A true one-of-a-kind dog, Kin has changed Robert’s life for the better

This amazing, cheeky girl has brought so much joy to my life.

Kin is unique because she’s the very first and only Japanese Akita Inu in the UK to be actively working as a seizure alert dog.

Where there had been danger and darkness in my life due to epileptic seizures, Kin has brought safety and light. Warning me of an impending seizure, this beautiful girl has revolutionised my life – allowing me time to put myself in a place of safety and looking after me while I’m unconscious.

It’s difficult to put into words what Kin means to me

Just this week, I was having an unpleasant and painful medical procedure in hospital, and Kin was by my side throughout. She could detect that the pain was inducing a seizure, and she gave her warning signals, which I alerted the medical staff to. They heeded my instructions and Kin’s warnings, and they halted the procedure, which brought me back from the brink of having a seizure.

It’s difficult to put into words what Kin means to me, other than she is my absolute world! I love her so much.

As laidback and low maintenance as they come, Lulu the Maltese has fitted perfectly into Caroline and her partner’s busy lives

Our Maltese, Lulu, brings us such joy every day. We both work long hours as a chef and housekeeper, and Lulu is happy to wait for us in our flat, sleeping during the day or quietly entertaining herself with all her toys.

She loves to lie at the top of our staircase, waiting for us to climb to the top to and rub her stomach before she stretches awake. She even has her own mini staircase to climb onto our sofa and our bed at night. She insists on sleeping right at the top of the bed in between the two of us, and never wakes up before we do.

She just likes being with us

We both suffer from allergies and don’t have always have time to take her for very long walks, but we chose her breed as she’s hypoallergenic and very happy with just a short walk and play. She doesn’t often need to be entertained and never really demands attention. She just likes being with us, and we love having her to cuddle and laugh with. She’s always in a good mood!

We always plan our day off around her and she always comes with us on car journeys around the UK during our holidays. She loves an adventure, but also loves to lie down and do nothing sometimes, too.

Michelle’s dog Bix may have been an unexpected addition to the family, but now he’s what makes their house a home

We met Bix in the summer of 2019. As we’d recently lost our beloved dog Hamish, we were too upset to consider adopting another. But, on a trip to the Dog’s Trust to donate some of our items, we saw Bix and fell in love straight away – it was meant to be, and 9 days later he became an official part of our family.

At first he was very timid around us, but now his cheeky character has started to shine through and he is an absolute joy to be around. His funny antics make us laugh every day, and he really does have a beautiful personality.

His cheeky character has started to shine

He loves nothing more than being at home, and upon return to the house will immediately start rolling or running around out of sheer excitement. We tried to tell him he wasn’t allowed to sit on the furniture, but he didn’t listen, and always manages to relax on the sofa and watch TV with us in the evening. He even demands his own pillow to lie on!

Recently, we’ve been video calling my parents every day. Bix insists he makes an appearance on each time, so as soon as he hears their voices he’ll dash into the room and jump in front of the phone screen to say hello.

Over the many years since Cath rescued Daisy as a puppy, the pair have developed an unbreakable bond

Daisy was 15 months old when she came to me from the Border Collie Trust. She had clearly never had the opportunity to interact with other dogs or spend time in the outside world. We had to start with basics such as walking. Her paws were very soft like a puppy’s, so we had to take it very slowly. All the short, regular walks also helped me lose weight and brought down my high blood pressure.

Dog training classes followed, and this gave Daisy the opportunity to be with other dogs and learn how to interact with them. When we were completing our assessments, the assessor commented on the obvious bond that we have. He said she never took her eyes off me wherever I was, always looking for my next command.

She is always smiling and makes everyone around her smile

Daisy is extremely friendly with everyone she meets. She instinctively knows how to moderate her behaviour with different people. If it’s someone in a wheelchair, she is gentle, but if it's someone who wants to run around then she joins in. My dad has had two recent hospital stays and staff were more than happy for her to visit. She was quite happy to ‘share the love’ with other patients and staff.

Daisy loves nothing more than to dig, whether in water, mud, leaves or snow. Tennis balls are her specialist subject. We have them scattered everywhere in various states of disarray! My vets call Daisy ‘smiler’, and for very good reason. She is always smiling and makes everyone around her smile. It's difficult not to when you have such a happy, loving dog.

Maya has been the driving force behind many significant milestones in Katie’s life, from learning to drive to buying her first flat

Maya is the light of my life. I had wanted a dog for years, but my landlords had a strict no pet policy, which led to me saving to buy my first flat. Fast forward to June 2017, and I had been in the flat for just one week when I went to the local dog rescue centre for a ‘look around’. I was introduced to Maya, a three-year-old Brindle Lurcher who had been there over three months. We took her into a field and even though she was off lead, she walked so close to heel that her feet were catching the back of my sandals.

It was love at first sight and she came home the next day. From day one, me and Maya had an inexplicable bond. I couldn’t drive when I got her, but taking her on public transport was tricky as she was quite large and nervous. So, I learnt to drive and bought my first car, all for her. In 2019, we decided we absolutely needed a garden to relax in. So, once again motivated by my love for Maya, I sold up and bought a house with a garden.

She is the best decision I have ever made

Maya has now been with me for five years, and without doubt, she is the best decision I have ever made. During the pandemic, she was my friend, my confidant, my dance partner, my reason to go outside, my zoom quiz partner, my bubble. She's lazy, so I'm lucky to get her out of bed before 11am some days. And she's a dawdler, so I spend 90% of our walks waiting for her to catch up. She's also a fuss pot and she won't eat her biscuits for days on end, but will happily scoff a six day old sausage roll that she finds on the floor.

Maya wouldn't hurt a fly, so her sighthound skills leave a lot to be desired. She walks straight past rabbits without a care in the world and wakes me up crying at 2am if there is a spider. She was once backed into a corner in my friend’s kitchen by a three-legged cat with no tail. All of these gorgeous and hilarious quirks make her the little individual that she is, and more importantly, make me the luckiest person alive.

Brea had a shock diagnosis while still a puppy, but it hasn’t stopped her from becoming a clever and considerate girl

We got Brea on a whim. We’d discussed getting a dog for years, but we’d never taken the idea further. Then, one day, my partner told me someone he knew had some Labrador puppies and, well, the rest is history!

We had a choice of three girl pups, but it was Brea that chose us, refusing to play with her litter mates, and spending the whole time at our feet. She didn’t even cry when she left her litter.

Brea had a rough start to life when she developed a limp that worsened rapidly. It turned out she had a rare bone condition in her elbow and required surgery at six months old. The recovery was expensive, long, and difficult when it came to trying to contain her puppy energy, but we put the time to great use with training. The surgery went well and three years later, the bolt in her elbow gives her no issues.

We’re so grateful and proud she chose us as her family

She’s an obedient dog, knows many commands and tricks and is very enthusiastic to do them, particularly when there is a treat in hand – a typical labrador!

She’s also kind and intelligent. When my mum had knee surgery, she used a walking stick when taking Brea on a walk to steady herself on uneven ground. To our amazement, Brea refused to run ahead when off the lead, and instead stuck next to my mum the entire walk, slowly guiding and taking her around fallen trees on a safer path – we couldn’t believe it! As soon as my mum put her stick away, Brea ran into the water or began playing with her favourite item, pine cones, which she chucks in the air.

We struggle to imagine life without Brea, and are so grateful and proud she chose us as her family.