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Great
British Dogs

Meet Maximus

Maximus has made his owner Louise so proud, by helping to care for her poorly sister and offering everyone never-ending affection.

Maximus is a 7-year-old German Shepherd, a gentle giant with a heart of gold.

We are so proud of him!

Over the lockdown period we have had to care for my sister, who is currently receiving chemotherapy for bowel cancer. I can honestly say that Maximus has been like a magnet to her. On chemotherapy days he waits for her to return, and then doesn’t leave her side once she’s home. He has amazed us all and we are so proud of him!

He is a delightful boy, and is obviously very sensitive to how people are feeling. We love him dearly.


Meet Mary Jane

When she first moved in, Mary Jane ripped the house to pieces, but Natalie refused to give up on her

I fostered Mary Jane in January 2016. It was just supposed to be temporary until her owner could have her back, but it turned out he never wanted her back. So, I decided to keep her because I just knew she was special.

In the first few months, she absolutely destroyed my house. She chewed holes in my walls, chewed up and ate a few of my little boy’s toys. She ripped up my flooring and she was forever taking herself for walks by jumping over my six-foot gate.

My house wouldn’t be a home without her

Everybody told me to get rid of her because she’d never learn and she was ‘naughty’, but I believed in her and I’m so glad I did. We’re now in 2022 and she’s the most loyal and loving dog. She loves to curl up on her bed and tuck herself under her blankets with just her nose poking out.

She can be left alone without chewing a single thing. Sometimes she will still clear my six-foot gate but let’s just put that down to checking her legs and muscles are still working properly.

She’s pure white so one of her other favourite things to do is run as fast as she can and slide along the mud on her walks – the dirtier the better! My children absolutely adore her, and she adores them. My house wouldn’t be a home without her.


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Meet Kin

With his dog Kin by his side, Robert can live life to the full

Kin is truly a once-in-a-lifetime dog. I suffer from seizures, and she keeps me safe and alerts me to impending episodes. Without her, my life would be very bleak.

Her beautiful grin stretches from ear to ear and is guaranteed to put a smile on your own face. She has a calm, stoic temperament and always lives for the moment, which helps me not to worry about the future.

Without her, my life would be very bleak

As my Medical Alert Dog, Kin has transformed my world. I used to be scared to leave the house, but with her by my side, I can claim my life back and do everything that makes me happy. Even throughout my hospital treatments, I’ve always been able to rely on Kin to keep me going. The nurses and doctors adore her and say that she brightens up their day.


Meet Simba

Simba came into Deirdre and her husband’s life at one of their lowest moments, but over time he’s helped them heal

Simba came to us as a 14-week-old puppy. We’d recently lost our first cockapoo, Ellie, to hypothermia at 17 months, after she fell in a river in a freak accident while chasing a bird. We were devastated, and coming home to just an empty cage and her favourite toy was horrible.

I knew that I had to do something, so when I saw the advert for Simba, I made an enquiry. We went to see him that evening and we brought him home the very next day. Simba has helped us come to terms with our loss – he makes us laugh, he makes us cry, he exasperates us beyond measure, but he is always there for us when we are sad or upset.

Simba has helped us come to terms with our loss

Simba will never replace Ellie, who’ll always have a piece of our hearts, but he’s so loving and very much a mummy’s boy. He’s my shadow, following me everywhere and crying if I leave the room. He also steals things he shouldn’t, like underwear, socks or anything else he knows belongs to us and is out of bounds – even my mobile phone! I think I’m on phone case number six because he likes to chew them.

Simba's my life. He doesn’t have a nasty bone in his body and would defend his pack (my husband, myself and our best friend) to the ends of the earth to stop us getting hurt. He’s a very special dog, and I’m so glad that I found him at one of the worst times in my life. He’s my rock and I love him beyond words.


Meet Alfie

Anna is in awe of how strong and resilient her dog Alfie is, even when life doesn’t go his way

In 2019, we noticed Alfie was starting to slow down a lot, and he seemed to be getting old before his time. Sadly, it turned out he was gradually losing his sight, and he became very withdrawn.

Alfie has shown such resilience

At the time, we were devastated, but Alfie has shown such resilience and found a way to overcome all his difficulties. He has so much strength and brings me endless happiness. He’s taught me to make the most of life andhe will forever be my best friend and inspiration!


Meet Playa

Susanne adores Playa for many reasons, but particularly for the way she looks out for Peanut the kitten

Playa was found with her siblings at the side of the road when she was just a few days old. The litter was fostered, and Playa was adopted but sadly returned after a while. I happened to meet her her at an adoption drive in a pet shop a few months later. I had only gone in to buy cat milk for our newly adopted kitten, Peanut, but I just knew as soon as I saw her that Playa was meant to be ours.

The two of them are inseparable

She immediately fit right into our busy household, along with our new kitten, Peanut, and two other cats. She loved Peanut from the moment she laid eyes on her, and to this day the two of them are inseparable and even sleep in the same bed. Peanut sees Playa as a toy and chase and bite her tail, but Playa just licks her back.

Playa loves everyone and everything. Our friend has a son who has autism, and he can be intimidated by dogs because of their unpredictable fast movements. But he has no fear of Playa, and loves sitting on the sofa and cuddling with her. Playa shows tremendous patience with all children and young dogs, and is always so gentle and calm around them.


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