Gill is so proud of how kind and intuitive her dog Lola is, especially around those who need her most

Lola, a white and black Staffie, burst into our lives in 2018 as a seven-year-old rescue dog. Our other dogs had died that year and Lola was the bundle of joy we all needed. She came on a visit from the Rescue centre and never left.

She gets super excited every time she sees an adult and always greets them with enthusiasm. When she sees children, however, she’s much calmer and more relaxed. Lola is our granddaughter’s best friend.

Lola is our granddaughter’s best friend

Once, a little lamb found its way into our garden and got its head stuck in the fence. Lola stayed beside the lamb and started to bark until I came to find her. She helped me to save that small creature’s life, which is just another example of how loving and sensitive she is.

Daisy has given her owner Bridget a new lease of life, and even helped her to make a new friend or two

Daisy came to us when we were just retired. We used to have a dog when our children were small and I was at home with them, so we knew how much joy they could bring to our lives.

Taking Daisy out for walks has helped us to meet lots of new people. She gets walked twice daily, which forces us to keep active and enjoy some fresh air every day, even when it’s cold and wet.

Helped us to meet lots of new people

Now our grandchildren are going to universities across the country and our children are busy working, we don’t see so much of them. Daisy fills this void and gives us lots of cuddles and love. She loves riding in cars, especially our Morris 1000! She also makes us laugh endlessly. It’s hard to imagine how we managed for all those years without a dog.

When Christie was reunited with her dog Kadiki, she was overfilled with joy

My miniature Pinscher flew to London from Zimbabwe last month, but before then, I hadn’t seen her for a year. Her name, Kadiki, means small in the Shona language of Zimbabwe. She may be tiny, but with her huge personality and diva attitude, she never gets a hard time from any of the bigger dogs

I hadn’t seen her in a year

Kadiki has overcome so much, and I’m so proud of the kind and loving soul she istoday. She is my whole world, and I’m so happy to have her back!

As her son’s hearing support dog, Anya has given Norma’s family a peace of mind they thought they’d never have.

Anya is a sensitive, loving and intelligent Golden Cocker Spaniel who has been a part of our lives for five years now. She gives every family member their own special attention, but as my son’s hearing support dog, she’s also his best friend. Every morning she starts her day by jumping on his bed, trying to dig him out from under his duvet!

Offering more than just hearing support, Anya also provides him with unconditional love and friendship. She calls him down for dinner by entering his room, nudging him with her wet, black nose and then leading him downstairs. It’s very comforting to know that she’s always there to protect him, especially when he’s asleep at night. If the smoke alarm goes off, for example, she can wake him up and alert him to the danger.

She’ll be there to protect him

 Anya loves her walks and, as a typical Spaniel, she loves to sniff out fox poo! Her favourite human foods are sausages and cheese – if you ever eat them in front of her, she always looks at you with the biggest brown eyes, trying to get you to share them. She also adores playing frisbee, always running after it and bringing it back for us to throw again.

She’s our first dog, and every day we are thankful for the love and support she gives us. Suffering from hearing loss can sometimes mean that people shy away from you, but with Anya around people are actually drawn to us.

When I look at her asleep on the sofa, I understand why dogs like to sleep a lot – it’s because when they’re awake, they devote all of their energy to looking after their humans.

Leyanne’s dog Mishka might look like a lion, but really, she couldn’t be a bigger softie

Mishka is a Chow Chow like no other. She seems to think the world is hers and that everyone is just here to see her. We take her to Loch Lomond in the summer and she loves it, mostly because all the tourists fuss over her and want to take her photo. She’s quite a diva, and has a tendency to decide she’s taking a nap, no matter where we are. Once, she even decided to lie down in front of a police van that was trying to get past her!

Chow Chows are supposed to be nervous around strangers, but Mishka takes no notice of this. She loves everyone, and since we live near two primary schools she especially adores playing with the children, who always think she’s a little lion!

Kids always think she’s a lion

She is the gentlest, most loving dog I've ever had. I suffer from Fibromyalgia and she is the only one that can push me through on my bad days. She seems to sense when I'm not feeling good and looks after me. She also alerts me when my diabetic husband is about to have hypoglycemic attack.

When Mishka travels in the car she likes to ride shotgun, and we always see the other drivers and pedestrians smile at her as we drive by. She now has a little brother who absolutely adores her and looks up to her – he is always cleaning her and checking she's ok!

Life isn’t easy for Nicola or her dog Poppy, but they both know that thanks to their friendship, they can overcome anything.

I have suffered from anxiety and depression since my twenties, which can be quite tough. But as soon as I got Poppy, she helped me to start living my life to the full. Every morning, she gets me up and forces me to enjoy some fresh air, which is a great way to start the day.

She’s always happy to see me

I don’t have many friends, but with Poppy by my side I’m more than happy to spend a Saturday night on my own! She’s always so happy to see me and makes me laugh with her quirky ways. She is obsessed with tennis balls, likes to chase squirrels (but has never managed to catch one!) and enjoys nothing better than snuggling in my duvet.

She’s been diagnosed with scoliosis in her back, which means she will eventually become paralysed. But thanks to her medication she’s doing really well and continues to soldier on every day.

Poppy has been a constant companion for me, as I am for her. She is my whole world.