From morning ‘til night, Charlie brings nothing but joy to every moment of Elizabeth’s day

Charlie is the happiest little Jack Russell, who just loves life. He wakes up at 6:30am every day without fail and spreads such fun from the moment he opens his eyes in the morning.

He likes to dictate the routine by barking, which is his way of telling me to get a jiggle on and eat breakfast so he can get ready for his morning stroll and then settle in for his day.

He spreads such fun from the moment he opens his eyes

He always greets me on my return from work with a huge wagging tail and a happy yap, ready for his next stroll and his evening meal. We then move onto ball playing before settling down for a nice cuddle and telly before bed.

We’re always exhausted and ready for a bedtime snuggle, and he’s a happy boy, all prepped and ready for the next day. Utter joy!

Denise is constantly amused by how much her dog Meg loves playing with her football-themed toys

It took our dog, Meg, about nine years to be able to play with a toy without totally destroying it. She adopted her first cushion football after rooting through a charity bag of toys and claiming it. We’ve since bought her plenty more because she becomes so attached to them. She plays with them, takes them out into the garden and even falls asleep next to them!

She becomes so attached to them

Meg is not amused when we put her toys in the wash. We’re only forgiven when she can get them back out quickly, sometimes before they’re fully dried. The funniest thing about her obsession is that if you say football, she goes and finds one! She’s a great dog who’s always filling our days with laughter.

Throughout all of Ellie’s suffering Amber was right there beside her, providing her with the emotional support she needed to keep fighting.

My Cockapoo Amber has helped me to stay positive through the toughest times of my life. She came into our family when I was 16 and first started experiencing symptoms of my illness. She was only eight weeks old and quickly became my best friend, as I had to leave school and my life as I knew it began to fall apart.

It was almost two years later I was diagnosed with a life-limiting illness that left me housebound, in constant pain and extremely weak. At my lowest, Amber was the only thing that kept me going and the only thing that would make me smile. Whenever I got upset she would lick my tears away and stay by my side and when I was really unwell, she would scratch and cry at my door or do whatever she could to be with me. She was a constant source of comfort and made me feel so safe and less lonely.

She would lick away my tears

When nurses would come to visit me at home, they would always comment that Amber was always so close to me but she also instinctively knew when she needed to give me and the nurses space (although she was never too far away). They would often tell me that they’d always say they we’re going to see ‘Ellie and Amber’ because she never left my side. I’d spend months in hospital, and she would come and visit me. Having a cuddle and seeing her happy face was a massive boost. My heart would feel lighter whenever she would visit.

Without Amber I wouldn’t be here today. Last year I had surgery that thankfully gave me a second chance at life. I only got to that point because I wanted so desperately to take her for long walks or play with her in the garden again, she’s mad about tennis balls and loves to play fetch. The idea of giving her a happy life and repaying her for all the years of happiness she gave me when I needed it most kept me going. She still supports me when I have bad days but now I take advantage of every opportunity I can to be with her and do something fun.

I honestly don’t think words can really describe just how much I love her and what she means to me, but when I was a little girl I would dream about having a dog like her and I feel so lucky to have her in my life.

Two years after the loss of her family’s first dog, Oslo came bounding into Emmie-Rosa’s life, bringing plenty of love and laughter with him

After the passing of our dearly loved family dog during lockdown, our household was deeply missing a four-legged companion, and all the fun and chaotic energy they bring. In May 2022, we decided that we were ready to bring a new pup into our lives. Little did we know that, less than 48 hours later, we’d be bringing a tiny little eight-week-old Rottsky pup called Oslo home with us.

We all look forward to a long, adventure-filled life with him!

Oslo has bought so much joy to our family in the 4½ months he’s been with us. He’s goofy, mischievous, playful and clever. He will huff and puff when you move him from his fave spot on the sofa, and then pretend to ignore you when you try and make up for it. He has the sweetest nature and so much energy. He loves to join us on every trip, whether it’s to a pub, a castle, a coffee shop or the woods.

Oslo is always by our sides. He loves everyone and everything, from adults and children to dogs and horses. He always wants to say hello. He really has been the missing piece in our family, and we all look forward to a long, adventure-filled life with him!

Kevin loves how much his dog Beau has become a member of the family

Beau is a wonderful family dog. He’s everybody’s friend, and I’m always getting requests from my neighbours to see if he wants to join them and their dogs for a walk.

Beau loves being at home

He provides us with endless laughter, especially when he gets given a treat and starts jumping around like a little puppy. Every evening, after hislast walk, he likes to enjoy a tummy rub or two. Beau loves being at home and is very protective of our house, though he’s great at sharing the garden with the birds, squirrels and hedgehogs. Our dog is a treasured member of our family, and we wouldn’t be without him.

Billy has been a huge source of support for Patricia while her husband has been suffering from dementia

Billy is a rescue. He’s very special, as he rescued me, too. He was 14 months old when I got him, and he was three and a half kilos underweight, as he'd been kept in a cage with no exercise. He was a scared boy, but he soon came to trust me enough for me to train him.

He’s a clever Border Collie and picked things up very quickly. My husband, Tony, has dementia. And when he was still living at home, he couldn’t be left alone. So, when the carer came for an hour or so to get Tony ready for the day, Billy and I would escape to Woodbury Common, our happy place, and walk away our cares!

I really don’t know how I would have coped without him

Tony is now in a nursing home, and Billy and I visit him regularly. Billy has a routine – when he arrives, he goes to each resident in turn for them to give him a stroke, and he gives them his love in return. He’s always done this, right from day one. On the first day we visited, I let him off the lead and he went straight to the first wheelchair, sat beside it and lay his head very gently on the resident's lap.

I really don’t know how I would have coped with the stress of having a partner with dementia if I had not had my boy, Bill. Not only does he give me his unconditional love, but he also gives the same to Tony and his fellow residents, too. Billy is definitely my hero.