Bella is a huge support for Sarah, whether she’s helping her care for her mum or getting her through the loss of her other dog, Oscar

Bella joined our family in October 2017. It took her nearly a year to fully settle, but she quickly became best friends with our other two dogs, Paddy and Oscar.

She’s very loving and has been my rock through some hard times. I care for my mum, who lives with dementia, and Bella is very patient and loving with her. She’s also very gentle with young children and loves to greet them and get some fuss. She even loves making friends with cats.

She’s been my rock through some hard times

Bella seems to sense when I am feeling low, because she stays close and almost cuddles me! We lost Oscar last year to osteosarcoma and she was very loving during that time. She often went to the tree that Oscar used to like sitting under. I would be lost without her and Paddy.

Sully is the most loyal of dogs and likes to accompany Paul everywhere – he won’t even eat a biscuit without him!

Deep down Sully is a big softie at heart, very loyal to my wife and I. He gets nervous when out and likes to cuddle his teddy – in fact, he is so attached to it that he’s been known to carry it around with him on his walks!

He loves to go fishing with me

We do walk together a lot, but he loves to go fishing with me. He goes mad when I catch a fish, watching my line until I bring it in. He sits there for hours with me. We also go to watch my daughter play football, and he’ll sit on my lap while the game is going on.

If my wife gives him a biscuit in the morning before going out, he won’t eat it until he has shown it to me when I come home in the afternoon. All it takes for us is to say to him ‘where’s the cat?’ and he’ll go up the garden barking like mad, even though there is no cat!

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.

Life isn’t always easy for Rachel, but Brewster does everything he can to make each day a little better

Brewster is a rescue dog, but I think he’s saved me just as much as I saved him. I have severe endometriosis which causes me a lot of pain and I can sometimes feel very low. Brewster has only lived with me for a short while, but we already have such a strong bond, and he's changed my life immeasurably.

He loves exploring outside and has learned how to walk nicely on his lead. I'm so proud of him. Keeping active is good for me too, and I can already feel my health and mood improving because of our daily adventures.

I can already feel my health and mood improving

Brewster is such a perceptive boy and can always tell if I'm having a difficult day. He loves to play and can be quite boisterous, but when I'm feeling low, he's so gentle and will just come and rest his head on my leg or put his front paw over my hand. He lives for cuddles and adores having his face stroked.

I work from home, and Brewster likes to lie on the floor and keep my feet warm – which is always very welcome on those wet and cold days! My dog has had such a huge impact on my life in such a short space of time. He's loving, friendly and fun and I feel like the luckiest dog mum in the world.

With Max around, Barry doesn’t get much peace and quiet – but he wouldn’t have it any other way

Max is my West Highland Terrier. He’s always making us laugh, especially when he tries to be at one with nature – he spends hours watching the birds in our birdbath, and loves playing with the squirrels in the garden.

He likes to keep me company on the charity walks that I take part in. Last year, my wife and I completed a 16-mile walk for the British Heart Foundation. We came home absolutely shattered, but energetic Max lay down for a grand total of 10 minutes, before running around like a sprinter again! This year, I’ve completed a 3.4 million step challenge for Diabetes UK, with my little mate Max by my side all the way.

Max gets excited by anything and everything

Max gets excited by anything and everything, which is a joy to see. The first time he visited the beach, he ran around and around in circles, to the point where my wife was crying with laughter! When he first saw snow he rolled over until he was soaked through – he just has so much energy and finds happiness in everything.

He makes us smile every day. One of the things he loves most is cuddling with his mum (my wife). He’ll jump up and paw at her until she gives in and lets him flop onto her lap. He gets jealous when we’re snuggled up without him, and will even wedge his way in-between us so as not to miss out!

Poppy is an important and treasured member of Vicki’s family. Life simply wouldn’t be the same without her

Poppy has been my little ray of sunshine through some pretty tough times. She never fails to make me smile, no matter what’s going on in my life. She is also the apple of my husband’s eye, and was a big part of our wedding – she wore her flower collar with pride and posed perfectly for all the photos!

She makes us laugh every day

We welcomed a baby into our lives in 2019, who has since become a typical toddler. He adores Poppy just as much as we do, and calls her his little ‘Poppy dog’. She really is the gentlest and most understanding dog I’ve ever known. Sadly, she’s battled with arthritis for many years now and has also ruptured her ligament, so we’ve had to swap her field-sprints for some slow and steady pram-walks, but I don’t think she minds too much.

She makes us laugh every day, particularly because she thinks we don’t know that she steals the cat’s biscuits the minute we go to bed – unfortunately for her, she’s clumsy and always knocks the big bowl over, which gives her away every time! Poppy is our crazy pup, always full of energy and ready to play, especially when there are bubbles and balloons involved. She is my constant companion and best friend.