tea: every dog needs a purpose.  Otherwise that purpose becomes chewing through your charger cable.

Having survived the piranha puppy months (if you are still there are I am so so sorry) you know that dogs thrive when they understand their place in the pack.  And they really benefit from a structured home environment.  But when you are raising siblings or multiple dogs, you know they will off each off of each other's energy.  And before you know it,  everyone is anxious, distracted, hyped up and throwing out some really chaotic dog daycare vibes.  It only takes one anxious dog to start A Howl.  And we do not want ANYONE to start A Howl.

This is why a "copy-paste" routine doesn't always work with siblings.  If you have a high energy dog who loves extra attention and a low energy sibling, they will each need individual attention and personalized structure.

So let's start getting some jobs for your pack.  If you have:

The Overachiever: These pups are always alert and always busy.  They need lots of mental stimulation. Give them puzzles, busy boxes and obedience tasks to keep their brain busy while you work.

The Intern:  Our young, clueless, piranha puppies who need constant supervision.  Hi, littermates. I'm looking at you.  Lots of crate naps in a separate area and short breaks (perhaps with enrichment activities) will be your best friend.

The HR Rep: This is your golden child.  They just want everyone to get along.  You can keep this pup close but be sure to give them a calm space and provide structured time to decompress.

The Chaos Agent: This is the dog who believes they were hired to interrupt you every 20 minutes.  Congrats on your new hire!  Yes, they are your problem child.  Think: drain his excess energy and lots of interactive toys.

Once everyone has a job, each dog will have a role to play while you work.  Once boundaries are set and they know what is expected of them, they'll act less like a wild pack of buffalo and more like team players.

How to Establish A Bougie-AF Routine When You Share You Share Your Home Office With Multiple Dogs

Now I will confess –– I am a bit of a routine stickler when it comes to my littermates.  From the moment each of them arrived, they’ve been on a pretty tight schedule.

If you are a veteran littermate mom or multi-dog queen mother then you know the only way to avoid completely losing your mind is having some sort of structure.  Whispering "just one more meeting" while bribing your dogs with peanut butter ain't gonna cut it.

But here's the plot twist: dogs –– especially sibling puppies and littermates –– crave routine.  So if you don't give them one, they'll make their own.  Enter doggy parkour.

Predictability is a huge factor when it comes to training dogs. When your dog knows what is expected of him and what the boundaries are, he’s less prone to be anxious or suffer from boredom. And anxious or bored dogs can lead to all types of unwanted behaviors like excessive barking and separation anxiety.  Plus, giving your dog a schedule builds in predictable windows of energy, rest, play, alone time and snacks. You're basically creating doggy office hours.  And believe me, your dog can tell time better than you can.  Why do you think they are always bullying us to serve them dinner 30 minutes early.  That ain't by chance.

Pro Tip: A predictable wfh schedule reinforces for my dogs that, even though I’m home, I’m busy until 5pm daily.

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Sample WFH Schedule for Multi-Dog Households

As I said, your girl believes in the power of a daily dog schedule.  But it doesn't have to be rigid.  This is not bootcamp.  It's more like...a dog mom flower child flow chart.

Time  + Activity
7:30am    Morning potty walk + sibling sniff session
8:00am    Breakfast + chew toy wind down
9:00am    Crate time or supervised solo naps
10:30am   Enrichment break (snuff mat, busy box, puzzle toy)
11:00am   Quiet time (white noise, cartoons during crate time, or beds)
12:30am   Afternoon walk or sibling training refresher
1:30pm    Settle down with frozen KONGs or Pupsicles
3:00pm     Backyard potty + supervised play
4:00pm     Another crate nap or "place" training sesh
5:30pm     Dinner + decompression walkies
7:00pm+   Family chill time

Nothing about this schedule is hard and fast.  You can switch around the activities and order to fit your work from home schedule.  But the ideas contained in this schedule are excellent ways create a harmonious home to work in.

Pro Tips to Keep It Bougie (and Functional)

• Rotate enrichment toys daily to avoid the "ugh, this again" attitude.  Dogs are smart.
• Sync crate time with your busiest work windows or most important meetings.
• Use background music, dog-friendly podcasts or TV shows during "quiet hours."  (We love children's shows like Bluey but you can also try things like Classical for Canines on YouTube)
• If you have littermates, be sure to schedule solo time for each pup to avoid any behavioral issues like littermate syndrome.  (See my post Littermate Syndrome: What It Is, What It Isn't?  And Why TikTok Is Wrong)
• Remember the goal isn't perfection.  It's predictability.  Which coincidentally results in fewer surprise poops during video calls.

Why Crate Training Is Self-Care When You Work From Home With Multiple Dogs

 
Set your dog up for success when you are working from home.  Don’t just leave him to his own devices and expect him to “behave.”  Behaving for a dog is barking, running, chewing and sniffing –– which more than likely is not what you’d prefer to happen during that important Zoom meeting with your boss. 

So let's clear something up real quick: crates are not dog jail.  They are not cruel. They are not mean.  They are not cold, dark dungeons.  Crates are your golden ticket to WFH sanity and your dogs personal suite at the Loews.

This is especially the case when dealing with sibling puppies or littermates.  Crate training is essential for building independence and preventing codependency.  It is an excellent way to raise a confident dog who enjoys his own space.  Think of it as helping your puppies learn to thrive as individuals –– not furry, anxious dogs who can't do anything apart.

Why Crate Time = Doggy Mental Wellness

Dogs nap better in a designated space.  And while they are napping, you are thriving.
Alone time is critical for sibling does to avoid separation anxiety fueled meltdowns anytime you leave the house.

