Working at Home (Somewhat) Productively with Pets

BY KELLEY DWYER, CHAIR, AUSTIN BAR ANIMAL LAW SECTION

In the midst of a public health emergency, productivity is not, and should not be, our top priority. Health and safety rightly come first. However, our clients and our community need us to function in some capacity while we navigate how best to work from home for the foreseeable future. In normal times, our companion animals provide us with entertainment and unconditional love during our off-work hours. Their shenanigans can be less than desirable when trying to maintain a professional presence in online meetings or during conference calls.

Pets enrich our lives. They lower our blood pressure, increase our happiness, and help us become more compassionate humans. It is no accident that many pet dogs and cats moonlight as therapy animals and provide comfort to those in hospitals, courtrooms, schools, and long-term care facilities.

Many recent social media posts show pets hijacking their owner’s online meetings, and most end with the meeting attendees having a good chuckle, sharing stories or cameos of their own pets, and then continuing business with everyone feeling more at ease.

Pets allow us to temporarily forget about our worries. They make us laugh and reset our mood. We can cast off our “workface” formality and get on with the business of the day in a more relaxed fashion.

Pets (at least those I have known) do not understand what a work meeting is. They only know you are talking and therefore you must be talking to them.

As someone who has worked primarily from home for over a decade, and with a cast of rescue/ shelter animals milling about, I hope I can provide some helpful tips and guidance.

A TIRED PET IS A GOOD PET.

If you have a conference call or online meeting scheduled, take your dog for a nice long walk first. If you have a cat, it’s laser pointer time inside. Let your pet get their ‘zoomies’ out. This will also force you to get some exercise, fresh air, and a change of scenery. Once your pet is tired out, and if it is near their regular mealtime, try feeding them a bit early so they take a nap while you attend your meeting. I do not recommend letting dogs spend time in fenced backyards unattended. I have seen too many dogs end up going over, under, or through fences.

THE CRATE ESCAPE.

If your pet is already crate-trained, then the crate is a wonderful place for them to hang out and nap while you are participating in a work call or meeting. If your pet is not already crate-trained, you can work on crate training, but I do not recommend doing so while interfacing with the public, especially if your pet is not fond of its crate.

JUST SHUT THE DOOR?

Just putting your pet in another room and shutting the door seems like a simple solution. If your pet is amenable to this method, go for it (you lucky soul), but for most pets it will generate more disruption (barking, whining, meowing, scratching at the door) when they cannot see you.

GIVE THEM A PROJECT.

For dogs, especially larger dogs, a Kong or similar durable toy stuffed with a few bits of kibble, some peanut butter at the opening of the toy, and a biscuit garnish on top is a great way to occupy their mind, mouth, and paws while you work. Another dog project could be tennis balls in a muffin tin, with bits of kibble placed underneath the tennis balls. For cats, you might consider a stuffed mouse toy, with or without a catnip chaser, depending on your cat’s past responses to catnip.

PAY ATTENTION TO THEM.

If you can pet your dog or cat while attending your meeting, please do. A gentle pat is often enough to satisfy your pet. I do not recommend bribing your pet by throwing them treats when they interrupt you. That’s called positive reinforcement training. You are teaching them that when they interrupt you, they get rewarded.

HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR.

Despite employing all of the suggestions above, sometimes my animals do not react the way I expect them to and they do something ridiculous or embarrassing. If this happens, do your best to laugh it off. I usually tell clients I am working at home with pets when I start a call or online meeting, especially if the topic is an especially serious one, and I apologize in advance for any interruptions or odd noises we may encounter during our time together.

AT LEAST THERE ARE EXCELLENT ACOUSTICS.

If you live in a rural area, one simple solution is to take your calls outside. For most Austin attorneys, neighbors or passers-by are never far away, so all calls must take place indoors. (Note: The advice to take calls outside applies to audio-only meetings, and is not recommended for any meeting with video.) As a last resort, if you cannot take a call outdoors and your pet is acting out, take your phone or laptop and escape to the bathroom or garage. If you can still hear your pet, get in your vehicle. Your pets are used to seeing you go to these places for a while and then come back, so they will hopefully lose interest and let you have your meeting in peace.

I predict that many of you will find working around your animals increases your creativity and helps you relate in a much more meaningful way with your clients and colleagues. If you do not already have a pet, or your pet needs a friend, please consider fostering and/or adopting from one of our wonderful Austin shelters or rescue organizations. AL

Kelley Dwyer

Kelley Dwyer is an attorney and sole member of the Law Office of Kelley J. Dwyer, PLLC, an Austin law firm focusing on business law and estate planning. She is a founding and current chair of the Austin Bar’s Animal Law Section.