Sick of going 'mutts' thinking about leaving your furry friend at home alone? We've got the 'pawfect' solution… Vanarama's Tia Richards tells you more.
Why not join the 200,000 drivers who take their dog to work? According to a study by Mercedes-Benz, van drivers seem to be longing for a companion. And it's no wonder they are.
Most of us get annoyed when there's a 10-minute delay on our way to work, so imagine how mind numbing it is sitting in 13 hours of congestion – which is the case for most van drivers.
So, this is a shout out to all van drivers – TAKE YOUR DOG TO WORK! Here's why you should …
Feeling guilty?
I can't be the only one who gets that awful feeling of guilt when I close the front door and leave to go to work? And please tell me I'm not alone when I say I wave to my dog as he longingly looks out the window? In fact, I probably wave twice.
But it's easy for me to soon forget those puppy dog eyes because my journey to work only takes 20 minutes. Oh, and I'm surrounded by people so it's not so bad. This is a far cry from a van drivers' journey, in fact, it couldn't be more different. What's that saying? Chalk and cheese? Yep, that's how I would compare our journeys.
A pawsitive impact
Here's a stat to shock you…
35% of van drivers say they spend 20 hours a day ALONE. Still feeling sorry for yourself after sitting in traffic that only delayed you by 15 minutes?
But here's the good news…
This is another shout out to all van drivers… 'pug-get' travelling alone, bring your furry friend with you. Here's why you should:
- 52% confessed that they felt much happier travelling with their dog
- 53% said that their dog helped attract new business
- 45% of van drivers believed that bringing their dog to work made them feel more relaxed
So, if your boss asks why you've bought your dog to work you can use the excuse that's it's national puppy day, but if you want to make it 'pawsible' in the future give him an earful of the stats above.
And if that doesn't convince him, tell him that the Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz UK agrees with you. This is what Steve Bridge thinks about bringing your dog to work… "It's great that our canine friends can join the nation's hard-working van operators in the vehicles, providing much needed company along the way." But make sure your new passenger is strapped in… "However, it's also important to remember that dogs need to be suitably restrained according to the Highway Code, so a seat belt harness would be a good investment to ensure both the driver and the dog are safe and secure. I wish I could take Gilbert, my Westie, to work with me!"
Puppy love
Looking for a furry friend to accompany you on your dull drive to work? Here's a list of the top 10 dogs in the UK:
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Staffordshire Bull Terrier
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Cockapoo
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Labrador
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Springer Spaniel
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Cocker Spaniel
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Boxer
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Border Collie
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German Shepard
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Golden Retriever
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Mixed breed I might be biased, but I'm sticking with the French bulldog. If you need some persuading have a look at the picture below of my Frenchie Bruno. He will give any dog a run for their money when it comes to puppy eyes...
Had a look? See, this is why I feel so guilty, don't tell me you wouldn't.
Looking for a new van?
Right all you need now is a van…
If you're stuck on what van to pick, we've got you covered. Here's our most popular vans. And, to make your life even easier we've sectioned them into small vans, medium vans and large vans.
We've got LOADS of vans for you to pick from at Vanarama and they are all BRAND-SPANKING NEW!
A new van AND a puppy? Does life get any better?
Take a look at our new van finance page to find out more about leasing.
