As her son’s hearing support dog, Anya has given Norma’s family a peace of mind they thought they’d never have.

Anya is a sensitive, loving and intelligent Golden Cocker Spaniel who has been a part of our lives for five years now. She gives every family member their own special attention, but as my son’s hearing support dog, she’s also his best friend. Every morning she starts her day by jumping on his bed, trying to dig him out from under his duvet!

Offering more than just hearing support, Anya also provides him with unconditional love and friendship. She calls him down for dinner by entering his room, nudging him with her wet, black nose and then leading him downstairs. It’s very comforting to know that she’s always there to protect him, especially when he’s asleep at night. If the smoke alarm goes off, for example, she can wake him up and alert him to the danger.

She’ll be there to protect him

 Anya loves her walks and, as a typical Spaniel, she loves to sniff out fox poo! Her favourite human foods are sausages and cheese – if you ever eat them in front of her, she always looks at you with the biggest brown eyes, trying to get you to share them. She also adores playing frisbee, always running after it and bringing it back for us to throw again.

She’s our first dog, and every day we are thankful for the love and support she gives us. Suffering from hearing loss can sometimes mean that people shy away from you, but with Anya around people are actually drawn to us.

When I look at her asleep on the sofa, I understand why dogs like to sleep a lot – it’s because when they’re awake, they devote all of their energy to looking after their humans.

Julia loves Alfie for many reasons, but she’s particularly proud of how he looks after her daughter, Jessamy.

Alfred is adored by our whole family, but he’s a real support dog to our eldest daughter Jessamy, who is a young adult with Autism. He seems to intuitively sense how she’s feeling, and always responds accordingly. He’s always so fun and loves to play with her – he even acts as her personal trainer, getting her to enjoy spending time outdoors.

He seems to intuitively sense how she’s feeling

He loves to sit on sofas and chairs and when we are at the table for a family meal, he thinks that he too should be given a seat, just so he can sit with us! We couldn’t ask for a more loyal and loving companion.

When Bill and his wife were ready to start a new chapter, Rocco made it his mission to make sure it was full of fun

My wife and I were approaching our fifties and had decided it was the perfect time to get a dog. After a lot of research, we found Rocco. He looks like a Labrador who has the white spots of a Springer plus the tail of a Husky – and the energy of all three!

Bump the chair with his bottom

We’ve become a lot more mobile thanks to Rocco and his antics. If I’m relaxing in my recliner and he wants to play, Rocco will walk past and bump the chair with his bottom. He won’t stop until I give him attention! If, for some reason, we haven’t given Rocco enough of a walk, he’ll start going crazy at about 10pm to let us know he needs some more exercise. He’ll even grab his toys and dismantle his bed to get your attention.

Our fifties are full of activity and adventure, and it’s all thanks to Rocco.

Mac is constantly making his owner Grace laugh with his hilarious antics

Mac is a two-year-old Golden Retriever and he is the most wonderful boy. He loves toys, especially stuffed animals. His favourites include a shark, a teddy bear, two hedgehogs, two sheep plus many more.

He loves toys, especially stuffed animals

Whenever someone comes to our front door, Mac always greets them witha toy, regardless of whether they want it or not. He’s got such a friendly nature that he insists we say hello to all of the dogs and people we see on our walks. He also adores running, sliding and rolling around outside, particularly when it’s snowy or if he’s near the water.

Working from home has been a strange adjustment but having Mac around has made it so much easier, and he gives me the motivation I need to carry on each day. It’s amazing the difference a happy dog can make to your life. Mac is a bundle of joy.

Brody is always around to look out for Amy and her family

Brody is the most loving dog. He brought my partner and I closer togetherwhen we took him on his daily walks during lockdown. He is patient, caring and playful, and he always looks after our new-born son, laying with him when he cries, or staying at our feet when we feed him.

He always looks after our new-born son

He also has a great sense of humour and a very playful character. For instance, he likes to survey the neighbourhood as though he’s a watchdog, he barks at his treats and spends hours playing with his ball. Brody is a truly special dog.

With Maki by her side, working from home could never be a chore for Meredith

Maki is a Romanian rescue who came over to the UK in January last year. Ifostered him for a few months and instantly fell in love. I knew I’d be working from home for a while, and Maki was a sweet boy who made me laugh and smile every day.

I can see it’s building his confidence

When he first arrived, he was scared of everything and always stuck very close by my side. Now he’s settled he goes to scent training classes, as it’s an activity he can do with little distraction and no other dogs around. He really loves this, and I can see it’s building his confidence.

Maki also has a very mischievous side, and his favourite thing to do is run upstairs and un-make my bed! He usually leaves one of his toys up there, which always gives him away. Having Maki by my side has massively boosted my mental health. He rescued me just as much as I rescued him.