Part 1 of 3 

The whole world is stressing out at the moment trying to flatten the curve of COVID-19. It would be fair to say that everyone is trying to adjust to their ‘new normal’. For some of us, that is altered working arrangements like working from home.

At first, this sounds like the best thing to ever happen to us “yes! All my dreams have come true! No more boss to watch me! No more work clothes! No more commute!” While some of this is true, most of it is not. For a lot of us, this ‘working from home’ is MUCH harder than we imagined. This is not what the brochure promised! 

For those of you who are lucky enough to have furry companions at home, this can add another layer of complication to an already stressful situation. Don’t worry, we have a special 3-part series on how to actually get your job done while being a good pet parent. Below we have some tips so that you’re in the best frame of mind to take care of yourself and your pup!

PROS AND CONS OF PETS AT HOME WORK

It is worth remembering that some people still have a choice on whether they work from home or still go to their workplace (albeit in a way that keeps social distancing rules!). In case you needed to weigh up the positives and negatives, take a look below.

Pros:

1. Pets are excellent at providing stress relief, says science.
2. There is no such thing as a bad day when you have a pet to ‘come home’ to!
3. They give you a reason to get out of the house each day.
4. Many snack breaks to be had! Who doesn’t love an excuse to go to the kitchen for a treat?

Cons:

1. They know when you’re on a video call and make themselves known! WOOF!
2. They’re a distraction when you’re trying to finish that boring spreadsheet.
3. Every waking moment is play time!
4. Many snack breaks to be had! This can be bad for your waistline too!

TREAT YO SELF!

Most importantly, a calm and happy human is a calm and happy doggo. It is important to firstly take care of yourself - #SelfCare. In your downtime, read a book you’ve been meaning to read, watch an interesting documentary, build a fort and fill it with pillows, or call your Nana and tell her you love her. These things will help keep you happy, and in turn your whole household will benefit. 

WALK TOGETHER IN THE MORNING

Not only can you consider this your ‘daily commute’ to work, it also counts as ‘self-care’! Make this walk a good, long one. Take your time and let your pup sniff as long as they want, this is their chance to ‘read the news of the neighbourhood’. Think of it as reading the daily paper or scrolling Facebook. Your dog has friends on the street they haven’t met yet but knows all about just by the scents that they're sniffing!

Good for you: Get some fresh air, wake up your internal body clock with morning light, maybe talk with some neighbours! It will also signal to yourself and to your pet that after this, it’s ‘work time’. Remember to always feed your pup after you walk them.

Good for pup: Great energy release, excellent exercise, ‘fulfilment of his job’ to hunt with the pack leader.

Have you tried any of these tips above? Did you find they helped you at all? 

Don’t forget to check out Barker & Bone’s exciting toys HERE or our premium collar & leashes HERE.