How to Keep a Dog Entertained When You Work From Home All Day

Last Tuesday Georgie ate my sock and acted like I’d wronged him when I took it back. He gave me this look, like I was the worst human to ever exist, simply because I didn’t want him to end up with a blocked intestine and a several-thousand-dollar vet bill. Classic Georgie, always thinks he’s a victim. Anyway, you asked about keeping your new pup entertained while you WFH all day, and trust me, I’ve been there. Georgie thinks he’s a wolf trapped in a 7-pound body, and if he’s bored for more than five minutes, he will let you know. Usually by barking at a leaf outside or trying to herd the cat. It’s a whole thing.

Morning Rush & Pre-Work Play

Okay, so first things first: you need to burn off some of that energy before you even think about opening your laptop. Georgie is a morning person, which is unfortunate because I am decidedly not. But if I don’t give him a solid 30-45 minutes of intense play, he will be a terror all day. We do a mix of fetch (he’s surprisingly good for a tiny dog) and tug-of-war. For tug, I use this cheap braided rope toy I got at PetSmart for like $8. It’s held up surprisingly well, even against his death grip. I tried the fancier squeaky ones, but he just ripped the squeaker out immediately and then looked disappointed, like it was a personal failure. He also has this weird thing where he thinks any toy Teddy (my other dog, the toy thief) is playing with is automatically better, so I have to rotate them to keep it interesting.

Once he’s a bit tired, we do a short walk. Nothing crazy, just around the block to get some sniffs in. The key here is not just letting them out to pee, but letting them actually smell things. It’s mental stimulation, which is just as important as physical for these little guys. I swear Georgie can tell me the entire neighborhood gossip just from sniffing a lamppost. I use the Ruffwear Front Range Harness, $40 on Amazon. I used to just clip his leash to his collar, but he’s a puller (told you, thinks he’s a wolf) and it started making him cough. This harness is great because it distributes the pressure and has a front clip, which helps with the pulling. Totally worth the money.

Mid-Day Mental Challenges

Once he’s had his morning workout and I’m ready to sit down for work, that’s when the brain games come out. A tired dog is a good dog, but a mentally stimulated dog is an angel. My first attempt at this was just giving him a Kong. Big fail. He’d lick out the peanut butter in about 3 minutes flat and then stare at me, demanding more. So then I tried freezing the peanut butter in the Kong. Better, but still not enough. What actually worked was getting the KONG Wobbler, $18 on Chewy. This thing is a game changer. I put his kibble in it, and he has to bat it around to get the food out. It takes him a good 20-30 minutes, sometimes more if I pack it really full. It’s noisy as hell, but it keeps him busy and thinking. He gets so focused, it’s actually adorable.

I also invested in a couple of puzzle toys. The Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Interactive Treat Puzzle Dog Toy, specifically the ‘Brick’ or ‘Level 2’ ones, about $25 on Amazon. They’re not super cheap, but they last. Georgie figured out the simpler ones way too fast. He’s smarter than he looks, which can be a problem. These require him to move sliders and lift blocks to get to the treats. He gets so frustrated sometimes, huffing and puffing, but he eventually gets it. Teddy just waits for Georgie to solve it and then swoops in for the treats, which makes Georgie furious. It’s prime entertainment for me during my lunch break.

Scheduled Breaks & Training

You HAVE to build in breaks. Seriously. I used to try and power through, and Georgie would just start barking at the mailman (even if there was no mailman) or trying to jump on my keyboard. Now, around mid-morning and mid-afternoon, I take a 15-minute break. This isn’t just a potty break; this is a dedicated Georgie time. We either do a quick training session or some structured play. For training, I work on basic commands like ‘sit,’ ‘stay,’ ‘down,’ but also some fun tricks like ‘spin’ or ‘paw.’ He loves learning new things, especially if treats are involved. I use small, soft training treats like Zuke’s Mini Naturals, $7 on Petco. They’re tiny, so I don’t overfeed him, and he goes nuts for them.

Sometimes, if he’s being extra clingy, I’ll just sit on the floor and let him chew on a bully stick next to me. The Best Bully Sticks brand are good, they’re a bit more expensive but they last longer and don’t smell as bad as some others. I used to give him dental chews, but he’d demolish them in a minute. Bully sticks actually keep him occupied for a solid 20-30 minutes, which is a lifetime in dog time. Just be mindful of the size – get the ones appropriate for a smaller dog, obviously.

And honestly, sometimes the best entertainment is just letting him be near me. I have his dog bed (the one that Teddy hasn’t stolen yet) right next to my desk. He usually settles down there after a good play session and just naps. He has to be in the same room, though. If I move to another room, he will follow, usually with an exasperated sigh, as if I’m making his life unnecessarily difficult. He needs to know what I’m doing at all times, just in case something interesting happens and he misses it.

So yeah, it’s a mix of physical exercise, mental stimulation, scheduled breaks, and just accepting that he’s going to be a part of your workday. It’s a lot of work, but it beats constant barking and sock-eating.

If I had to do it all over again, I’d probably just get a second Wobbler.