Nearly half of dog owners say their dogs have been picking up office jargon as their pets gate crash their work Zoom calls, according to a survey.
Pet sales have surged during the Covid-19 pandemic as more people spent time at home.
A survey, by pet treat company Good Boy, showed the most common phrases clever canines are learning from online meetings include ‘Zoom’ (58 per cent), ‘meeting’ (28 per cent) and ‘internet’ (17 per cent).
Some owners even told researchers their dogs are beginning to understand the terms ‘boss’ (13 per cent), ‘muted’ (14 per cent), ‘brainstorm’ (8 per cent) and ‘glitch’ (6 per cent).
More than half (58 per cent) now recognise their owners’ workmates as a result of regularly holding video calls.
Some owners admit to scheduling calls at times they know their pet will be taking a nap (16 per cent) or hiding in the bathroom to do the calls uninterrupted (15 per cent).
A quarter (24 per cent) allow their pet to sit on their lap during important video calls, and may indvertently be boosting their career prospects by doing so.
The poll revealed 14 per cent believe having a dog on screen during work calls looks professional.
Karen Wild, author of Being a Dog: The world from your dog’s point of view, said: “Dogs are very observant of their human families, and pick up all sorts of signals - even when we don’t intend them to.
“They easily link new words with our actions so it’s plausible that witnessing our ‘at work’ personalities while at home will teach them plenty of new words and activities.
“Now that things are changing again with a more ‘hybrid’ style of working, we must support them with this too as we return to the office.
“Gradual change suits dogs the best and lets them learn to cope with each new stage.
“And, if we decide to take them with us to our workplaces, a safe, quiet space for them to rest (just like they had at home) is essential.”
