They say the people you work with become your family. But what about when your canine friends become your colleagues? With more and more of us working from home, the nation’s dogs have risen to the challenge and left us wondering if we really need their human counterparts. Here’s the evidence!
1. They’re always camera-ready.
Ever thought about taking a cute snap of a workmate snoozing at their desk? Probably not. And even if you have, you probably didn’t have the best intentions when you shared it on Facebook. When your beautiful pooch is snuggled under your desk, though, you’re well within your rights to pause that conference call and capture the moment! You might even have a ‘Petfluencer’ like @jiffpom, the pup with 10 million followers on Instagram.
2. They’re always up for a tea break.
When your dog’s the only one watching, you’ll never have to justify a trip to the fridge or an impromptu playtime. Just glance in their direction and they’re ready to get involved with your procrastination plans. Regular breaks will also boost your energy and break the monotony for you both. It’s also important to keep your dog mentally stimulated to help avoid unwanted behaviours, so why not use the time to teach him something new?
3. They make you focus when it counts.
Having a colleague that follows you everywhere does have its less obvious advantages – like making you think twice about leaving your desk unless absolutely necessary. Picture the scene… he’s finally nodded off in that sunny patch by the door. Your deadline is looming. Are you really willing to risk it all for the sake of a third custard cream? When it comes to staying healthy and productive, we’re yet to find a better motivator.
4. They keep you accountable.
If you’re new to working from home, it can be hard to find a routine and set boundaries between your work and personal time. Even if you’re a veteran, it can be tempting to ditch your daily rituals on an off-day. Thinking about skipping your morning walk or spending an extra hour in bed? You can count on your furry alarm clock having something to say about it! A regular routine will help your dog feel settled, too.
5. You’ll never lunch alone.
Working through lunch or taking breaks at weird times? While human co-workers will ditch you almost instantly for their favourite burrito, your canine companion is guaranteed to be by your side whenever you grab a bite.
6. They make hilarious yogis.
Ever tried doing yoga with your dog? We suggest you start immediately. Even if you’re a total newbie, some light stretching throughout the day will improve your circulation and help prevent issues such as tendonitis and repetitive strain injury.
7. Dogs don’t read the news.
No matter what’s going on in the world around us, we can always count on our dogs to greet us with the same delighted eyes and wagging tail. You won’t find your doggy co-workers discussing current events or sharing morbid stories in the staff room. Instead, their eternal optimism helps us stay grounded and maintain a sense of wellbeing. They’re just as happy as they were before – if not happier, because their best friend is always around.
Thanks to the generosity of our customers, the Petplan Charitable Trust has been able to contribute vital funds to animal charities to help get them through the Covid-19 crisis. £150,000 donated to the Association of Dogs and Cats Home (ADCH) Emergency Coronavirus Appeal and another £50,000 donated to the Covid-19 Equine Rescues Emergency Fund. We work in partnership with 1,200 animal charities across the UK and know this money is desperately needed to ensure they can continue to support the animals in their care.
We understand these are challenging times for our customers. If you have any questions about how your policy may be affected by COVID-19, as well as any changes to your cover, please have a look at our FAQs for the latest updates.