Sharon is grateful for the joy and good times that Bobby Dog has brought into her life, even if she’s not his favourite human!

Bobby Dog came to us from Romania back in 2016. He was nervous but trusting, and he soon settled into our mad house.

He is very caring and loves us all!

He is so loving and funny, and he’s brought a lot of laughter into our lives. He is very caring, and he loves us all, but he has a particularly special bond with his Man Cub, (my son) Harvey. The two of them are best buds!

Bobby Dog always comes on adventures with us and enjoys life to the full.

Freya had to spend a lot of time in adoption kennels, but it was worth the wait, as she ended up living with Holly and her partner, who absolutely adore her.

Freya turned one this week, but she has already had a lot of upheaval in her first year. She was born a stray in Cyprus, and taken in by a charity over there who brought her to England at just a couple of months old. Once here, she was adopted by a young owner – we don’t know much about him other than he sadly passed away very suddenly soon after adopting Freya.

We couldn’t be more pleased

She ended up in adoption kennels, and shockingly was there for months. Several families came to meet her, but each time they decided she was just too big and lively to be the right fit for them. Although it’s sad that Freya was in kennels for so long as a young pup still developing, it was great news for myself and my partner who eventually found her and took her home.

Staff at the kennels warned she was a bit wild, strong on the lead and over-excitable. We couldn’t be more pleased, this didn’t put us off. Freya is the most peaceful, loving, intelligent dog we could imagine. We’ve had her for three months now, and a day hasn’t gone by where we haven’t been flabbergasted by how lucky we are to have her in our lives. We now love cosying up in front of the fire with her every night, and wandering through the countryside and along the coast with her at the weekends. We can’t imagine life without her.

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.

Amy was always unsure about getting a dog until Drift was born right next door

We had deliberated for years over getting a dog. Was it the right time? Were the children the right age? Would our cats cope? What kind of dog would suit our lifestyle?

We keep wondering why we never had a dog before

Then a litter of Dalmatian puppies was born on the farm next door and the time was right. And... Dalmation puppies... NEXT DOOR! Drift joined our family in December as our first ever dog and it’s like he has always been here. We keep wondering why we never had a dog before.

He has been a joy to train, and we are so proud of the calm and confident young dog he is becoming. Evenings are spent blissfully entangled with spotty limbs on the sofa, and we can't wait for a summer of adventures with him in our camper van.

Katie wasn’t a dog-person until she met Bear, the adorable pooch who brings even more joy to her life

I'll start by saying I didn't really want a dog. My husband had wanted one for so long, however I felt that it was an extra responsibility and commitment that we didn't really need – but then I met Bear.

He’s lifted me up when I’ve felt sad

Bear is my best friend. He's lifted me up when I’ve felt sad, helped me cope with stress and brought even more joy to my life during the happiest times – like on holiday, where he adapted naturally to life as the resident camp pooch.

We're incredibly close to the owners of his sister Dolly, and our two dogs share an incredible amount of traits. They're both inseparable, bonkers and completely ball mad!

One of Bear’s funniest traits is the way he bounces for his breakfast. It's like he gets so excited to eat that he starts dancing – a breakfast boogie, so to speak. Bear really is the most wonderful dog and the best friend a girl could wish for!

Jennifer’s daughter was really struggling after she had to leave school due to her autism – but that all changed when Willow came along

My daughter, now 15, has been home-schooled since she was 11. For a little context, she has autism, so secondary school really took a toll on her mental health. The constant overstimulation would leave her tired for days on end. Eventually she couldn't continue at the school, so we had to take her out.

About a year ago, things were getting quite bad. She was barely showering or cleaning herself, she wasn’t leaving the house due to rising anxiety, and she really wasn’t the happy little girl I know and love. She’s always had a connection with animals, and her love for them has been a coping mechanism, so we got her Willow.

We’re currently planning to get her trained to be an assistance dog for my daughter

To say this bettered her life is a massive understatement. Willow is a playful pooch. She’ll bring you a toy anytime to try to get you to play. She loves to play tug with anything. She likes it when we sit on the floor and throw dog biscuits for her to chase and eat. She also enjoys bringing us bones to hold while she chews them – it's often stinky, but it's how she bonds, and we love her for it! She also loves her cuddles, so she’ll curl up on our laps and sleep whenever possible.

Having the extra responsibility of this fluffball in my daughter’s life has helped tremendously. She now leaves the house to walk her, she comes out of her room more to spend time with Willow, and she’s even more confident talking to people with Willow nearby! We’re currently planning to get her trained to be an assistance dog for my daughter. She’s the little superhero we needed.