Since adopting him, Natalie has watched Duke grow from a timid puppy into a cheeky, happy dog.

I met Duke when I was on holiday in Zante, visiting the dog shelter we often volunteer at. The day we arrived, a little dog was running around inside, clearly terrified. We had to use our ham sandwiches to try and coax him towards us! Luckily it worked, and we got him back into his pen. We kept an eye on him for the next week or so, but sadly, on the last day of our trip, he became ill and had to go to the vets. We sat with him right up until we had to get on our plane home – it was heartbreaking.

The vet kept us up-to-date and a week later, Duke had recovered and was allowed back to the shelter. By this point, we had decided to adopt him and bring him home to live with us when he was ready.

Duke is now a solid part of the family

He arrived three months later, extremely nervous and unsure of everything. We took him to meet my parents’ three other dogs, who are also from Greece. He was nervous at first but he did well, soon becoming best friends with one of the dogs Ella. Ten months on and Duke is now a solid part of the family. Since I work from home, he’s had to learn how to deal with my constant company. He likes to come and poke his head into the camera while I’m on a call to say hello to my colleagues!

He still has his moments and he's a very skittish boy, but once he's approved you (he does this by sticking his nose in your face and licking your ears), he’ll happily sit on top of you and wait for a tummy rub!

Like all the other rescues we work with, Duke has his 'quirks', some of which will stay with him forever and some that will disappear the more confident he gets. It’s lovely to watch his character grow as he gets more comfortable around us. He’s come such a long way already, both physically and mentally, and I can’t wait to watch him blossom even more.

Emma had always been scared of dogs, but Lenny quickly changed all of that. Now, you’ll find them snuggled up on the sofa together.

We rescued Lenny from an animal sanctuary when he was 16-weeks-old. He had been born there and was adopted at 10 weeks, but the family eventually brought him back.

I have always been frightened of dogs, but my husband and children absolutely love animals. We initially went to the sanctuary to adopt a cat, to see how I would get on with my first pet. But instead, we came home with Lenny.

Loves being a part of the family

Lenny is a 32kg Lurcher cross, who thinks he is the size of a Jack Russell! Our nickname for him is ‘little Lenny longlegs’. He spends most of his time cuddling and dozing on the sofa – he loves being a part of the family. He has no concept of personal space, and often just jumps up onto your lap. He also enjoys playing with the kids in the garden and going for long walks in the forest, where he spends his time looking for squirrels.

Not long after he joined our family, we found out my husband’s friend had rehomed Lenny’s mum a few months before. This means Lenny is able to visit her on a regular basis.

He’s so loved and has brought a lot of joy into our family life. He’s soft and affectionate with all of us, and it’s safe to say I’m now a converted fan of dogs! You’ll often find me sat on the sofa, enjoying a long cuddle with Lenny.

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.

Bowser came into Jenny’s life when she needed him the most, and has made it better every day since

We got Bowser after my mother passed away from cancer. I'd been struggling, and I’d always wanted to include a dog in the family anyway. We fell in love with Bowser from the first moment we saw him, when he was just four weeks old.

His favourite place to be is at the pub

His favourite place to be is at the pub, where he greets everyone with a wagging tail and demands a belly rub. He's great with other dogs and loves kids, but he definitely has a naughty streak!

He's done me a world of good and owning him has made me much more sociable. In fact, since getting Bowser, I’ve spoken to more people than ever before.

Ellie completes Margaret’s family, and she is always there for them like they are for her.

Ellie has been with us since she was nine weeks old. She was an RSPCA rescue dog. She is a Staffie Cross, the smallest of five puppies who we fell in love with on first seeing. She isn’t a pet to us, she is our family member.

She is our family member

She has helped me personally through many difficult times — on bad days after losing my precious dad, and when I was diagnosed with breast cancer she never left my side from start to finish of my treatment. She understands our every thought and makes us laugh every day. We always say that she doesn’t think she is a dog!

She has many medical problems herself to overcome but we have always been there for her, like she has us. Life would just not be the same without her.

Whether he’s playing with her niece and nephew or checking in on her mum, Riley is loved by everyone in Lisa’s family

Riley is my best friend, and the most loveable, funny dog you could wish to meet. We brought him home when he was a tiny puppy to make sure he would be comfortable with my young niece and nephew.

He's so attentive and caring. He loves other dogs and people, especially my now eight-year-old niece and six-year-old nephew. We walk every day, which I need to do as I’ve had back problems for more than 20 years, and it keeps me moving.

He’s the most loveable, funny dog you could wish to meet

Riley waits at the window for me to come home from work and always lets me know when it's time for his walk. We often visit my mum, who lives a few minutes away, and he pops in to check the house is okay when we get there.

He’s struggled with allergies since he was a baby. They’ve made him quite ill at times, but he’s never let that get him down and he's always up for an adventure. After lots of tests, we now know what to avoid to keep him happy and healthy.