Lorna just couldn’t be without her furry best friend, Fergus

Fergus has been an absolute blessing during the last year. I’ve had to shield, and he’s been by my side the whole way through.

We’ve passed away the days away together, and he’s been a great help to me in the garden. Fergus loves nothing more than to dig holes, although I often catch him digging in places he really shouldn’t!

He’s been by my side the whole way through

He’s such a loving and friendly dog, and with him to look after, I have a reason to get up early in the morning – although usually, it’s because he’s jumping on my head in an attempt to tell me he’s ready for his breakfast.

Fergus, along with his big brother Henry, have their own social media page and have kept hundreds of followers entertained with their antics during lockdown. I would be lost without my constant companion.

Alex admires Luna not only for her empathy, but also for the way she takes life by the stronghold.

Luna is an amazing dog, who’s not only changed our lives, but has also bought joy to so many other people as well. She visits our local hospital and meets patients in the stroke unit.

She has an uncanny knack of knowing who needs her most, snuggling up to them and placing her head near their hands so they can pet her. Sometimes, she’ll even lie on the bed next to them. She manages to bring a smile to all of the patients’ faces.

An uncanny knack of knowing who needs her most

Luna is a typical Labrador who loves food and sleeping upside down on the sofa. Swimming is one of her favourite sports, followed closely by running through muddy puddles until she’s completely soaked! She’s a very laid back dog, nothing seems to faze her, even the arrival of a crazy black Labrador puppy into the family.

Luna takes it all in her stride, and is truly a joy to be around.

Joel loves how adventurous his dog Paddington is – she’s always out and about exploring and helping with the farm work.

Paddington love climbing trees, roofs, ladders – basically anything! She was named after Paddington Bear and she definitely lives up to the legacy.

She has her own routine!

She loves spending time on our farm helping with digging or driving the tractors.  She has her own routine of following different people around, depending who needs her help.

We call her a ‘free-range’ dog because she has her own life and we are just here to provide her with treats and food!

Catherine will forever be grateful for the opportunities her dog Cael has opened up for her

Cael is my rock, my best friend, my teammate and my colleague. I rehomed him from a rescue charity when he was just six months old, and now he has matured into a fantastic dog.

He’s introduced me to several sports, which has helped me to make new friends and keep busy on the weekends. Cael also loves training lessons, and he’s especially good at agility. Training has become our greatest source of relaxation and entertainment, and we love attending sessions together.

He comes with me to keep me company

I work as a vet and whenever I’m called in out of hours, Cael comes with me to keep me company. He helps me and the rest of my colleagues to feel less stressed. He’s even been a blood donor for other dogs in need.

Cael is my best mate, always up for an adventure with me. He’s been my rock through some pretty rough times, and if ever I’m tired or stressed, he never fails to give me a cuddle just to let me know he’s there.

FAngela adores her dog Evie, especially for her positive outlook on life

My Chocolate Labrador was the smallest of her litter, weighing only 1.5kg at eight weeks old. We spent a lot of time building her up, as she lives with two other, larger Labradors. She thrived on the attention, food and exercise, and is now a healthy 27 kg.

She keeps us going

When she was one, she was diagnosed with epilepsy. I am so proud of herand the way she just gets on with life. We treat her the same as our other two dogs, so she enjoys going on walks, eating and playing. With her happy-go-lucky character, she keeps us going, always reminding us to stay positive. Evie has taught us that life is too short to spend it worrying. We admire her so much.

Mac is constantly making his owner Grace laugh with his hilarious antics

Mac is a two-year-old Golden Retriever and he is the most wonderful boy. He loves toys, especially stuffed animals. His favourites include a shark, a teddy bear, two hedgehogs, two sheep plus many more.

He loves toys, especially stuffed animals

Whenever someone comes to our front door, Mac always greets them witha toy, regardless of whether they want it or not. He’s got such a friendly nature that he insists we say hello to all of the dogs and people we see on our walks. He also adores running, sliding and rolling around outside, particularly when it’s snowy or if he’s near the water.

Working from home has been a strange adjustment but having Mac around has made it so much easier, and he gives me the motivation I need to carry on each day. It’s amazing the difference a happy dog can make to your life. Mac is a bundle of joy.