Harley has helped Rachel enormously with her mental health struggles, but he has also caused plenty of mischief with his escape tactics

Harley is a Giant Schnauzer crossed with a German Shorthaired Pointer. My husband got him when we found out I was pregnant with my third child, as I already had a six-month-old baby and I was suffering from both pre-natal and post-natal depression. Harley was my distraction and my positive ten minutes of training a day.

Our walks always get me out of the house. And on the days I don’t want to go out, he’s with me in the house with the babies! He keeps me grounded and gives me a break when I take him walking. We’ve even started mountain climbing as a family with Harley and the children.

He can flip his cage and squeeze out of the bottom!

He’s also a Houdini! I’ve never known a dog like him. I padlock his cage in two places overnight because he’s obsessed with licking the butter dish, and he can flip his cage and squeeze out of the bottom!

He’s obsessed with food, especially burgers and sausages, and he’s amazing with the children. My one-year-old will pass him DVDs off our stand one by one, and he brings them to me in his mouth and then goes back for more to play with her! He’s changed our lives so much.

Sarah and Paddy have been through a lot together over the years, from fundraising events to the loss of their furry friend, Oscar

Paddy was brought into a local rescue centre, where I was volunteering as a dog walker. He had been found on a busy road near Newark and collected by the dog warden, and he was very thin and dirty. He was so frightened, he actually weed as the warden removed him from the van, and we couldn’t see his tail as it was so tightly tucked between his legs.

It took Paddy a while to warm to us, but after a lot of perseverance – and the offer of a hamburger – he decided we were not so bad. I was asked if we would consider fostering as the rescue centre was full, and Paddy came home with me that afternoon.

He’s been there for me, my children and now my grandchildren

I failed as a foster parent and adopted Paddy not long after. When he settled in, he was such a gentle soul, and he proved to be extremely loving and very happy in everyday life. That tail was soon visible and is now always wagging.

Over the years, Paddy has attended fundraiser events to raise money for other dogs in rescue centres and to promote awareness of how Lurchers can make lovely pets. There are so many Lurchers in need of a forever home.

Paddy loves food and will do pretty much anything if you bribe him with something tasty! He’s been there for me, my children and now my grandchildren – he absolutely adores kids and is very gentle around them.

He’s also helped our other rescued Lurcher, Bella, settle in and he’s very tolerant of our resident cats. We sadly lost Oscar, our Labrador cross, to bone cancer last year and Paddy was his companion for 12 years, so we helped each other move forward. Now aged 15, Paddy often likes to sleep in, but he still enjoys his walks – just at a steadier pace.

Rose doesn’t get away with much when Finn’s around, but that’s what makes him so adorable

My Border Collie Finn never fails to make me smile. He adores the TV and will watch any animal programme, but he especially loves adverts with animals in them. As soon as one comes on, he’ll grab one of his many toys and start prancing around in front of the screen, barking loudly.

Finn seems to have an internal clock

Finn seems to have an internal clock, and he always gets restless around his mealtimes. If you miss the mark, he’ll badger you until you feed him! He also knows when I usually go to bed and will often sit and stare at me when it’s around that time, as if he’s saying goodnight.

He’s so funny and makes us laugh every single day, like when he tries to avoid puddles on our walks by doing a little sidestep dance, or when he helps his dad out with the gardening by doing some digging.

For Katie and her wife, Otis has been the perfect distraction from the stress of their demanding hospital jobs

We bought our cockapoo, Otis, home in October 2020. My wife and I both work in hospitals – she’s a doctor and I’m a hospital manager. Our jobs are stressful, and they’ve been made even more stressful by COVID, but every single day Otis has made us laugh, filled our house with love and kept us entertained with his funny little personality.

We simply can’t imagine our life without him

His favourite place to be is up on our shoulders – he would spend all day up there if he could. We think perhaps he is a cockatoo not a cockapoo.

He is such a gorgeous boy, he has us wrapped around his little paw and we simply can’t imagine our life without him. He loves everyone and is never happier than when there is a house full of people to give him fuss and attention.

Pablo gave his owner, Traci, a reason to smile when she was feeling low

Pablo originally lived in Gran Canaria. He came over to England in November 2019 and went to live with a foster mum in Sheffield through a charity called Pet Pals GC. Around this time, our beloved border collie, Barney, had been diagnosed with aggressive lymphoma and we were told he wouldn’t make it to Christmas. We sadly lost Barney in December and our hearts were truly shattered.

I was sad, but I also I knew I had the room in my heart to look after another dog. We’ve always had big dogs, but I had recently been diagnosed with arthritis in my spine and knees, so I felt a smaller breed would better fit the bill. I came across Pablo while browsing animal charities online and arranged to go and visit him in Sheffield the following week.

As soon as I met him, I could feel my heart melting

As soon as I met him, I could feel my heart mending a little bit, as he sat straight on my lap and covered me in kisses. A couple of weeks after taking Pablo home, we went into lockdown. We’d go out for walks every day around the golf course, where Pablo loves playing in the sand bunkers.

He makes us laugh and smile every single day. I still miss my Barney boy, but my heart is now full of love again thanks to our little Spanish street dog.

Superhero Saber helps owner John keep going when times get tough

My dog Saber has been the mainstay of my life in total. I am 66 years old and lost my partner of 30 years to Cancer. I was depressed and went inside myself with grief. Then I got the opportunity to get a dog, Saber. He is a cross German Shepherd/Siberian Husky.

Life during lockdown would have been impossible without his companionship

He has brought me out of myself ever since I brought him home. He inspires me to get up and out in the morning, he has taught me how to live in the moment and gave me the inspiration to exercise and get out each day instead of feeling sorry for myself and my situation. Life during lockdown would have been impossible without his companionship.