Michelle’s dog Bix may have been an unexpected addition to the family, but now he’s what makes their house a home

We met Bix in the summer of 2019. As we’d recently lost our beloved dog Hamish, we were too upset to consider adopting another. But, on a trip to the Dog’s Trust to donate some of our items, we saw Bix and fell in love straight away – it was meant to be, and 9 days later he became an official part of our family.

At first he was very timid around us, but now his cheeky character has started to shine through and he is an absolute joy to be around. His funny antics make us laugh every day, and he really does have a beautiful personality.

His cheeky character has started to shine

He loves nothing more than being at home, and upon return to the house will immediately start rolling or running around out of sheer excitement. We tried to tell him he wasn’t allowed to sit on the furniture, but he didn’t listen, and always manages to relax on the sofa and watch TV with us in the evening. He even demands his own pillow to lie on!

Recently, we’ve been video calling my parents every day. Bix insists he makes an appearance on each time, so as soon as he hears their voices he’ll dash into the room and jump in front of the phone screen to say hello.

When things were tough for Hayley, Louie helped her to look on the bright side again

I had a stroke at the age 32, and it knocked me sideways. I struggled to live my life how I had before, and as a result was feeling quite low. My partner knew exactly how to get me moving, and that was by bringing Louie into our lives. We fell in love with him instantly, and he helped me to get more active and find a focus again.

We fell in love with him instantly

Louie is always smiling, loves playing with his toys and is the best cuddle-giver. He is so mischievous, and we often find socks and underwear that he’s stolen and hidden in the garden. He also likes to help when we’re doing projects around the house, though often he’s more of a hindrance – like when he thought he could paint the wall by dipping his head into the paint tin!

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.

Cleaning just got a whole lot easier now that Lucie has Bruno in her life!

Bruno was a rescue dog from a family who couldn't give him the love and time he needed. He was born with only one eye – he doesn't let that hold him back though, and he can run as fast as any other dog. He's wary of strangers and new environments, but once he gains your trust, he's the sweetest, most lovable dog I know.

He loves to play games like hide-and-seek and chase. And he loves to learn new tricks, too. He loves to crunch on all fruits and vegetables. As soon as hears the vegetable drawer in the fridge open, he dashes to get a treat!

He's the sweetest, most lovable dog I know

The most amazing thing about him is that if you spill or drop something edible in the kitchen, you just need to shout "clean up team". No matter where he is in the house or garden, he will come dashing in to find you and will lick it up immediately. If he can't see it straight away, just point and he will find it.

He is the most amazing dog I have ever met and my family and I would be lost without him.

As long as Jennifer has Alfie by her side, she can get through anything

I got Alfie during the pandemic as I live alone and wanted some companionship. Because of all the lockdowns, I barely left the house and my mood was constantly low.

I had been saving for a dog for a while but with the prices jumping up I couldn't find any I could afford. I randomly found an advert for Alfie and managed to be the first person to get in contact – it was clearly meant to be. He has brought so much happiness into my life and is helping me to get out of the house and interacting with people again.

He has brought me so much happiness

Since getting Alfie, I have been focusing on his training, which has given me something to do while spending all this time at home. He has made such a massive difference to my mood and quality of life. I honestly don't know what I would do without him.

Simba came into Deirdre and her husband’s life at one of their lowest moments, but over time he’s helped them heal

Simba came to us as a 14-week-old puppy. We’d recently lost our first cockapoo, Ellie, to hypothermia at 17 months, after she fell in a river in a freak accident while chasing a bird. We were devastated, and coming home to just an empty cage and her favourite toy was horrible.

I knew that I had to do something, so when I saw the advert for Simba, I made an enquiry. We went to see him that evening and we brought him home the very next day. Simba has helped us come to terms with our loss – he makes us laugh, he makes us cry, he exasperates us beyond measure, but he is always there for us when we are sad or upset.

Simba has helped us come to terms with our loss

Simba will never replace Ellie, who’ll always have a piece of our hearts, but he’s so loving and very much a mummy’s boy. He’s my shadow, following me everywhere and crying if I leave the room. He also steals things he shouldn’t, like underwear, socks or anything else he knows belongs to us and is out of bounds – even my mobile phone! I think I’m on phone case number six because he likes to chew them.

Simba's my life. He doesn’t have a nasty bone in his body and would defend his pack (my husband, myself and our best friend) to the ends of the earth to stop us getting hurt. He’s a very special dog, and I’m so glad that I found him at one of the worst times in my life. He’s my rock and I love him beyond words.