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Great
British Dogs

Meet Brodie

With Brodie around, Lara’s days are always filled with laughter

Brodie is known as the ‘sun worshipper’, because he likes to carry his bed around the house and place it wherever he can soak up the best rays! Another of his hilarious antics involves finding and carrying sticks that are at least three times as large as him. If you get in his way, he won’t walk around you but instead keeps bashing into your leg until you move.

Keeps bashing your leg until you move

He likes to help me in the garden – although help is a loose term, as mostly he just puts his tennis ball where I’m about to plant something. Brodie didn’t have the best start in life, as he was put into a recuse centre, but now he’s truly flourished and is our very own little prince.


Meet Milo

Donna adores how kind and attentive her dog Milo is, especially towards her daughter and grandmother

Milo is such a happy soul who makes everyone smile. He helped my daughter through a tough time at school and he also assists me in caring for my elderly grandmother. He’s so slow and gentle around her, and my gran adores him so much she even spoon feeds him!

Milo knows the sound of the ice cream van

As a dog who loves his food, Milo knows the sound of the ice cream van and will sit and wait for it to come round. He also visits the local coffee shop and manages to charm the staff into giving him sausages! Milo is such a loving and good-natured dog, and we would never be without him.


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Meet Cael

Catherine will forever be grateful for the opportunities her dog Cael has opened up for her

Cael is my rock, my best friend, my teammate and my colleague. I rehomed him from a rescue charity when he was just six months old, and now he has matured into a fantastic dog.

He’s introduced me to several sports, which has helped me to make new friends and keep busy on the weekends. Cael also loves training lessons, and he’s especially good at agility. Training has become our greatest source of relaxation and entertainment, and we love attending sessions together.

He comes with me to keep me company

I work as a vet and whenever I’m called in out of hours, Cael comes with me to keep me company. He helps me and the rest of my colleagues to feel less stressed. He’s even been a blood donor for other dogs in need.

Cael is my best mate, always up for an adventure with me. He’s been my rock through some pretty rough times, and if ever I’m tired or stressed, he never fails to give me a cuddle just to let me know he’s there.


Meet Alfie

Not only has Alfie been an important part of Emily’s life since she was nine, but he’s also been an ongoing source of support for her grandad

We got Alfie as a rescue puppy when he was eight weeks old and I was nine years old. He has grown up with us through all the big life moments. He is such a caring and insightful little man who is always aware of how everyone is feeling. If someone is sad or unwell, he will sneak over with his waggy tail to be cuddled.

Alfie has had a massive impact on my grandad's quality of life

Most importantly, Alfie has had a massive impact on my grandad's quality of life. Alfie stays with my grandparents for some of the week due to my mum's work schedule. My grandad, who is in his 90s, keeps active by taking Alfie for walks on the days that they’re together.

They have such a lovely bond. My grandad even has a framed photograph of Alfie next to his bed, but none of the rest of the family! When they are together, Alfie follows him around everywhere until my grandad sits in his chair. Then Alfie will snuggle in between him and the arm of the chair and lay his paw on my grandad's knee while they both have a snooze.


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Meet Dora

After being rescued from her abusive trainer, life has only got better for Dora since she joined Claire’s family

Dora was rescued by the RSPCA in September 2022, and came into our lives when we adopted her in May 2023. She had survived starvation and neglect at the hands of her trainer, who was sentenced to 32 weeks in prison and given a lifetime ban from owning animals.

Dora is a sweet, bright and affectionate baby. She’s quite the comedian and wakes us up every morning by howling in our faces. She loves to 'curtsy' to greet people when they come into the house. She lightens up our work calls by laying on her back behind us and pulling goofy faces.

I want to give her as many experiences as I can to make up for her life before

Her favourite trick at the moment is to jump as high as she can when we leave the house on our walks. She also likes to outrun her best friend, Jadzia the German Shepherd, and play chase with her.

To me, Dora is an inspiration. She’s a reminder than no matter what you go through in life, you can't stop and wallow in misery. She’s a brave girl who genuinely loves humans and craves attention and affection. She makes my life better and I love thinking about the happy days I will give her.

She inspires me to look after myself, so that I can look after her. I’ve been to places I never would have gone, just because I want to give her as many experiences as I can to make up for her life before. She’s the best decision I've ever made.


Meet Rolo

Now that they’re dog owners, Laura and her partner are always exploring the Scottish countryside with Rolo in tow

Rolo came into our lives about 16 months ago. We had wanted a dog for a while, but the time was never right, with my partner working in home care and me working for the NHS. Lockdown changed all that. It made us realise that it’s the smaller things in life that matter most, so along came Rolo.

Since getting Rolo, our lives have changed drastically for the better. We really can’t remember life without him. The weekends before he came along were filled with the same old things – going to cinema, staying home with a takeaway, or going to a friend’s for drinks. Now on the weekends, we look forward to exploring this fantastic country we live in. We’ve seen more of Scotland in the short time we’ve had him than in all the years we’ve been living here.

Since getting Rolo, our lives have changed drastically for the better

We love nothing more than getting up on a Saturday morning, going for a lovely drive and hiking round the lochs or up the hills. On the road home, we’ll stop at a wee dog-friendly pub for a bit to eat. We have made many friends because of Rolo, and he has his own circle of canine friends.

Rolo is a German Shepherd, so not the smallest dog ever. He absolutely loves life and is an absolute character. He’s one and a half now, and full of cheek at times, but we wouldn’t change him for the world. He does like to answer back now and again when he does naughty things, but he is a teenager after all!

The best part is the greeting you get when you come home from a hard day’s work. The joy and excitement in his eyes say it all. It really is unconditional love. Life before Rolo was okay and we were happy, but life with him is much more amazing. He’s had such a positive influence that I know both of us will be eternally grateful for.


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