Recent months have been tough for Tracey, but with Bryce by her side, she can get through anything

Bryce is my best friend. He is profoundly deaf like me and so we share a very special bond – he even seems to understand all the signs I’ve taught him.

My dog has been a fantastic companion

He has a crazy sense of humour, and snores so loudly he gets a fright and wakes himself up! My dog has been a fantastic companion to me, especially recently. As everyone’s been wearing masks, it’s meant I can’t lipread and this has left me feeling more isolated than usual. Staying at home and relaxing in the garden with my furry companion has given me the boost I need to get through.

Judy will always be grateful for how much Jenna has helped her daughter, Hannah

Jenna is three years old now, though we’ve had her since she was a puppy. She is a beautiful Springer Spaniel. Her best friend is a Labrador called Max, who she loves to chase around. Jenna has many funny habits and is a massive counter-surfer. Once, when she was extra hungry because of the steroids she had to take, she managed to steal a steak pie, an entire cake and a chicken breast from the table!

Stay by her side

Jenna has helped my daughter, Hannah, to cope with her poor mental health. She seems to know when Hannah is having a bad day and will stay by her side or drop a ball into Hannah’s lap, so she has to throw it and play. This really helps to bring her out of a low mood. We all love Jenna so much, and I don’t know what we’d do without her.

Chester has helped Sarah-Louise and her husband to stay positive in challenging times

Chester is a two-year-old Pomsky. My husband is a doctor and I’m a nurse,and we decided to get Chester when I was having a particularly hard time at work.We had recently moved to Wales and taking Chester out for walks encouraged me to make new friends with other dog owners.

He melts our stress away

I really believe Chester’s constant happiness and endless love saved me from a dark place. After a long day at work, he’ll always greet us with so much excitement. Both my husband and I feel as though he melts our stress away. Our mental wellbeing has improved greatly since having Chester, and so has our fitness, as he loves to be outside and run around.

One of Chester’s favourite hobbies is helping out in the garden. I’ve started creating new boarders and as soon as I get my spade out, he gets his paws ready and digs wherever you’re digging. He’s truly wonderful.

When Monkey isn’t competing in shows with Diana, he’s spreading cheer to those who need it most

Named after his love for climbing trees, Monkey enriches my life as well as the lives of many others.

The change he makes to my life is remarkable

We volunteer with Therapy Dogs Nationwide where he brings joy to people in a dementia home, school and prison – all of which are places where the comfort of a dog can brighten difficult days.

The change he makes to my own life is remarkable, too. He loves agility, so we compete in shows. I’m a pensioner but it provides me with a great social life as well as a reason to stay fit and active!

Over the past five years, Liz has watched George transform from a naughty little puppy into the best dog she could ask for

George was the most mischievous pup ever. He was banned from two different dog training classes and the trainer refused to have him. He was also banned from our local pub for trying to bully the landlord’s dog. At home, he chewed through kitchen work tops, chair legs, cushions etc... I could go on.

Now, he’s the best boy ever. Our family wouldn’t be without him. At the age of five, he’s already blind in one eye, but it doesn’t hold him back. We just love him.

George was the most mischievous pup ever

Mille will do anything to help owner Claire’s elderly parents

Millie is a 13-year-old Border terrier who looks after my elderly parents. You can see that she really cares about them. Every morning, she gets up and goes into their bedroom to check they they’re ok. When she goes on awalk with them, she never walks too fast because she knows they can’t keep up

She really cares about them

Once, my dad collapsed in the living room, and Millie lay by his side and would not move until the ambulance came. We basically had to force her to step aside, and once he’d been taken away, she became very sad and lay in her bed until he arrived back home. She didn’t perk up until he came back home, when she became so excited and happy again.