Over the many years since Cath rescued Daisy as a puppy, the pair have developed an unbreakable bond

Daisy was 15 months old when she came to me from the Border Collie Trust. She had clearly never had the opportunity to interact with other dogs or spend time in the outside world. We had to start with basics such as walking. Her paws were very soft like a puppy’s, so we had to take it very slowly. All the short, regular walks also helped me lose weight and brought down my high blood pressure.

Dog training classes followed, and this gave Daisy the opportunity to be with other dogs and learn how to interact with them. When we were completing our assessments, the assessor commented on the obvious bond that we have. He said she never took her eyes off me wherever I was, always looking for my next command.

She is always smiling and makes everyone around her smile

Daisy is extremely friendly with everyone she meets. She instinctively knows how to moderate her behaviour with different people. If it’s someone in a wheelchair, she is gentle, but if it's someone who wants to run around then she joins in. My dad has had two recent hospital stays and staff were more than happy for her to visit. She was quite happy to ‘share the love’ with other patients and staff.

Daisy loves nothing more than to dig, whether in water, mud, leaves or snow. Tennis balls are her specialist subject. We have them scattered everywhere in various states of disarray! My vets call Daisy ‘smiler’, and for very good reason. She is always smiling and makes everyone around her smile. It's difficult not to when you have such a happy, loving dog.

Billy was a scaredy cat when he first met his owner Rachel, but now he’s gone through a complete transformation

We rescued Billy when he was seven months old and were already his third owners.

Due to being kept in a cage, he smelled pretty bad when we first met him. But now, he’s gone from being frightened of everything (even the wind!) to being a lovely, funny and confident little boy who brings us great pleasure.

Who needs slippers?

He’s such a clever little thing and he’s a delight to train. In fact, he can do lots of tricks! I love nothing more than settling down for the evening with him lying on my feet, because who needs slippers?

This picture is one of my favourites. Here, he’s just had a good brushing and his ears are full of static!

Hank has been mostly blind for his whole life, but he inspires Paige and her family every day with his unwaveringly upbeat personality

At a very young age, we discovered Hank was partially blind, with very little to no sight. Hanks has had multiple operations to attempt to correct his vision and many, many vet visits over his short life. He’s faced all his challenges head on, with resilience and positivity, and his tail is constantly wagging.

He makes us proud every day with how far he has come

Hank has exceeded all the expectations that we had for him. He loves his Wainwright walks off-lead, he loves to swim in the water and play with all his other doggy friends. He’s allowed us to see that no matter what life throws at you, you can overcome it with the right mindset and be just like everyone else.

He makes us proud every day with how far he has come and what a lovely natured boy he’s been throughout it all. He is a firm favourite at his vets, with the nurses continuously complimenting him on his outlook on life. He has quite a fan base! On our bad days, Hank allows us to see the positivity and keeps us going.

Both Kim and her dog Arora have faced personal difficulties in their lives, but now they’re getting through them together

My female Greyhound, Arora, is my hero. We've had her for seven months now, and she's such a nervous dog. She’s getting there one step at a time, as my family and I are taking baby steps with her each day. She’s also been my rock. I have health issues, and very bad anxiety and depression too, so she's like my therapy dog. We both support and help each other day by day.

I got her from Birmingham RSPCA. As soon as I read her profile story and saw her face in the photos, I instantly cried and shouted out to both my parents: ‘That's my new dog!’. She's such a sweetheart – so loving and very adorable. She doesn't like dogs or cats, but she loves humans.

We both support and help each other day by day

I've taught her to pick her blankets up and move them from her bedroom to the living room. Her favourite toy is her teddy called Teddy. She dislikes balls, as she’s not a toy dog, and she's scared of flies for some reason. Sometimes Arora speaks – she can say ‘mom’ and her name! She loves having her photo taken and poses like a model. She hates spiders, and if she sees one, she stamps on it with her foot. She also won’t eat any dog food, so she only eats fresh fish and tinned fish.

Getting Arora was the best thing I ever did. She's my first ever dog and the best part of my life by far. She's also a huge part of my family. I haven't got any human children, but Arora is my baby and I love her to bits! She gets everything she wants, and she deserves it as a rescue dog.

When Richard was at his lowest, he knew a dog could provide companionship – but Ginny has helped him more than he ever could have hoped.

A few years ago, I lost my wife to a battle with cancer. It had always been our dream to get a dog and so the following January, I went to my local rescue centre. My intention had always been to adopt a German Shepherd – but beautiful, brindled Ginny (who’s a Greyhound-Saluki cross) stole my heart. Two weeks later, she came to live with me.

She understands my sorrow

The amount she’s helped me to cope with the bereavement and loneliness is immeasurable. She makes me smile, she understands my sorrow and she makes friends wherever she goes.

She’s been quite the ambassador for rescue dogs, appearing on TV and in magazines as well as newspapers. She’s even been to local schools with me, to talk about pets and emotions. She really is the best companion I could ask for.

As an older dog, Kyra has spent a great many years looking out for Marigold and her family

Kyra is an amazing Bernese Mountain dog who’s reached the amazing age of 12 years and six months. She’s a very fit, healthy and loving girl, and she’s very protective of me and my grandchildren.

When one of the grandchildren fell at the age of three, Kyra ran over to protect her and pick her up. Or whenever the grandchildren had a sleepover, she would go to their bedroom, listen to their bedtime story, and then go to sleep between their beds.

She’s very protective of me and my grandchildren

Once after I had a hip operation, I decided to go for a little walk with her, and a man came creeping out of the woods. She stood between me and him to protect me.

When I leave my jacket around, she’ll empty the pockets of dog treats. And every morning she comes over to my bed to give me a good morning kiss and bring me my clothes.