Monty has been there for Emily on good days and bad, and now he’s doing the same for her new baby

We’ve had Monty the Springer Spaniel for 2.5 years. We’ve always had dogs as children and felt our home wasn’t complete without one of our own.

As a pup, he was a bit of a terror, but he certainly kept us entertained as we went into lockdown. He was such a legend whilst we completed the extension on our home. He took having his house turned upside down and living in a building site all in his stride.

He always knows when I’ve had bad days

I work for the ambulance service, and he always knows when I’ve had bad days. His usual bumpiness settles, and he’ll allow me to cuddle into him and cry if needed. But he’ll never let me wallow in sadness for too long – he’ll always do something silly to make me laugh. Our long walks also help clear my head.

Three months ago, we brought home our baby girl. We were slightly dubious of how Monty would react to no longer being the centre of attention, but he has stepped up to being the best big brother. He is protective of the baby and will always look at me for reassurance if someone else is holding her. If she cries, he is always the first to her side to check she is okay. Monty truly is the best dog.

Jasper has been a loving and loyal friend to Ann during challenging times

I got Jasper at a very difficult point in my life. My mum had just passed away from cancer, I’d lost my old Labrador after 12 and a half years, and I was recovering from major spinal surgery, too.

During this time, Jasper was a breath of fresh air and gave me a reason to push onwards in life.

He’s the most beautiful little soul

I’ve since had a second spinal operation, and he’s become my carer of sorts. He picks up items for me when I can’t bend down, he gives the best snuggles when I need them, and he makes me smile every single day!

Jasper’s also helping me to walk again – giving me a reason to get up and go places, which has also helped me lose a considerable amount of weight.

He’s the most beautiful little soul and my life wouldn’t have been worth living without my best friend and companion. I love him more than anything in the world.

From the moment Deborah adopted him, Pepe the Chihuahua has slotted perfectly into her life – and her handbag!

Pepe is a joy. I was living alone before I got him, and it was just a bit lonely. It had been a couple of years since my previous dog had passed away, and I had been on the fence about whether to get another dog. If I did, I knew it would have to be the right one.

He is the sweetest, friendliest and quietest dog I’ve known

In the end, picking Pepe was a bit of a whirlwind. I adopted him from a family who had other big dogs where Pepe (as a Chihuahua) was getting trampled. Unlike many Chihuahuas, he is the sweetest, friendliest and quietest dog I’ve known. He’s happy to meet everyone, children and adults alike, and he’s always curious about other dogs – if a little nervous around the bouncy ones. I don’t blame him!

He’s fitted into my life perfectly. He’ll hop in a bag and come into the shops with me, chill out in the office at work, travel on adventures with me in the campervan, and sleep while I’m working from home. It sounds cliché, but he literally gives me a reason to smile every single day, and I just hope he feels the same.

Since she came into their lives eight years ago, Piper has caused more than her fair share of mayhem in Deborah’s household

When I was volunteering to walk rescue dogs, I came across this lovely little white Boxer. I fell in love with her, brought her home and called her Piper. She came into our lives as my oldest girl was about to join the army, so she’s been a very welcome and crazy distraction in the eight years we’ve had her.

In that time, she has destroyed three air fryers by knocking them down and stealing the food. She has stolen beetroots, courgettes, carrots. She has eaten five people’s worth of spag bol, escaped from a secure field, and refused for 24 hours to come downstairs!

She’s definitely kept us on our toes, but we love her so much

Her ultimate crime was on Christmas Day 2013. My daughter was home on leave from the army, and we were just sitting down for breakfast when Piper began to choke. She had swallowed a large knotted raw hide bone whole and lengthways, and she was foaming at the mouth and collapsing.

We rang the local vet who put her under and tried to remove the bone but no joy. We had to take her to Newmarket, with specialists holding her head in position to help her breathe. It was a two-hour journey, and when we arrived she was taken straight in for surgery. My daughter and I were still in our pyjamas, looking for somewhere to wait. We ended up in a pub cooking lunch for the homeless, where they fed and watered us.

Five hours later, the bone was removed, and Piper stayed there for the night. When we drove back on Boxing Day, she bounced out of the vets. We were told to keep her quiet for 48 hours. Within 10 minutes of arriving back home in Great Yarmouth, she was bouncing on the kids’ trampoline!

This dog has definitely kept us on our toes, but we love her so much. Have a Boxer they said, it will be fun they said...

Whether he’s sunbathing, sleeping or showering her with good morning kisses, Ozzie has brought joy to every part of Abby’s life

I have struggled with my mental health for as long as I can remember, and nothing has done more for me than Ozzie. From the minute I wake up until the moment I fall asleep, he brings me so much joy.

Oz is a retired racing Greyhound and, after a lot of training, he's now got great recall and is allowed off lead. Nothing makes me happier than seeing his smiling face as he goes hurtling past me at 40mph with his helicopter tail spinning at full force.

Every morning I wake up to him in my bed (all 100lbs of him). As soon as he hears me say ‘Good morning!’, he attacks me with kisses and throws himself into the cockroach position so I can rub his belly.

From the minute I wake up until the moment I fall asleep, he brings me so much joy

He's obsessed with sunbathing, just like me, and will do it at any opportunity. Two degrees outside? As long as the sun’s, out Oz will be on his sun lounger soaking it up. Out for a walk? Who needs exercise when you can sunbathe!

One of his favourite ways to show affection is by ‘nitting’, where he uses just his front teeth to nibble at me when I'm stroking him. His favourite game is ‘smacky bum’ where I tap his bum like bongos and we chase each other round in circles.

Ozzie goes into a deep sleep about 50 times a day, usually with his mouth agape, tongue hanging out and legs twitching (presumably chasing cats in his dreams). I also suffer from endometriosis and whenever I'm having a flare up, he just knows. He sticks to me like velcro and follows me everywhere.

I could sit and write about him forever. He really is my best friend and has changed my life more than he'll ever know. He gives me a reason to get out of bed each day. I love Oz more than anything and would be totally lost without him.

Pebble came into Linda’s life exactly when she needed her, and she’s made every day a little brighter since

Pebble is my little furry rock. When I lost my husband to cancer, the loneliness was so hard to bear. So, after a lot of research and talking to friends, I decided to look for a puppy. I came across a litter of Beddlington Whippets – the mum was a first cross Beddlington Whippet and the dad was a full pedigree Whippet.

Pebble was one of nine in the litter – two others were smooth-haired like her, while the other six were rough-coated. I fell for her the first moment I saw her at six weeks old. When she was old enough to leave her mum, she came to live with me and has been my constant companion ever since.

I fell for her the first moment I saw her

She's fun, makes me laugh every day and gets me out of the house. I now have plenty of exercise and stop to chat to so many people who marvel at how fast she is. In the evenings we cuddle on the sofa, and she gets into some of the most unusual goofy positions.

We go away together in my campervan and have attended many fun dog shows, country fairs and other charity events – she’s so pretty, she’s done well in many of the shows. She does also have her quirks, like recently she became scared of a new water bowl! And she’s nosey, so she’s been known to walk into fences and walls because she’s turning to look behind her. She’s the very best dog in the world and always brings a smile to my face.