My parents are currently on vacation, which means the duty of caring for their dog is rotating between my household and Chris's. Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal, but this dog is objectively weird.
As I type this, he is in his preferred workday position: flopped over my right shoulder with his head facing behind me, looking out my office window. And no, it isn't comfortable for either of us.
Which leads me to wonder the following:
For those of you who work from home or have office pets, what do your pets generally do while you're working? Do they snooze on your lap? Do they have their own spot in the corner? Are they helpful or a hinderance?
Feel free to share pictures.
When that same dog is at my house he prefers to sit on my lap all day. He wont sit anywhere else unless my wife is home and then he will rotate between time with me and with her.
mtn
MegaDork
11/7/23 4:53 p.m.
Mine stays outside, protecting the world from everything.
Even in the rain, I give it 50/50 whether he'll come in. I basically only bring him in if he's being an shiny happy person... Which he is often enough. Then he just snoozes either on the stairs, so he can hear both my wife and I, or by the front door that has a draft and is cool.
I don't know what he has in his mouth here. I know it was a small animal of some sort and he loved crunching the bones. Before Floating Doc can tell me that's not the best idea... Yeah, I know. He's just out of reach here. He'll play "you can't catch me" and win nearly every time, especially if I'm on my own.
Ours is definitely not a lap dog. She’ll cuddle on the couch but won’t actually get on your lap.
During the day, she rotates between her bed here in my office, her bed out in the screen room (assuming the door is open) or blocking the entrance to my office. When doing that last one, she prefers putting her back against whatever’s sitting on the floor–camera bag, boots, AP Stylebook, etc. When I stop for lunch, she’ll go out for some sun.
If you listen carefully during meetings, you might hear her yip in her sleep. 
On a good day this is how Ginny and Luna spend their day. 
Occasionally they do this.
Sometimes they do this
This is Annabel. She used to help with filing.
I have two 6 month old kittens. They sleep near me off and on during the day and occasionally take turns getting onto my lap for pets. They're great WFH buddies.
ddavidv
UltimaDork
11/8/23 7:49 a.m.
Our dog goes to doggie daycare 3x per week. With a herding breed, it is a necessity to keep the humans sane.
This was from a couple winters ago when the roads were nasty and i decided to WAH rather than spend 3-5hrs in the car.
The large manatee-shaped cat in the back is waiting for me to look away so he can crush my laptop.
I've since set up an office in the basement. No pets other than the dog or the blind cat permitted.
Duke
MegaDork
11/8/23 9:28 a.m.
We have 4 cats. When I was WFH, this was pretty common:
^ Fiona
^ Juno
My guys spend most of the workday taking turns sitting/sleeping on my laptop case. They also enjoy waving their butts on-camera during Zoom meetings, snoozing on the keyboard, and using any loose items on the desk to experiment with gravity.
Margie
Mine usually keep to themselves and sleep for most of the day.
Unless they spot a lizard in the window. Then all hell breaks loose.
Sandwich (we didn't name her, we usually just call her Sandy)
Sadie
If you're going to have an animal on your desk, it's good to have a desk-sized animal.
When I still worked at home, only one of my 3 cats had any interest in "helping." Boot would sleep on my computer, and then (when I got a stand to keep it from overheating) she'd sleep under it. Also pictured is her angry face when I'd take away the nice warm computer.
Finn likes to enjoy most of his day napping on the couch. 
Katie Wilson said:
Mother,
I crave the computer heat.
South facing windows mean a warm spot on the floor for most of the mid day. That is where the doggo prefers to spend most of his life.
Marjorie Suddard said:
My guys spend most of the workday taking turns sitting/sleeping on my laptop case. They also enjoy waving their butts on-camera during Zoom meetings, snoozing on the keyboard, and using any loose items on the desk to experiment with gravity.
Margie
My wife is full time WAH. There is a door to her office, but she usually lets the menagerie in during the day as they usually all just end up sleeping. She was in the middle of her annual eval with her manager when Minou the Manatee, at a svelte 20lb+, suddenly jumped up in front of her camera, started squawking for dinner (in mid afternoon), muted her mic then locked her laptop while stomping around on the desk.
She is still getting paychecks, so I guess we're good...
Sonic
UberDork
11/8/23 4:26 p.m.
Old cat, with a variety of medical problems, but always wants to be near us. This bed is next to my chair in my home office.
usually curls up with a toy but every time I join a Webex he barks three times. I spun my chair around for this shot
120 pounds of Alaskan Malamute does not fit on a keyboard or a desk.
This one tends to show up in the morning. Since changing computers, she does not have the warm spot right in front and tends to lay to the side. Butts on keys can be an issue sometimes. Conference call or phone calls in the afternoon can create an appearance also, sometimes resulting in her on my shoulders (she is not small).
The other one tends to show up before his dinner time and is generally good with just a lap sit for a while.
Working with? I am not sure. But here is Gizmo getting a shower.
Seems to be a theme with cats helping get work done. Here's mine:
If I am ever seated at a computer, there will be a cat or two piled on my lap.
Half grown and running out of space:
Fully grown now and not enough lap to go around:
