Adele may not be Leo’s owner, but he has had a huge impact on her life – even helping her to recover from a recent hip operation

This is my grand-dog, Leo. My son and his partner own him, but we look after him frequently while they are at work. As soon as they got him, I instantly bonded with him. He’s a Shiba Inu, a very funny, quirky breed. This is very apt, as my eldest son lives and works in Japan.

When Leo sees you, it’s like you’re the only person in his life – his whole body wags and he smiles. He doesn’t bark, just woofs and makes a strange whining noise. He doesn’t like water at all, so he has to be carried over puddles and he always walks around large areas of water. He also loves to be brushed as he has lots of thick fur. Once you start, he just lays upside down, literally smiling.

I recently had my hip replaced. On the evening I came home, my son brought him round. He jumped on the bed and just lay at my side, looking up and smiling. He knew he couldn’t jump on me. I call him my therapy dog. He has helped no end in my recovery. I walk him with my husband on my sticks, and if I stop, he stops.

He's very stubborn, and if he doesn’t want to walk, he often has to be carried home. He’s definitely a magnet for affection. Everyone thinks we are walking a fox. He loves everyone and just wants to play with every dog he meets. Shibas are renowned for their lack of recall, but we’ve had no problems with Leo at all. He loves his ball, which has helped with that.

Leo is not a morning dog. He loves to sleep and comes to life later in the day. My son also has two cats who came first, so Leo had to adapt and often slept in their basket with them. He thinks they are dogs and tries to mouth them. One can tolerate it, but the other doesn’t. He knows his place! They often sleep side by side and it’s lovely to see.

I’ve never had dogs before, but I totally understand why people have them. He has brought so much happiness to our family. Such a lovely cuddly teddy bear.

He has brought so much happiness to our family

When owner Pamela had a nasty fall, Dave the pug and Ed the Shar Pei teamed up for a simply astonishing rescue effort

On 7 July this year, I had a twist of my left ankle, fell and hit my back off a wall. I have MS and I use a stick but wasn’t doing anything stupid – just watching my two dogs play, turned around and that was it.

My son works from home and had just gone upstairs, so I knew I was in trouble as no one could have heard me. Dave my pug is trained to pick things I drop up, but I hadn’t dropped anything, so I told them to go get my son. They ran into the kitchen and stood barking but my son just kept working thinking they were playing.

It had started to rain and I knew I was in trouble as I couldn’t move and my breathing had become very shallow. In between them running in and out, I asked them to get my phone but it wasn’t on the floor so Dave was confused. I know Ed my Shar Pei loves the furry toy on my phone, so I asked him to get it.

Dear knows how long I’d have been out in the rain without my two super dogs

By now I’d been lying on the path for 20 minutes and knew I had done something bad. Ed came over and I could move my head, so I held onto him and he slowly pulled me towards the backdoor. He then lifted my phone but dropped it as he wasn’t really allowed to touch it, but then Dave grabbed it and gave it to me.

I texted “help fallen” and down my son came. He called 999, and when the medics saw me, they too knew I’d done something. They thought I’d punctured a lung, but after getting IV morphine I was somehow into the ambulance and blue lighted to hospital.

I’d broken my ankle and my back, and was in hospital for seven weeks, then got home needing carers, nurses and physios. I’m on the way to better health now, but dear knows how long I’d have been out in the rain without my two super dogs.

Stuart’s dog Teddy has transformed his outlook on life, and now he starts every day with a smile

Just as my parents before me, we finally succumbed to my daughter’s persistent requests to get a puppy. A few months later we arrived home with Teddy, a 12-week-old Golden Retriever. I’ll admit, before Teddy I never would have classed myself as a dog-fanatic – but oh how my opinion has changed!

I'm 51 and have suffered with severe anxiety all my life, but Teddy’s smiling face and unconditional love have uplifted me beyond belief. I had could never have imagined the positive impact he’d have on my wellbeing, but he really has had a hugely profound impact on all of our lives.

Uplifted me beyond belief

Because of my anxiety, I tend to wake up very early every morning, which can be frustrating. But now that I have Teddy I’ve started using that time to get out for a walk in the woods, which always helps me to start the day in a better mood. Watching him bound around and explore with such energy and relentless enthusiasm just makes me so happy. He’s always so determined to catch a bird, but hasn’t yet grasped the fact that he can’t fly!

Before Teddy, I never truly understood what it meant when people referred to dogs as ‘man’s best friend’ – but now, I couldn’t be without him. Just looking at his smiling face fills me with joy and makes me feel optimistic about the day ahead.

In 2019, Lisa raised more than £2,000 for her local Christie Hospital to thank them for the care she received there, and she couldn’t have done it without her dog, Jessie

I've always been a keen walker and, in 2019, I embarked on a challenge to ‘walk the year’ – 2,019 miles with my best walking pal, Jessie, a Bedlington Whippet cross. We were raising funds for our local Christie Hospital, where I had been an inpatient 10 years previously. I was discharged from their care that year and felt the need to give something back.

Together, we soon raised, and exceeded, the target of £2,019, and we completed our challenge by August 2019. In truth, Jessie probably completed the challenge in March or April, such is her boundless energy.

She has an innocent zest for life

Jessie was with me every step of the way. Her good humour and enthusiasm was always there to keep me going. She has an innocent zest for life and she’s the most willing of walking companions, especially if there's cooked chicken in my rucksack.

We spent glorious days exploring the West Pennine Moors and beyond and, without Jessie, I know I wouldn't have ventured out on some of those wet and wild Lancashire days!

Having a walking companion who listens without interrupting, who goes where you want to go and who is happy to just be with you is priceless. And when I found myself lost on the moors, she was always there to give me a kiss and a cheery smile.

Brave, loyal and the best teammate, Leri gives Katy a lot to be proud of

Lerihas recently retired from his role as a Protection Dog for the British Army. I first met him when he was two years old, after he had been postedto my unit fresh out of training. He was my first Military Working Dog and together, we guided each other through.

We guided each other through

We absolutely smashed our last licensing, and were awarded an advancedpass, something that has not been achieved in more than ten years at my unit. I have learnt so much from Leri and I’m honoured to have been able to take him home at the end of his service. I owe him all that life can give and I love him so much.He’s my big, slobbery, brave boy!

Broden has gone from a loving family pooch to a fully fledged therapy dog thanks to his big heart.

Broden has been with us from eight weeks old – always rather stubborn but the best family dog ever. He’s welcomed new grandchildren into the family, loving their cuddles.

The best family dog ever

He became a Pets as Therapy dog and has visited care homes and schools. If faced with a person in a wheelchair he will lay his big head on their knees so they can stroke him. He has helped schoolchildren read and helped a child overcome a fear of dogs.

Since my husband retired he has been his walking companion, even walking the Cotswold Way and the Coast to Coast with him. He’s slowing down a bit now, but still has the biggest heart and personality.