Tail wagging, eyes glimmering – there is something very special about checking into a hotel and being greeted by a dog.
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But for visitors to Launceston’s Peppers Silo Hotel, that’s the daily routine.
Archie the Silo Dog has earned himself a strong following of fans since the hotel officially opened in June.
One of the regular faces to be found at the hotel’s reception, the black Labrador has become the accommodation’s mascot and an official team member.
With daily duties including greeting guests, walks and plenty of pats, hotel receptionist Bianca Ridler said Archie was far from kept on a short leash.
“He has it really good, but he adds so much to our days and hopefully the experiences of our guests,” she said.
“All of the staff here, we all work to help take care of him.
“Sometimes we take him home with us. He came camping with me one time which was a lot of fun.
“I can’t imagine the hotel without him.”
A trained guide dog, Archie went through hundreds of hours of training before securing the top job at Peppers Silo Hotel.
It was the idea of developer Errol Stewart to have Archie at the hotel, to help raise awareness for the Guide Dogs Association.
His training also means he is always on hist best behaviour.
With his own custom area at the hotel’s reception including food and water bowls and a bed, duty manager Jason Street said Archie made a positive contribution to the experience of guests staying at the hotel.
“He is a typical Labrador, in that a lot of the day he is just sleeping,” he said.
“But what we find when guests are checking in is that he really responds to people who love dogs.
“Guests can take him for a walk, so on some days it is safe to say he gets to do a lot of walking.
“He enjoys showing people the sites around Launceston.”
Aside from the fans he meets in person, Archie has also earned many followers online.
With more than 400 followers on Facebook and over 300 on Instagram, people are able to keep up to date with all of Archie’s latest adventures.
At four years old, Ms Ridler said Archie remained as playful as ever – especially when squeaky toys were involved.
“His toys never fail to get a reaction from him and people love to get him gifts,” she said.
“That and food of course. He is a typical dog when it comes to food, so it’s lucky he gets so much exercise as well.”
Keep up to date with all of Archie’s adventures by following him on Facebook and Instagram at @archiethesilodog. You can also pay him a visit at level one of Peppers Silo Hotel.