The first week you worked from home, your dog was thrilled. Every morning you sat down at your desk, they settled in right next to you, convinced that the era of being left alone had finally ended. Your cat started showing up on your keyboard around 10 a.m. like a coworker who had decided your meeting was optional but their snack schedule was not.

A few months in, you have figured out that working from home with a pet in an apartment is its own skill set. It is not better or worse than leaving them home alone for eight hours. It is just different, and it comes with its own set of challenges that nobody in your company handbook thought to address.

Here is what actually works.

Dogs vs. Cats: The WFH Reality Is Different for Each

Working from home with a dog
  • Needs scheduled outdoor breaks or the afternoon gets difficult
  • Will stare at you during calls until you acknowledge them
  • Separation anxiety can actually worsen if WFH creates constant closeness
  • Benefits most from a consistent morning walk before your workday starts
  • Background barking during calls is a real professional hazard
Working from home with a cat
  • Generally self-sufficient but will interrupt on their own timeline
  • Keyboard and laptop screen are prime real estate during calls
  • May become more demanding of attention than when you were away all day
  • Feeding schedule consistency matters more than you expect
  • Multiple cats often entertain each other — easier WFH situation overall

The underlying dynamic is the same for both: your pet has reorganized their entire understanding of your schedule around your presence, and they do not understand that you are technically at work. To them, you are just home. All day. Available.

Structuring Your Day Around Your Pet Without Losing Your Mind

The mistake most people make when they start working from home is treating the pet's needs as interruptions to the workday. The better mental model is to build the pet's schedule into the workday from the start, the same way you would schedule meetings or lunch. What you resist all morning becomes a distraction. What you plan for becomes a break.

A WFH day that works for both of you
7:30 am
Walk or feeding before you open your laptop. Starting the day with their needs handled means the first two hours of your workday are uninterrupted.
10:00 am
Short break. Five minutes outside for a dog, a few minutes of play or attention for a cat. Cheaper than a coffee run and resets both of you.
12:30 pm
Lunch walk or midday feeding. This is the slot where a neighbor check-in works best on days you have back-to-back afternoon calls.
3:00 pm
Afternoon energy release. Dogs especially hit a wall around this time. Fifteen minutes outside now prevents the 4 p.m. zoomies during your most focused work window.
End of day
Longer walk or extended play to close out the workday. Signals to your pet that the workday is over as clearly as it signals it to you.

The Problem Nobody Mentions: The Days You Have to Go In

WFH schedules are rarely all-remote. Most people working from home are on some kind of hybrid arrangement, which means there are days when you actually do have to leave. And those days are harder on your pet precisely because working from home has made them less accustomed to being alone.

A dog that was fine being home alone for eight hours before you started working from home may now struggle with four. The closeness that WFH creates is genuinely good for your relationship with your pet, but it comes with a tradeoff: the absences, when they happen, feel more pronounced.

This is where having a neighbor who knows your pet is worth more than any app or service. Someone in your building who has met your dog or cat, who can pop in for a midday check-in on the days you are in the office, makes hybrid work actually manageable. Not a stranger from a booking app. Someone three floors up who already knows your pet's name.

WFH gave your pet the best version of your schedule. A neighbor on Furlo makes sure they are covered on the days you can't be there.

Practical Tips That Actually Help

  • Create a physical boundary for calls. Dogs in particular respond to visual and spatial cues. A baby gate or a closed door during video calls trains them that this specific context means quiet time, which is easier for both of you than trying to shush them mid-sentence.
  • Do not free-feed just because you are home. Keeping your pet on a set feeding schedule, even when you are home all day, maintains the routine that makes them calmer overall.
  • Tire them out before your most important work block. A 20-minute walk before a big meeting or a focused writing session is a better investment than an hour of trying to concentrate while your dog stares at you.
  • Give them something to do during your deep work time. A puzzle feeder, a long-lasting chew, or a window perch for a cat can buy you a focused 45 minutes without guilt.
  • Introduce solo time intentionally. If your pet is with you constantly when you are home, practice leaving them alone for short periods even on WFH days. This keeps separation anxiety from building over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is working from home better or worse for dogs?

Generally better, with one caveat. Dogs benefit from more time with their owners, more frequent outdoor breaks, and less time alone overall. The caveat is that constant closeness can worsen separation anxiety if the dog never practices being alone. Building short solo periods into your WFH routine helps prevent this from becoming a problem on the days you do go into the office.

How do I stop my dog from barking during video calls?

A combination of pre-call exercise, physical separation during calls, and consistent training works best. Tire your dog out before important calls, use a gate or closed door to create a boundary during the call, and reward quiet behavior. Most dogs learn the pattern within a few weeks if you are consistent about it.

Can cats handle working from home better than dogs?

In most cases, yes. Cats are more self-sufficient and less reliant on your constant engagement than dogs. That said, some cats become more demanding of attention when their owner is home all day, particularly if they were previously home alone and content with that routine. The adjustment period is usually shorter and less intense than it is for dogs.

How often should I take my dog out when working from home?

At minimum, a morning walk, a midday break, and an end-of-day walk. Most dogs do well with three to four outdoor sessions on a WFH day. The midday break is the one that matters most for preventing restlessness during afternoon work hours, and it is also the easiest to ask a neighbor to cover on busy days.

What do I do with my pet during important work calls?

A physical boundary — a baby gate, a closed door, or a designated quiet space — is more reliable than hoping your pet stays calm. Giving them something engaging right before the call, a chew, a puzzle toy, or fresh food, reduces the chance they will demand attention during the 30 minutes you most need them not to.

Great on WFH days. Covered on office days.

Furlo connects you with pet owners in your building so your dog or cat has someone nearby on the days you can't be there. Free for residents, always.

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