Christina wasn’t a big fan of dogs until she met Gizmo – now, she’s truly besotted!

Before getting my pup, Gizmo, I never really understood the whole dog thing. I wondered why are people so obsessed with their pets?

This completely changed when I met Gizmo. She’s my baby, my precious little puppy and my sweet, never-does-a-thing-wrong-in-her-life angel.

I love her with all my heart

If I could carry her around in a baby carrier on my chest, I would (without embarrassment or hesitation!). In fact, I have more than two thousand photos of her on my phone, and I spend more money on her diet and healthcare needs than I do my own.

I pull myself out of bed come rain or shine to take her for a walk each day. She gives me purpose, she makes me happy, and I love her with all my heart!

Tracy’s adorable dog Monty might have a bit of attitude, but that doesn’t stop him from being gentle and caring, winning over everyone’s heart.

We got Monty just before lockdown this year, after years of talking about having a dog. He was seven months old and a bit of a teenager, but he has changed and enhanced our lives for the better.

He is the sweetest, gentlest dog who has what I firmly believe is a genuine sense of humour. He can tell when I am getting stressed while working from home and will hide his toys under a table or chair and invite me down onto the floor to retrieve them for him. Once I’m there, he’ll happily chew my hair and lick my ears and squirm around to show how pleased he is. I give him back his toy, with a big cuddle and go back to work. Five minutes later the toy is miraculously back in an inaccessible place.

He has even won over our two cats

He has the biggest, best doggy smile (like most Golden Retrievers) and his general exuberance and love for life is infectious. He has even won over our two cats – who were less than impressed that I had brought a big, hairy stranger into their lives!

We recently had a garden redo and the builder made it clear he didn’t like dogs, so we cordoned off the bit of the garden that he was working in. Monty sat politely in a garden chair watching everything and accepting an occasional pat. By the end of the three weeks, the builder was greeting him enthusiastically and stopping by for a proper pet. They are now firm friends – even when Monty was accidentally let into the wrong part of the garden and ended up belly-deep in the freshly poured concrete footings for the wall!

Monty is the heart and soul of my life.

Barney, affectionately known as Barney Bear, has been a restorative source of joy for Jacqueline

When my dad passed away in 2020, I thought I’d never smile again – he passed away from Covid and I couldn’t say goodbye to him.

Shortly after, we decided to get a puppy. My dad was a shepherd, and his Border Collie was called Barney, so I decided to call him Barney to keep Dad’s memory alive. This name soon became ‘Barney Bear’.

He’s my best friend and I smile every time I see his cute face!

Barney-Bear is a Shorkie, and to say he changed my life would be an understatement. He mended my broken heart and taught me how to smile again.

After being my dad’s full-time carer, I’ve found purpose in my life again. I’ve also taught Barney-Bear how to do lots of fun tricks. My personal favourite is his silent bark (he’ll bark silently on command if he gets a treat). He’s my best friend and I smile every time I see his cute face!

He saved me from a very dark place, and I love him dearly for it.

When things get a bit overwhelming for Michelle, Luna knows exactly how to brighten up her day.

Luna is a very bouncy, barking-mad bundle of joy. I suffer from anxiety quite badly. Luna is my support and my comfort. She makes me smile with her antics, and having her around makes me go outside. When I walk with Luna, it relaxes me, improves my mood and my health. When she senses I'm upset – or even if I cough or stub my toe – she comes running, jumps up to me and licks my face to make sure I'm okay.

When I look at Luna, I feel so much love and happiness, my heart is full

She is a very quirky dog, as most Doodles are. She likes to sleep upside down a lot, she dashes around the house and jumps from sofa to sofa in wild excitement. She barks at animals on the telly even when they are cartoon ones. She will often bounce down the road on her back legs like a kangaroo, she wants to say hello to everyone and everything. She is incredibly nosy and watch people if they are painting their fence or gardening. She is loyal and loving. When I look at Luna, I feel so much love and happiness, my heart is full.

Baz is completely besotted with rescue dog TJ, who never ceases to melt the hearts of everyone he meets

TJ was originally bred for racing, but he never made the grade. He was then put up for adoption and spent five months with another family. However, he wasn’t a forever pet for them and was soon returned to the rescue centre.

We were fortunate enough to adopt TJ in June 2022 when he was just over two years old. We knew we had a lovely pet, but he had a wonderful surprise in store for us.

In January 2023, I broke my hip and spent over a week in hospital having a full replacement. When I was taken home and put in bed, he got up on the bed (without any prompting), cuddled up to me as close as he could and put his paw firmly across my chest. It was as if he was saying, “You’re mine to look after now!” – and he has done so ever since.

It was at this stage that his true personality came to the light. This positive behaviour was nurtured and he’s now my emotional support dog! He looks after both me and my wife.

TJ is calm, gentle and extremely loving

I’m disabled and have several illnesses, but TJ instinctively knows how to respond perfectly every time. The biggest surprise is that he hasn’t needed any training – he’s just a natural.

TJ is calm, gentle and extremely loving. When we’re out on walks, he’s always checking on either me or my wife to make sure we’re all fine. He also walks calmly alongside my mobility scooter (and also enjoys running alongside me when I turn the speed up on a deserted track).

Once, he found me on the floor in the bedroom. I’d dropped something on the floor, and it had rolled under the bed. In an unusual, agitated state, he ran to my wife to alert her that I was in trouble. It was a false alarm, of course, but he didn’t know that.

As well as providing physical care, he’s also a tremendous help for my depression. He gives me the confidence to socialise (he’s a great talking point), and I’m always thrilled to see other people making a fuss of him.

Although emotional support dogs are not yet given the same rights as other assistance dogs in the UK, I have permission to take him to my GP's surgery, dentist, three different hospitals, restaurants, cafés, a number of shops, pubs and museums. The reception is much the same everywhere we go – people love him! Patients in hospital waiting rooms particularly love seeing him there.

I don't think he realises just how special he is, as everything he does comes so naturally to him. It’s all part of his beautiful, enormous personality.

Norma and her dog Cara don’t let anything stop them from enjoying all that life has to offer.

Cara might be an elderly lady, but she still likes to play, especially with a tennis ball or two. Though, now if you throw one for her to chase, she’ll give you a look that says ‘I am 11 you know!’.

She enjoys a good cuddle and during these unsettled and sometimes lonely times, has been a much-needed companion. Cara also has free run of the house. She sleeps wherever she wants, sometimes being generous enough to allow me to share the bed or the sofa with her!

She can be vocal enough to get her point across!

As I live alone, her company is both a source of comfort and a welcome distraction. Her conversation skills may be lacking but believe me when I say she can be vocal enough to get her point across!

In short, I would not be without her. Even on those dark, wet and windy days when non-dog owners are cuddled up on their sofas, this old lady (I’m 77 years old) is glad to toddle down the road with her fellow old girl.