Lynn adopted Etta on the premise that she was trouble, but really, the opposite couldn’t be more true.

Etta used to live with her sister and another family, but they couldn’t cope when the two dogs started to fight. Luckily for me, that meant I got to take her on, and she’s been absolutely amazing.

She’s done everything I’ve asked of her and been a fantastic companion. I can’t bend down easily because of a bad hip, so she helps me around the house by picking up things I drop.

She helps me around the house

She’s even competed and won at HTM (dog dancing) and has learnt all sorts of tricks. She now does scent-work and is enjoying competing at that. She’s also no stranger to the screen, and has been in an episode of Doc Martin, as well as a German and an Australian film.

Best of all, Etta loves long walks and going for a swim. Her love of life has got me through lockdown and her companionship has truly kept me sane.

Whether she’s dragging the family our for walks or stubbornly refusing to follow commands, Arla is always keeping Izabella entertained

Arla is my 11-month-old White Swiss Shepherd and she’s the best reason to get up in the morning. She loves meeting new people and will circle you until it makes you dizzy, just so she can get the good scratches from all sides!

Always up for an adventure, she loves sniffing out new spots, especially if there are muddy puddles involved. Ever since she's joined our family, we've had more exposure to the Great British countryside than ever, in all weather conditions! It's hard to feel the cold when you have a big white fluffy coat like Arla.

She’s the best reason to get up in the morning

Now it's spring and the lambs are about, she’s made a habit of dragging us to the nearest sheep field on her walks so she can stare at them in awe with her tail wagging, true to her Shepherd ways. Every so often, a lamb will come up to the fence to have a closer look and it truly makes her day.

Although she has many quirks, her funniest habit is putting herself to bed as soon as you mention training in the house. Arla has a rule that the house is only for play, sleep and strictly no work. All you have to do is ask her to 'sit' or pick up a treat and she's straight in the crate – sometimes she shuts the door after herself too!

Atlas has been Jacqui’s rock, helping her recover from a breakup and supporting her family during difficult times

At the start of 2021 I was really anxious. I was working from a friend’s house and saw the advert for him. I called and he had already gone. He was advertised to a good home because Atlas is a deaf Dalmatian.

I had a call nearly a week later to say he was still available and to come and get him. I didn’t tell my now boyfriend and we drove for an hour to get him. I had moved back to my parents and didn’t tell them either.

We couldn’t be without him now

Since getting Atlas I’ve not been anxious. I’m so happy and feel so positive and I know he needs my love, time and patience. He’s very loving and clever and adores my nieces. My family love him and we couldn’t be without him now.

We have nicknamed him The Pickle! I don’t even know where we got the name from. He is also a great companion to my dad, who just had a cateract operation and is undergoing cancer testing, and keeps him amused. He really is the dog we never thought we’d need.

Emma’s two dogs, Oakley and Rowan, help her to look after her husband and sons

My Husband lost his memory in an accident in 2011. You only realise how important memories are when someone you love doesn’t have them anymore, so now we put a lot of effort into creating lasting memories for our sons. As part of that mission, we got our dog Oakley in 2016. He is themost loyal and intelligent boy, and he even alerts me when my husband ishaving seizures, though he isn’t trained to do so. I know that if Nick is unwell while out walking, Oakley will look after him for me until I find them.

They both have very different personalities

When we found out his sister was having puppies, we jumped at the chance to offer one of them a home. Rowan joined us last year, and she’s a bundle of fun and mischief. Although technically his uncle, Oakley has become a fantastic big brother to her. They both have very different personalities, but one thing they share is how loving they are to us and each other. I don’t know how we ever managed without them.

After a turbulent start in life, Chubbs finally found a home when Vicki and her family came to visit his rescue centre

Chubbs is a black and white rescue dog, a Staffy Collie cross, who originally hailed from Ireland. His Mum was a stray, who was taken into MADRA, with a litter of eight puppies in August 2019.

Chubbs was originally rehomed to a lovely family but sadly their circumstances changed and a few months later they had to give him back. He was then transferred to Birmingham Dogs Home in Wolverhampton for rehoming in the UK, and his siblings went to homes in Galway, the Midlands and Dublin.

Our daughter works at BDH Wolverhampton and we’d spent a long time deciding whether getting a dog was right for us. One day we went to visit her at work and the rest, as they say, is history!

He’s made our world complete

There was this beautiful floof of a pup, sat looking goofy in his window. We walked past him several times and each time he caught our eye. We looked at lots of residents that day, but it was Chubbs that tugged our heartstrings the most. So, a week later, we drove home with our new family member.

I was intrigued to know more about him, and through the power of Facebook, I was also able to trace some of his siblings. We still exchange messages with their owners today!

He was called Chubbs as a pup, and though we toyed with other names, it didn’t seem quite right to change. He’s VERY food oriented, and as I always say, ‘Chubbs by name and nature’.

I said that Chubbs is a ‘rescue’, but what I didn’t make clear is that he also rescued us. He’s brought so much love and happiness into our lives. We now have a purpose – a reason to get up, a reason to go out in all weathers, a reason to explore new dog-friendly places and a reason to rush home as soon as we can for more love, fun and adventure. He’s made our world complete.

London the dog was the most meaningful gift Verity could have ever received, and she is forever grateful for him

My mum bought London for me in the summer of 2017. I went all the way to Germany to collect him. She was so happy with our new puppy – he was sweet and gentle with all our other dogs. Mum knew that I would enjoy showing him off at dogs shows, talking him for long walks and grooming him.

She also knew that she wouldn’t be with me for much longer. By November, she had passed and I was devastated. But having London gave me the strength to carry on. Just as she’d hoped, I went out for walks and took him to dog shows – he gave me a reason to keep going, day in, day out.

Gave me the strength to carry on

London was patient with my tears, staying by my side throughout everything. Now, slowly and gently, he guides me through life. From the moment I get up in the morning to the moment I arrive home from work, he’s always there for me. Recently, he became a father to a wonderful puppy called Aster, who has been like a shining light of hope for the whole family this year.

My dog London truly is the gift that keeps on giving. He enhances my existence every day, and I couldn’t be without him.