Writing with Pets

Cole, our new addition to the family, is doing very well with his house-training (only one accident so far) and sleeps through the night, which makes him SuperDog; I've never had a puppy do that. He's also very even-tempered, is playful but not too rough with the kids and the cats (who were raised with two other dogs, so they're both fairly tolerant of canine shenanigans) and has a nice mischievous streak in him.

When he's tired, he just drops and conks out wherever he wants, too, which tickles me to no end:



Puppies are very time-intensive, and Cole spends the majority of his time with me, so I've had to temporarily adjust my work hours. It's like having a baby in the house again; I reserve mornings and afternoons for socializing with him and doing my housework where he can be with me (as a breed Shelties generally love to be with people, but hate being locked up or left alone.)

As I did with my two-legged babies, I work whenever he sleeps. I've also reversed my work schedule so that I write at night when the family is home to keep Cole occupied (this allows me to work in my writing space without depriving him of company) and edit at the kitchen table during the day while Cole naps.

Some of my experiences writing at home with pets:

1. Putting a pet in your home office while you work is fine if the pet respects your space and is content there. If they want to use your work space as their playroom, they're going to destroy things and distract you. Move your work to a pet-safe area of the house.

2. Like children, pets get easily bored (especially young ones.) Focus on socializing with your pet before you dive into work. Usually an hour of play or a nice long walk will tire out your pet, and then they'll be happy to nap while you work.

3. Rather than lock up your young pet to keep them from interfering in your schedule, train them to be your companion whatever you do. Ease them into a daily routine that alternates you giving them attention with you doing your housework or writing.

4. Books, computer equipment, electrical cords and other writing-related things in your house are important to you, but just remember that to your pet they look like chew toys, playthings and scratching posts (cats in particular love cardboard boxes of books, and will sneak into them to relieve themselves or chew off some corners.) Move anything that cannot be destroyed into a place where your pet can't get at them.

Finally, if you have to choose between your pet and your writing on any given day, choose your pet. I've never regretted a single day of work that I blew off to spend with Buddy and Missy, and now Cole. I can assure you, the writing will always be there. Your pet won't.