It signals boundaries.  Crate = chill time.  Mom's office = work zone. No negotiations.

So no, you don't need to feel guilty.  Your dogs are not being left out.  They're just being set up to be emotionally stable adult dogs who don't flip out during your next Whole Foods run.

The Power of Enrichment Toys For Home Offices With Multiple Dogs

Also know as the "Keep'em Busy So You Can Work" toys.

If you're not already using enrichment activities and toys to keep your dogs stimulated during your workday, then girl, what are you even doing?

Enrichment is every WFH dog mom's secret weapon.  It's how you keep your pups happy, mentally engaged and you gainfully employed.  And it is especially important if you are managing multiple dogs or littermate puppies.  These enrichment activities, toys and games give your dogs something productive to focus on besides each other.

They also provide a great way to keep your dogs quiet while you work. i provide each of my dogs with a separate puzzle or interactive toy before every conference call. I also separate them during puzzle time so no one steals someone else’s game. 

On days where I have multiple meetings, I rotate several puzzles and scent work snuffle mats, between scheduled short naps.  This keeps them all quiet while they are being challenged with a different activity.

When I’m not on the phone, I’m totally okay with them playing a couple of loud games of tag or take them outside for some puppy wrestle-mania. Throw in a brisk lunch break walk and I’ve got myself some tired doggies.

Mixing up your dog’s day with puzzles, nose work, zoomie games and walks does not have to be an all day affair. Simply committing to a few of these activities daily can easily keep your dog busy for up to 4 hours. And 4 hours of stimulation for my dogs definitely results in some long afternoon naps — which means, you guessed it, more quiet work from home time for me.

Dog Enrichment Ideas That Buy You Actual Work Time

I'm not about to leave you hanging in the enrichment category.  So here are some tried-and-true activities that I use to keep my little pack busy while I slay all the deadlines:

• Frozen KONGs stuffed with kibble, peanut butter and banana.  Pro Tip: Make food stuffed toys last longer by freezing them the night before.
• Snuffle mates turn mealtime into a scavenger hunt sniff-fest.
• Lick mats are perfect for post-walk wind-downs.  And again, you can freeze these small treats to make the fun last longer.
• Treat-dispensing puzzle toys.
• DIY cardboard shredders just hide treats among shredded pieces of fabric in a cardboard box and watch the magic happen.

AND, because I am no gatekeeper, here are my favorite puzzles to keep Paris and The Twins quiet when I work from home.

Most Loved Dog Puzzles For WFH Pet Parents

SmartyPaws Puzzler Donut Slider | ZippyPaws

When I saw the incredibly cute design of this puzzler I knew I had to have it.  As a dog mom who has a penchant for neutral home decor, I was really drawn to the muted tones on this toy.

How It Works: This is a bit of a more advanced puzzle, so you may have to help more docile pups figure it out.  It also helps if you place this toy on a carpeted area or a rug to keep it from sliding around the room.  

Lastly, if you need absolute silence for a Microsoft Teams Meeting or a Slack Session, this is probably not the best option to have near by.  The slider and treat slates are a little noisy which can make this toy distracting.

The Game | Fable Pets 

This interactive game from Fable Pets again speaks to the modern pet parent with its sleek design.  It comes in several beautiful colors. 

How It Works: This game is definitely more quiet than the SmartyPaws Slider. You simply fill it with your dog’s favorite kibble treats and let the game begin. You pup has to knock The Game over to “win” treats.

Just remember this is an interactive game.  Which means your dog is more than likely going to be roaming all around the house trying to knock out more treats.  So you may want to have your dog with play this game in a confined space or behind a puppy gate.

The Snuffle Mat | Barkolino

As a lover of fabrics and textures, The Snuffle Mat from Barkolino is so perfect.  I personally have The Nuvole Bianche design but Barkolino as lots of fun designs.  From colorful avocados & ferocious lions to beautiful rainbows, Barkolino has plenty of themes to match either your home decor or your pup’s personality.

How It Works:  This is a nose-work activity.  So you hide treats between the ruffles and let your pup sniff them out.  This is a great extremely quiet game that it will give your dog about 10-20 minutes of stimulation.

The only draw back is if you have a super chewer, like my Dylan, then you need to be sure to monitor the activity when it’s in your dog’s possession.  Be sure to remove the mat when your dog is done or he may flip it over and go to town trying to dig through the base in the hopes of more hidden treats.  

Falcon Toy | Fable Pets

Fable Pets makes our favorite pet puzzle list twice because of their modern aesthetic and functional designs.  I love the Falcon Toy because you can keep adding pieces to create an increasing challenging experience.

How It Works: This toy can be used as a single piece or interlocked with additional toy pieces to create a more stimulating (and longer) gaming experience.  You simply fill the toy holes with yummy pet spreads and let your dog work through enjoying them all.  The more toys you interlock, the more fun!

As a warning, since this puzzle can work with spreads, it can get a little messy.  So you may not necessarily want you dog to use this one of your favorite area rug.

For more of our favorite toy recommendations, be sure to check out our post: Vibes On Vibes: Most Loved Pet Toys For Dog Moms With Neutral Homes.

So there you have it, babe –– your survival guide to working from home without sacrificing your career, your sanity or your dogs.  Is it chaotic? At times.  Is it worth it? Always.  

With the right mix of routine, enrichment, boundaries and the occasional frozen food bribery, you can live your best dog mom life and still secure the bag.  Now pour yourself something sparkling and give those pups a treat –– because you?  You're crushing it.