With sales of pet products growing rapidly at value retailer QD Stores, the company has decided there is no better way to make the right new stock selection than to run it past the end users first.
All staff at the group's Norwich head office, therefore, were invited to bring their pooches into work last Friday - which also happened to coincide with Take Your Dog to Work Day.

"We all love our pets here so we'll seize any excuse to have them with us," said QD group managing director Justin Farrington Smith, who brought golden retriever Chamois into the office for the day. However, it wasn't all fun for the four-legged friends, who were also expected to get down to some serious work in their focus groups.

"Pet products are a huge growth area for us," Mr Farrington Smith explained. "We're expanding our Scallywags range this autumn, so this was also a great opportunity to test new bedding, foods, treats, leads and toys on our own dogs.

"It was a great day," he added. "Lots of staff joined in and the dogs were really well behaved. We'll all be taking part again next year."

A recent study published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management suggested that taking a dog to work can reduce stress and make the job more satisfying for colleagues.

QD operates over 40 retail outlets under the QD, Buyright, Lathams and Cherry Lane Garden Centre brands, in locations extending from the East of England and Home Counties to Doncaster and Wrexham.