My dog just had puppies. All the human residents were at school/work. The gardener wouldn't stop doting on the new mother. I needed him to finish harvesting, so the gardening Sim could plant the improved crop before taking his first trip to China. I resorted to sending the momma dog to the park across the street, then "Locate Collectible". The gardener followed her, still doting. Once she located some dig sites, I teleported her away. The gardener fussed for a while, walked around his truck (I thought he was going to get in and leave the job undone - it's happened before, often after a birthday with cake), then back to the garden. I wish there was a way to order him back to work.