No matter what happens next month, Tauranga dog owner Nicole Baker is extremely proud of her Australian Kelpie named ‘Jupiter'.

'He's just been named a finalist in New Zealand Top Dog '22 which is a huge competition run by a company called Frog Recruitment – they focus on dogs,” says Nicole.

'This year they received 350 entries for the category that I submitted Jupiter into.”

With voting closing October 5, Jupiter will learn his fate in the competition next month.

However, to Nicole Jupiter is much more than just a pet – he's changed her life. Before Jupiter came along, Nicole's struggle with mental health severely impacted her career.

'My whole role now is remote, and I used to struggle staying in roles with companies. I would get really stressed and anxious and it would just be too much for me and I'd end up just having to leave. I've had a rocky career history,” says Nicole.

Now, Jupiter has changed her mental and work life for the better – that's why she submitted him into the ‘work from home category' in the New Zealand Top Dog '22 competition.

Nicole explains the category focuses on how your dog helps improve your mental health when you're working remotely 'which has become a lot more common due to Covid-19”.

'I got Jupiter just as I started the job I'm currently in – and it's crazy the difference he's made in my life. I'm still in the role and got over my one-year milestone, which doesn't sound like much to a lot of people, but for me it really is.

'Jupiter just made me focus on the present and I felt that a lot of the time my anxiety makes me either obsess over the past or focus too much on the future.

'Having a little fur-child made me focus 100 per cent on the present because I have a little life to look after.”

Aside from being a great support to Nicole, Jupiter has had to show off his repertoire of tricks to make it to the competition finals and is classified as an advanced trick dog.

'Jupiter can ring a bell, do spins in both directions, leg weave, he can go up my arm and walk, walk forwards and backwards on command, and he can stay put and still when I leave the room,” says Nicole.

Jupiter has made a world of difference to his owner Nicole Baker. Photo: supplied.