Chris Kissack, business development manager for the Affinity Group said: ’I’m not a dog person, I don’t have a dog.’

But Gary, the office’s French bulldog, was there for him right from the start. ’When I joined Affinity Group, Gary was one of the first team members to greet me. I am pretty sure he was in attendance during one of my interviews,’ says Chris.

And when he put a heartfelt post on LinkedIn about how Gary’s calm and reassuring presence had helped him following a bruising encounter with Microsoft Word bullet points, it received a very positive response.

Chris wrote: ’I had a very busy morning, back to back video calls, proposals going out the door and I was having a sense of humour failure with Microsoft Word and its bullets formatting (after 20 odd years I still cannot get the hang of bullet numbering and how it decides to indent and format how it likes). Normally I’d take a step back, go make a coffee or get some fresh air.

’Instead, I joined Gary on his big chair. He was having a nap. He looked up at me with a look that said: "I hear you pal, I hate Microsoft Word at times too. Take a breather with me for five and we will work it out."

’I gave him a scratch behind his ears, he went back to sleep and I refocused and tackled Word with a more chilled mindset.’

As Chris soon discovered, Affinity is not the only local company that appreciates having four legged friends at work.

Designer Julie Parys posted a picture of her office cat and more followed.

Ryan Holdaway added his French bulldog, Diego; Sean Moffatt, owner of Mad Jacks, put up his dog, Norman; Lisa Karran added her puppy, and IT retailer, William Duquemin, offered a picture of his ’warehouse manager’ - a rather striking tabby cat.

It was at this point that Chris realised something else was going on here.

He says: ’I just reflected on how, from a mental health side of things, if any company encourages having their pets in the office it’s a good thing. And it’s not just Gary who we have in the office, other staff members bring their pups in as well.

’Having an office pup here is not a novelty. He plays just as much a part of the rest of the Affinity team in making a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment to work in. Everyone is approachable and it really is a family environment.’

Although he has been adopted by everyone in the office, strictly speaking Gary belongs to Affinity’s chief operating officer, Alex Gardner. Several other members of staff will also bring their dogs in sometimes too. And the company has taken being pet-friendly a stage further by offering Pawternity to its staff.

Becky Skillen, who is a member of Affinity’s Wellness committee, explains: ’It’s when any member of staff has a new addition to their family, not just a dog but a cat or any new furry animal, they get a day off that they can get their animal settled at home and spend some time with the animal.’

Of course many people will have got used to having a four legged friend for company whilst working from home during lockdown.

Some will have bought their first pet then and there may be some separation issues as they return to work.

And, as Becky points out, many people deny themselves a dog because they work full time and seeing one at work can help to make up for this.

She says: ’Having Gary in the office, and some of the other pups that come in too, if your home life doesn’t allow you to have a pet because you haven’t got the space or you haven’t got the time, coming in to work and having an animal there is lovely because you’re getting that benefit of an animal being around.’

It’s good for Gary too, who clearly enjoys every minute of the attention and adoration.

’He waltzes into the office every morning,’ says Becky.

Chris adds: ’He meets and greets and says hello to everybody. I think he’s got a good respect if somebody is busy or on a call because he’s been in with us since he was a puppy so he’s learned.

’Different staff members, depending on their workload if they’ve got time, will take him out for a walk so it’s not just one person: it really is a family environment here and we’ve become part of Gary’s extended family.’

He also gets plenty of people offering to play with him though Chris adds: ’We have to be mindful of what toys to use: we don’t give him the squeaky toys!’

When you think about it, having a dog around offers reasons to take a break for a few minutes: to give him a treat and a stroke, or take him for a walk round the block. And it usually follows that you will then return to your work feeling a bit refreshed.

Chris says: ’As things have started to change and, from the pandemic side of things, companies have reevaluated what the work environment is, it’s no longer your stuffy office, anchored to your desk nine to five with an hour’s break.

’You do have this new way of thinking, about anything that can create a welcoming and comfortable environment for your staff.’

So, a few things to take from this.

Chris says: ’I will always have a sense of humour failure with using bullet points in Microsoft Word. After talking it out with Gary, I am OK with that. People - and animals - are good at different things and sometimes you just need to take a breather and come back calmer, or ask someone for help.’