Most dog owners will admit to doting on their pets as if they were children, but one woman has taken her puppy love a step further.

Paula McArthur, 40, who calls herself "mother to two canine babies", has set up a creche for dogs where pets are given the chance to socialise, just like toddlers, in their own day nursery.

The former finance manager launched Doggy Days Creche after being made redundant from her job and, six months on, Paula has proved she was definitely barking up the right tree with the American idea she brought to the North-East.

Thought to be the only firm of its kind in the region, Paula's business looks after 10 to 15 dogs each day at her base in Cramlington, Northumberland, employs nine people and is busy recruiting more.

"I don't have any children, so my dogs - springer spaniels Chance and Cookie - are my babies," said Paula. "When I was made redundant, I told my friend I wanted a job where I could take my dogs to work.

"She asked if I'd take hers with me as well and jokingly suggested a dog nursery.

"When I started to research whether there was any demand for one, the response was phenomenal and I began to realise it wasn't such a silly idea.

"Dog owners love their pets like children and dogs benefit from coming to day nursery just like children do.

"Most owners bring them to me because they don't want their pets getting lonely while they're out at work. We give them the chance to socialise and play with other dogs.

"As far as I'm aware, this is the only dog creche in the North-East. Other places offer daycare for dogs, but most just put them in kennels for the day. I think we're the only people to give dogs play and development opportunities like children get in a nursery.

"People have said what a difference it has made to their dog - most say their pet is better behaved at home and with other dogs and I think that's because we give dogs mental stimulation here.

"We've got loads of different games we play with them, all designed towards doing what they do naturally - chasing, tugging and problem-solving to get food.

"We even have little doggy birthday parties with special treats and games like musical sits if one of the pets is celebrating their birthday.

"We don't have a naughty corner like in a children's nursery, but dogs are quietly taken away and given a bit of time out if they misbehave."

Each dog gets its own school report card, letting its owner know how it is settling in and what it has been doing during its first few days at the nursery at Hubbway Business Centre, Bassington Lane.

"When I first talked about setting this up, I said to my husband Terry that I didn't want anyone else looking after my dogs because I didn't trust anyone to look after them as well as I do," said Paula who lives with Terry, 32, a car sales executive, at Chipchase Court in nearby New Hartley. "He asked me why other people should trust me, but I think just as you would trust someone who clearly loves children to look after your baby, people trust me because it is obvious how much I love dogs."

More information is available from Paula at www.doggydayscreche.co.uk or (01670) 716666.

Page 2: Pet dogs are left £450,000 in animal lover's will