Sophie was told Mildred would never be affectionate, but she’s gone on to defy everyone’s expectations

We got our Mildred from a Rescue home in Chobam around 11 years ago. She didn't have the best start to life, as she was mistreated quite badly as a puppy. We were told by the trainer that she would never be able to give us cuddles or love, as her upbringing had made it hard for her to trust humans.

We decided to give Millie a chance, as we knew we could give her the love she deserved. The first year or two was difficult, as we tried to train her and gain her trust. But we pulled through, and now she’s the most loving, loyal and caring dog.

She’s the most loving, loyal and caring dog

She truly is part of the family, and she’s even become a part-time therapy dog to us. She knows when anyone is feeling down or upset and will cuddle right up to us. She has these eyes that look right into you. But we have to make sure we have a little treat for her after – especially cheese!

For a dog that was never expected to show love, it’s extremely hard to get her out of our beds! She truly is the best. It just goes to show, if you give dogs a chance and offer them the love they deserve, they’ll be forever grateful.

Harley has helped Rachel enormously with her mental health struggles, but he has also caused plenty of mischief with his escape tactics

Harley is a Giant Schnauzer crossed with a German Shorthaired Pointer. My husband got him when we found out I was pregnant with my third child, as I already had a six-month-old baby and I was suffering from both pre-natal and post-natal depression. Harley was my distraction and my positive ten minutes of training a day.

Our walks always get me out of the house. And on the days I don’t want to go out, he’s with me in the house with the babies! He keeps me grounded and gives me a break when I take him walking. We’ve even started mountain climbing as a family with Harley and the children.

He can flip his cage and squeeze out of the bottom!

He’s also a Houdini! I’ve never known a dog like him. I padlock his cage in two places overnight because he’s obsessed with licking the butter dish, and he can flip his cage and squeeze out of the bottom!

He’s obsessed with food, especially burgers and sausages, and he’s amazing with the children. My one-year-old will pass him DVDs off our stand one by one, and he brings them to me in his mouth and then goes back for more to play with her! He’s changed our lives so much.

Bowser came into Jenny’s life when she needed him the most, and has made it better every day since

We got Bowser after my mother passed away from cancer. I'd been struggling, and I’d always wanted to include a dog in the family anyway. We fell in love with Bowser from the first moment we saw him, when he was just four weeks old.

His favourite place to be is at the pub

His favourite place to be is at the pub, where he greets everyone with a wagging tail and demands a belly rub. He's great with other dogs and loves kids, but he definitely has a naughty streak!

He's done me a world of good and owning him has made me much more sociable. In fact, since getting Bowser, I’ve spoken to more people than ever before.

Even though some people didn’t think Fibee was beautiful, it was love at first sight when Kat became her dog sitter

Fibee came to me through a dog sitting site, five years ago now. Her owners were French and wanted somebody to look after her when they went back to France, sometimes for weeks at a time. At first, Fibee was very nervous, but I took her everywhere with me and she slowly became more confident. She trusted me.

I didn’t even notice what bad shape she was in. She had decayed teeth, a scabby eye and no hair. I don’t really know how to explain it. Everyone else reacted with a slight recoil, but I thought she was lovely. And love is blind.

The more time she spent at mine, the happier she seemed to be there. Three years ago, her owners asked me whether I’d like to look after her full time. They were having babies so she was being more and more neglected, and she just loved her visits to mine.

I can’t believe how lucky I am

I honestly couldn’t believe it – I could have never imagined such an outcome when I first met her. But I said yes, without hesitation.

Before Fibee, I was a bit wild, spending weekends out with mates. Nothing too crazy, but nothing too healthy either. Fibee changed all that. She gave me a routine. I knew I needed to take care of her and make her feel safe.

No vets could tell me what was wrong with her skin. But I got her teeth sorted and slowly, with a grain-free diet, her eye got a lot better.

Now it’s like she’s had a second lease of life. She comes on hikes with me, 5+ miles on the trot. She’s a favourite at the leisure centres I work for, and she just helped me propose to my fiancée.

Sometimes I just stare at her and can’t believe how lucky I am that she chose me.

Christine has countless precious memories with her charming dog Borden

Broden has been part of our family since he was just eight weeks old. He’sthe kindest, most gentle and handsome dog, but can also be very stubborn and greedy when he wants to be!

He made people smile

He’s travelled with us on boats and trains and has even been on cable cars in the mountains. When he was younger, he became a Pets as Therapy dog, and for five years he visited schools, day centres and care homes where he made people smile and helped children learn how to read.

Since my husband retired, Broden has been his daily walking companion. Although Broden is getting old, they often cover five miles each day, which helps both of them to stay active. Our dog brings us so much joy and he is loved by everyone who meets him.

Sarah and Paddy have been through a lot together over the years, from fundraising events to the loss of their furry friend, Oscar

Paddy was brought into a local rescue centre, where I was volunteering as a dog walker. He had been found on a busy road near Newark and collected by the dog warden, and he was very thin and dirty. He was so frightened, he actually weed as the warden removed him from the van, and we couldn’t see his tail as it was so tightly tucked between his legs.

It took Paddy a while to warm to us, but after a lot of perseverance – and the offer of a hamburger – he decided we were not so bad. I was asked if we would consider fostering as the rescue centre was full, and Paddy came home with me that afternoon.

He’s been there for me, my children and now my grandchildren

I failed as a foster parent and adopted Paddy not long after. When he settled in, he was such a gentle soul, and he proved to be extremely loving and very happy in everyday life. That tail was soon visible and is now always wagging.

Over the years, Paddy has attended fundraiser events to raise money for other dogs in rescue centres and to promote awareness of how Lurchers can make lovely pets. There are so many Lurchers in need of a forever home.

Paddy loves food and will do pretty much anything if you bribe him with something tasty! He’s been there for me, my children and now my grandchildren – he absolutely adores kids and is very gentle around them.

He’s also helped our other rescued Lurcher, Bella, settle in and he’s very tolerant of our resident cats. We sadly lost Oscar, our Labrador cross, to bone cancer last year and Paddy was his companion for 12 years, so we helped each other move forward. Now aged 15, Paddy often likes to sleep in, but he still enjoys his walks – just at a steadier pace.