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.

Carole adores her cheeky chappy Norman, even if he does have a habit of going walkabout.

As a pup, Norman was a bit of an escapologist. He managed to escape out of the house and run off round the corner. He got into a garden and went in through an open back door. He was discovered by the homeowner when he heard a noise, turned around and found Norman sitting watching tv with him and his family!

Norman was a bit of an escapologist

Another time, he managed to squeeze under our garden fence and make his way into our neighbour’s house… where he was eventually found in her upstairs bedroom.

Millie is everything to Sharon – she gets her out the house, helps her feel safe and steals her socks for good measure

Millie has a very important job to do, which is making me go out on a walk every day. It doesn't matter if it’s raining and cold, or if I'm tired and in pain, Millie needs her walk, and it never fails to make me feel better. Her inbuilt home security system has also enabled me to feel safe and secure in my own home – she may be small, but her bark is mighty!

Welcoming Millie into my life has been the best decision I've ever made

Millie is the ultimate companion dog. She’s affectionate, loves snuggles and enjoys human company. Playing with her and teaching her new tricks keeps us both entertained. I am constantly amazed at how clever she is, and her intelligence means I am always learning new things about dog training.

Millie is also the best stealth sock and loo roll thief in the South West, so there’s never a dull moment with her around. Welcoming Millie into my life has been the best decision I've ever made.

Though Schubert can be a bit crazy at times, he always knows when Megan needs him, whether she’s studying for her PhD or helping a stranger in distress

Schubert entered our lives in May 2021. Both of us are currently studying for PhDs and Schubert has been a real lifeline to get us through that. He is clumsy and a hilarious ball of energy, but he also knows when we need calm and he’s sensitive to our needs as well as his own.

He’s sensitive to our needs as well as his own

Just recently, we took Schubert on a walk up the Wrekin in Shropshire and on the way down we encountered a woman who had fallen and broken her ankle. She had three young children with her. Normally Schubert is not brilliant with children, but he could sense how upset they were, and he sat very calmly for nearly two hours, allowing them to hug him, stroke him and just gain comfort from him. Once we were eventually able to continue the walk down the Wrekin, it was completely dark, and Schubert led the way to ensure a safe path for us all. We were very proud of him that day.

Schubert has also suffered a lot with allergies since March this year. He was very subdued for a few months, but we recently added a new puppy, Heidi, to our family. Since then, Schubert has really regained the spring in his step and returned to his playful self. He is still suffering from with his allergies, but we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Lucia makes every day brighter for Holly, whether she’s making her laugh or comforting her baby daughter

Lucia makes us laugh every day – she’s an entertainer with such a unique personality. She’s even learned to ring a bell! She’s cheeky but also so loving, greeting anyone she meets with a wholehearted cuddle.

We welcomed a daughter last year and Lucia loves her. She’ll lick the baby’s feet and try to comfort her when she’s crying. She loves all people and dogs and thoroughly enjoys going anywhere.

We are always having to stop on walks for Lucia’s meet and greets with the public. We really would be lost without her and she’s a very big part of our family.

She makes us laugh every day

Otty may be a fluffy whirlwind of chaos, but that’s why Lyn loves him so much

Otty is nicknamed ‘the destructor’ because he’s just so clumsy. If he’s not knocking something over with his wagging tail, he’s slipping and sliding onthe wooden floor. He always gives me such a funny look afterwards, almost as though he finds himself as hilarious as I do!

He’s just so clumsy

Otty is also a stock-stealer, and our garden has become a graveyard for all of his buried treasure. He may be a big, fluffy disaster, but I wouldn’t have him any other way.