Having finally recovered from her traumatic start in life, Sky is living happily ever after as part of Sue’s family

Sky came to us in June 2021. She was rescued from a shelter in Romania. As a tiny puppy, she had suffered a burn to her side and a broken back, so she was paralysed when she was found in a kill shelter. Sky was rescued by a lovely lady who ran a private shelter. She nursed her and cared for her, and gradually her mobility began to improve. We knew Sky was going to be a cheeky girl as she was housed with a litter of very young puppies in the shelter, and despite her problems, she decided she preferred their bed to her own. So, she pushed them out and moved herself in!

Sky arrived with her brother, Albert, after a two-day journey by land, and they were both incredibly frightened and anxious. But she’s developed good mobility over the last year and her confidence has improved alongside her health. Her zoomies are wonderful and so energetic, considering how she was when she first came home. She is bigger than Albert and will push him over if he has something she wants! She also takes over his bed and will eat his breakfast if she gets the chance. But Albert doesn't mind, and we make sure he doesn't miss out.

We take life at her pace

Sky loves lamb spaghetti and real meat treats best of all. She’s a very quick learner, and she knows how to catch a treat or tap with her foot. If she gets hold of a squeaky toy, she will squeak it a couple of times by jumping on it with her front feet and then howl like a wolf! She also loves hugs and sitting next to us.

We take life at Sky's pace, slowly enough to keep her safe and secure. With some brilliant expert help, she’s adapted to life with us and is a wonderful, sweet, sensitive addition to our family. We can't imagine life without Sky and Albert.

Blossom’s overbite meant she was no longer valuable to breeders, but their loss was Lyndsey’s gain as the pair have now formed an unbreakable bond

Blossom is originally from Ireland where she was used for breeding. It wasn’t long before they realised that she was passing on her overbite, reducing the value of her puppies. They no longer wanted her, so she went to Many Tears rescue centre in Wales.

From there she went to a foster home, before being adopted by a family. Sadly, this didn’t last long due to a marriage breakdown, so it was back to Many Tears, into another foster home, and then we met her and she came home with us. This was all before she was five years old.

We’ve now had Blossom for three years and it’s like she’s always been here. It took her about a year before she would let us rub her belly, and she’s still not 100% sure about my husband. But she’s my shadow and will follow me wherever I go. It’s a bond I’ve never had with any other dog I’ve owned and it’s so special. She’s been my jogging buddy, my marathon-walking buddy, my isolation buddy, and everything in between.

We absolutely adore every little hair on her

To see her character come out over the years has been absolutely beautiful. Watching her enjoying walks, trips in the car, days out as a family, scratches and her spectacular zoomies around our garden truly warms my heart. She is fantastic with both my daughters, and she even loves the guinea pigs!

There isn’t a bad bone in this dog’s body, which astounds me as she had such a rubbish start to her life. She is so patient and kind to our little puppy who joined the family in December, although she could do with being a bit firmer with him as he’s running rings around her!

Honestly, the love that our whole family has for this little ‘potato gremlin’ is immense. She’s our funky little monkey and we absolutely ADORE every little hair on her (though it would be nice if they stayed on her and didn’t stick to everything she touches!).

Bear knows how to make a splash, much to owner Michelle’s amusement!

Bear is our chocolate Labrador, who is such a joy! He has been by my sidea lot this past year and lay quietly with me the whole time I was ill.

He’s a very active dog and is always chasing a ball around. One of his favourite games is to go upstairs and drop his ball, then run back down to chase it. Bear has so many funny quirks, like the way he barks at any animal on the television.

It’s a great adventure for him

His favourite place is our local countryside park. It’s a great adventure for him as he loves to jump into the water. Bear can’t even go past a big puddle without splashing around in it. His latest hilarious habit is pawing at his water bowl until it spills, then lying on the wet floor!

Emma had always been scared of dogs, but Lenny quickly changed all of that. Now, you’ll find them snuggled up on the sofa together.

We rescued Lenny from an animal sanctuary when he was 16-weeks-old. He had been born there and was adopted at 10 weeks, but the family eventually brought him back.

I have always been frightened of dogs, but my husband and children absolutely love animals. We initially went to the sanctuary to adopt a cat, to see how I would get on with my first pet. But instead, we came home with Lenny.

Loves being a part of the family

Lenny is a 32kg Lurcher cross, who thinks he is the size of a Jack Russell! Our nickname for him is ‘little Lenny longlegs’. He spends most of his time cuddling and dozing on the sofa – he loves being a part of the family. He has no concept of personal space, and often just jumps up onto your lap. He also enjoys playing with the kids in the garden and going for long walks in the forest, where he spends his time looking for squirrels.

Not long after he joined our family, we found out my husband’s friend had rehomed Lenny’s mum a few months before. This means Lenny is able to visit her on a regular basis.

He’s so loved and has brought a lot of joy into our family life. He’s soft and affectionate with all of us, and it’s safe to say I’m now a converted fan of dogs! You’ll often find me sat on the sofa, enjoying a long cuddle with Lenny.

Abbie is Andrea’s fitness buddy and green-pawed assistant

Abbie is a beautiful dog with such a lovely temperament. She is the reason I exercise every day. With her by my side, I can walk for miles. My husband was chief walker until I started exercising for weight loss. Abbie keeps me focussed on my goal.

With her by my side, I can walk for miles

She is constantly fascinated with the veg I started growing last year. She’salso very friendly and enjoys regular cuddles with all the delivery drivers.

Since he came into Chris’ life, Wyn’s been a therapy pet, a school dog and even a blood donor

Wyn came to me after he'd been found as a stray and handed in at my vet. After no one came to claim him, I took him in. When he was first brought in, he wasn’t chipped or wearing a collar, so I asked him, ‘What's your name?’ Then I told him that that could be shortened to ‘Wyn’, and I got a wag. So, Wyn's name is actually the acronym of that question.

He's a Saluki cross, and like many Salukis, he enjoys chasing games with my other hounds. He's also a typical Sighthound, and when he’s not playing games, he chills out on the sofa.

He loves his cuddles – as far as he’s concerned, people are there to love and fuss him, and he returns that in kind. This quickly led to him doing his Pets As Therapy assessment, and he’s been visiting a local mental health hospital for many years now. He loves his visits, and everyone loves seeing him. The staff have told me he makes a real difference to the patients and their wellbeing.

He’s been visiting a local mental health hospital for many years

Wyn’s also an education dog, so he goes into schools with me to promote animal welfare. After our sessions, the children get to meet him. He’s always really gentle with them, and he's even helped some of them overcome their fear of dogs.

He recently retired as a blood donor with Pet Blood Bank UK, having made 25 donations. This means he helped save the lives of 100 dogs, as each donation gets turned into four blood products. He even continued donating during Covid, even though I wasn't allowed to accompany him.

Wyn is always a fantastic icebreaker. Usually no one speaks to each other on train journeys, but when I’m travelling to events with him, everyone wants to come and say hello. He’s a fantastic companion to me and a wonderful ambassador for dogs in general, particularly Sighthounds.