Working with an Office Dog
Working from home has a lot of perks. For me, it also means sharing my office with a 70-pound coworker who has very strong opinions. I’m technically my own boss, but Dayo has his own ideas about that.
Dayo doesn’t answer emails, he’s never once met a deadline, and his only contribution to client calls is the occasional heavy sigh. But I wouldn’t trade him for anything.
Sometimes it’s easier to give in.
When Dayo decides it’s time for attention, he has a few moves. He rests his chin in my lap and whines a little. He sticks his head in the trash can. He brings me a shoe. Then I have two options: I can spend 20 minutes trying to convince him to settle down, or I can take five minutes to play with him. I know when to admit defeat.
Stick to the routine.
Dayo is a creature of habit. We take the same walk every day, and he crosses from one side of the street to the other at the same spots every single time. I’ve tried going a different way, and he’s simply not interested. He puts on the brakes and will not go. No improvising, please.
And apparently, walks are a group activity. Walking with my parents is the norm, but if it’s just me, he won’t budge. I haven’t figured out what that’s about, but I respect his commitment to making things complicated.
Know when to call it a day.
Dayo spends most of the day in my office with the door shut, but around 4 p.m. he starts getting antsy. He’ll get up, take a big stretch, and plant himself at the door with his tail wagging. If I don’t take the hint, a little whimper follows. By 4:30, if I’m still at my desk, he’s not having it. The catch is that he won’t go upstairs without me. I’ll open the door and he’ll just stare at me until I make the first move.
Take the lazy break.
Some afternoons I sneak over to the couch and say, “Dayo, come and snuggle.” He’s there immediately, settling in right next to me, practically on top of me. It’s hard to call that unproductive when it’s clearly doing wonders for morale.
Make time for friends.
Dayo has a friend named Lucy who comes to visit some mornings. Her owner, a neighbor without a fenced yard, brings her down, and the two of them play. Or ignore each other, depending on their moods. Either way, it’s the highlight of the morning.
I need this reminder, too. When you work from home, it’s easy to go a whole day without seeing anyone. A walk around the lake or a hike with a friend (Dayo comes too) beats another hour at my desk, and he’s usually tired enough afterward to let me finish the day without interruption.
So there are my lessons from working with an office dog: be flexible (or not), take breaks, make time for friends, and know when to stop. Dayo often has the right ideas, even if he does have questionable opinions about which direction to walk.