After the latest lockdown left her with no choice but to part-time furlough the rest of her team, including her husband, the empty office felt like a cavern. “I felt a bit sorry for myself and thought: ‘I’m taking the dogs with me, because at least then I can have a doggy cuddle when things aren’t going to plan,’” she says.
As a teacher of grief recovery method, Henderson’s work has felt more important than ever, particularly with reaching out to those grieving in isolation, and without her colleagues there in-person, her dogs have provided immense emotional support. “Things do get to me. I’m human, doing this work. Someone will tell me a really sad story and there’s nothing better than getting a cuddle from one of my dogs,” she says. “Stroking a lovely bit of fur brings you right back down, then I’m ready to help the next person.”
Taking her French bulldog Archie into the office has also helped Kat Bailey cope mentally with lockdown by giving her a much-needed daily routine. Last year she found herself pottering while trying to run her PR company from home. “My mental health went down the pan because I’d end up guilt-tripping myself as I’d wasted loads of the day, so working from home was really not good for me,” says Bailey, from Brighton. When the office reopened, she was back in like a shot.With her wife on furlough and studying online, they agreed it was best for Archie to go with Bailey to the office “because at home he just sits on laptops”, she jokes. Archie is a soothing and settling presence in her working day, spending most of his time sprawled out on his pink fluffy bed by her desk. Taking him for walks in the park or along the beach gives them both structure and exercise, and the office also gives him the opportunity to socialise with people and other dogs in the building.Use a plastic pitcher to store and dispense dog food. It takes less time and keeps the food fresher. I use the MUJI rice storage dispenser, which comes with a handy measuring cup.
Ferris, who runs a recruitment company, had to furlough her colleague when England went back into lockdown in November, and says the office felt really lonely without her. With business picking up again the dogs have also proved a hit with clients whenever they’ve jumped on Zoom calls, she says. “I feel really blessed. They’re so happy all the time, you can’t be moody when you’ve got a beautiful dog looking up at you.”Help Them Adapt to New Environments. “The only thing that likes change is a four-week-old baby in a wet diaper.” Though puppies and kittens are easygoing, mature pets often need guidance transitioning into new spaces. Dr. Becker advises introducing them slowly. “Don’t just dump them in a new house and hope for the best.” Pheromone sprays are handy for making strange houses more inviting. “Cats,” notes Dr. Becker, exist as both predator and prey, and in predator mode, they need vertical surfaces like climbing towers to feel safe.”
“It’s the companionship, I’m so happy the dogs are here,” Collingbourne says. Her brother, Rory, who runs a car sales business on the family estate next door also has his two labradors, Rufus and Bentley, helping out around his showroom and making it feel a lot less lonely while the team socially distances.
His boys love going with him on all his long journeys delivering cars across the country, he says. “They go wherever I go, that bond is strong. It helps you get through the day. A bad day becomes a good day with a dog.”
INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: More than half of all U.S presidents have owned dogs.