Alfie may be small, but he has a big personality and always puts a smile on people’s face!

Alfie is a Shih Tzu. Before I got him, he was abused as a puppy and was sadly left with spinal damage. This means he struggles to walk any distance and suffers from a limp – but it just makes me love him all the more.

Alfie loves life, cats and meeting new people, especially children. He travels around in his pram like a prince in his golden carriage!

He’s like a prince in his golden carriage!

I’m disabled myself and in pain most days, but he gives me a reason to get up and get out no matter how I’m feeling. I love the way he puts a smile on people’s faces when they see him. Alfie is so cute that everyone always notices my brave little star. He’s proved that you don’t have to be Marilyn Monroe to stop traffic!

After rescuing Lola, Lisa loves her life with her gentle giant

Lola is a rescue dog who has been with us a little over a year ago. She came to us this fully grown dog who still had many many puppy tendencies. We rescued her just before she got to the rehoming centre.

She is this large oaf who doesn’t realise her size, thinking she’s a lap dog. Lola loves a cosy blanket, hates being cold, wet and hates when the wind blows her ears.

Life during lockdown would have been impossible without his companionship

We still have a long way to go with training but she has changed our lives so much. She’s like a wee companion for myself and we’re either playing in the garden together, going for fun walks or cosying in bed watching a movie together. Lola loves her comforts and believe it or not, she loves the vets.

When she jumps up her paws go on your shoulders and she gives you almost a human cuddle.

Adele may not be Leo’s owner, but he has had a huge impact on her life – even helping her to recover from a recent hip operation

This is my grand-dog, Leo. My son and his partner own him, but we look after him frequently while they are at work. As soon as they got him, I instantly bonded with him. He’s a Shiba Inu, a very funny, quirky breed. This is very apt, as my eldest son lives and works in Japan.

When Leo sees you, it’s like you’re the only person in his life – his whole body wags and he smiles. He doesn’t bark, just woofs and makes a strange whining noise. He doesn’t like water at all, so he has to be carried over puddles and he always walks around large areas of water. He also loves to be brushed as he has lots of thick fur. Once you start, he just lays upside down, literally smiling.

I recently had my hip replaced. On the evening I came home, my son brought him round. He jumped on the bed and just lay at my side, looking up and smiling. He knew he couldn’t jump on me. I call him my therapy dog. He has helped no end in my recovery. I walk him with my husband on my sticks, and if I stop, he stops.

He's very stubborn, and if he doesn’t want to walk, he often has to be carried home. He’s definitely a magnet for affection. Everyone thinks we are walking a fox. He loves everyone and just wants to play with every dog he meets. Shibas are renowned for their lack of recall, but we’ve had no problems with Leo at all. He loves his ball, which has helped with that.

Leo is not a morning dog. He loves to sleep and comes to life later in the day. My son also has two cats who came first, so Leo had to adapt and often slept in their basket with them. He thinks they are dogs and tries to mouth them. One can tolerate it, but the other doesn’t. He knows his place! They often sleep side by side and it’s lovely to see.

I’ve never had dogs before, but I totally understand why people have them. He has brought so much happiness to our family. Such a lovely cuddly teddy bear.

He has brought so much happiness to our family

Norma and her dog Cara don’t let anything stop them from enjoying all that life has to offer.

Cara might be an elderly lady, but she still likes to play, especially with a tennis ball or two. Though, now if you throw one for her to chase, she’ll give you a look that says ‘I am 11 you know!’.

She enjoys a good cuddle and during these unsettled and sometimes lonely times, has been a much-needed companion. Cara also has free run of the house. She sleeps wherever she wants, sometimes being generous enough to allow me to share the bed or the sofa with her!

She can be vocal enough to get her point across!

As I live alone, her company is both a source of comfort and a welcome distraction. Her conversation skills may be lacking but believe me when I say she can be vocal enough to get her point across!

In short, I would not be without her. Even on those dark, wet and windy days when non-dog owners are cuddled up on their sofas, this old lady (I’m 77 years old) is glad to toddle down the road with her fellow old girl.

Christine is so proud of gentle Milly, who goes above and beyond for her fellow pets

Milly is so loving and friendly. I suffer with depression and she seems to know when I’m not feeling good and will come and put her head on my lap. She is also a real hero because she has donated blood to the pet blood bank on a regular basis since she was two years old – in September just gone she made her 16th donation!

She has donated blood since she was two

She loves holidays by the beach with her other half, Daisy, and she has lots of friends that come to our house for play days. She acts all brave when she thinks she has to, but in reality, she’s a big sissy and wouldn’t hurt a fly. Milly always greets people with one of her toys, although she does do a submissive wee wee at the same time, so I have to tell them to watch their feet! She also loves to swim in any water she comes across on our walks and likes to get very muddy, running through all the puddles.

After the loss of her husband, rescuing and caring for Elsa gave Dawn the sense of purpose she needed

I got Elsa from a rescue centre in Doncaster. I was so pleased, and it made me feel great that I’d rescued her. She was so thin, and her coat was all matted up. I was told that she was mistreated previously. As I’d lost my husband, she became a great comfort to me. I now had someone to go for walks with, and she had someone to love and get love from.

It made me feel great that I’d rescued her

In the beginning, she always followed me about and just wanted to be mine. She was shy, but I made her happy. I got her coat clipped and fed her up. She was looking good, and I felt great every time I saw her improvement – it made me smile. She gave me lots of love and she even made friends with my son’s cat! We quickly became firm friends, and she would bark at anyone who came near me.

One day, my son Ken said to me: “You have a rest and I’ll walk Elsa.” He put her lead on and she went to the door. But when he opened the door, she sat down and refused to move. As soon as I came over, she was up and out! Poor Ken, bless him. He did try a few more times but she gave him the same reaction. All in all, she has such a loving personality and brings me so much joy.