Buddy brightens up gardener Josh’s working day with cheerful companionship and some good, honest graft to boot!

Buddy joined our (Josh and Catherine) lives in December 2021, after we lost our amazing Jack Russell Harry. We decided to get another Jack Russell as our life was just not complete without a dog. It was decided that Buddy would be a working dog and a companion to Josh, who runs a gardening business.

Buddy has been the missing piece

Josh works long, hard days and it can be lonely, so Buddy would be the companion he needed to brighten the days and make every day special. From 9 weeks old, Buddy went to work. He started by spending time in the work van and exploring gardens. He learnt on the job to be obedient and go where he was told. He also learnt to pick up the weeds Josh would collect and find sticks where they shouldn’t be!

Some days were cold so Josh would bring heat pads to keep him toasty and on warmer days as spring came in, he would bring ice packs to keep him cool. Buddy has been the missing piece in Josh’s life and is now celebrated by the locals and customers alike. At 7 months old now he is doing so well and continues to make every day a joy. Thank you Buddy for being so amazing!

Christine is so proud of gentle Milly, who goes above and beyond for her fellow pets

Milly is so loving and friendly. I suffer with depression and she seems to know when I’m not feeling good and will come and put her head on my lap. She is also a real hero because she has donated blood to the pet blood bank on a regular basis since she was two years old – in September just gone she made her 16th donation!

She has donated blood since she was two

She loves holidays by the beach with her other half, Daisy, and she has lots of friends that come to our house for play days. She acts all brave when she thinks she has to, but in reality, she’s a big sissy and wouldn’t hurt a fly. Milly always greets people with one of her toys, although she does do a submissive wee wee at the same time, so I have to tell them to watch their feet! She also loves to swim in any water she comes across on our walks and likes to get very muddy, running through all the puddles.

Paula didn’t give up on Denzil, and because of that he found the strength to survive. Now he’s helping other dogs do the same.

Denzil is a Morkie and we bought him from a registered kennel in Wales. His story is very special as he is the only dog to survive severe GME (Meningitis). He has had a research paper done on him by Liverpool University, veterinary hospital.

Problems started just after his first booster at our vets. We thought he was just having a reaction to his injections, then a few days after finishing his medication, he collapsed in our garden! We took him to our vet straight away and luckily one of the vets was from Germany and said that she thought it could be meningitis. They referred us to Liverpool university Wraith animal hospital.

His story is very special

What ensued was 18 months of IV treatment, 32 tablets a day and five 10-hour chemotherapy sessions. I researched the best foods to give him, and I also used aromatherapy massage to help ease the muscles in his spine and he started to respond. Finally, at nearly 3 years old he was given the all clear! Denzil now has his own Facebook page to raise awareness of this terrible disease and to encourage vets to refer immediately.

Pamela has hours of fun with her dog Jarvis, who is always rearing to go and ready to play.

Jarvis is such a character, he always makes me smile!

He likes a lot of cuddles and kisses, and thinks he's very funny when he leaps onto the sofa and then bounces and gives you a kiss on the nose, even though I end up spilling a lot of tea! He will not get up to get a biscuit, but expects them to be brought to him.

Gives you a kiss on the nose

When he was a puppy we use to play a game called ‘put the puppy in the box’ – I would sit on the floor with a box and Jarvis would run and bark at me. I would say ‘put the puppy in the box’ and he would run off but he would keep coming back barking – he loved it!

He likes to go for walks and is always popular with people we meet – and he knows it! He loves it when people stop to give him a cuddle. He is our first dachshund and he has been amazing.

Brody is always around to look out for Amy and her family

Brody is the most loving dog. He brought my partner and I closer togetherwhen we took him on his daily walks during lockdown. He is patient, caring and playful, and he always looks after our new-born son, laying with him when he cries, or staying at our feet when we feed him.

He always looks after our new-born son

He also has a great sense of humour and a very playful character. For instance, he likes to survey the neighbourhood as though he’s a watchdog, he barks at his treats and spends hours playing with his ball. Brody is a truly special dog.

It’s been a difficult few years for Jason, but Remi’s love and playfulness has been a huge help on hard days

My black Lab, Remi, is one of the most affectionate yet mischievous dogs I've ever had! She’s always up for a cuddle and loves to sit beside me on the couch and steal my seat when I move.

Remi has been very important to me over the last few years

Remi has been very important to me over the last few years, as one of my family members has been struggling with mental health issues. I'm not really someone who likes to talk, so having Remi by my side has really helped me get through it all.