Leanne and her partner love their fluffy companion, Nova, who brightens up their lives with her adorable quirks.

Nova came into my life at a moment when I really needed something to give me a boost – and she sure did that! Her energy, playfulness and the love she gives my partner and I is second to none.

When she smiles and her tongue hangs out

She loves to go to the park so much that, even just a mention of it and she does a little hop and a skip, then runs off in search of her lead! In the evenings she does her ‘zoomies’, where she runs around in circles then jumps up onto the sofa and flips all the cushions off, which really makes us giggle.

My favourite thing about her is when she smiles and her tongue hangs out of the side of her mouth. I’ve yet to meet someone who isn’t taken in by Nova’s charms. Affectionate, caring, lovable and at times cheeky, she’s the best companion we could ever have and we absolutely adore her.

Max has brought Natalie’s whole family together, even helping to boost her daughter’s confidence

After many years of saying ‘One day we will get a dog’ and looking at everyone else getting puppies, we researched and looked and Max came into our lives at 15 weeks old in June 2021. He has brought the family together for walks and makes us smile. He’s very laid back and chilled, except when there is a cat walking across the garden. The way he trots, it’s almost like he’s a show pony!

The way he trots, it’s almost like he’s a show pony!

My youngest daughter often finds new situations stressful and can clam up, but Max is able to give her the confidence to try, and always reassures her that it’s OK. He has fitted into our lives and even enjoys a caravan holiday. But even though he enjoys exploring new places, he is just as happy being with us all.

Sian was so convinced Sonny was the one for her that she travelled 1,000 miles to bring him home

Sonny is such a character, I'm not sure where to begin. We did a 1,000-mile round trip to get him! After leaving Shetland, the most northerly island in Scotland, we travelled 14 hours overnight on a ferry and then drove all the way from Aberdeen to Herefordshire on the Welsh/English border.

We did a 1,000-mile round trip to get him!

After picking him up, we spent a night in Blackpool and drove all the way back up, staying at dog-friendly services by Kendall and getting back on the boat for another night to get him home. All in the heat of 2017 summer – it was 34°C on the day we picked him up!

I could have gotten a dog closer to home, but I knew he was the one. I'd previously worked with his owner (a veterinary surgeon) and his mother was the best Labrador I'd ever met – well-behaved, loving and smiled on command!

Despite his poor health, Chino isn’t letting life get him down – and Michelle loves him all the more for it

Chino came into my life when I really needed him. He made life worth living. He's my shadow, always where I am. But he has cancer. So, he’s in the vet twice a week at the moment for blood tests and chemo.

He made life worth living

The vet says he is an amazing boy. He lets them do whatever they need to and still wags his tail and is pleased to see them. He's my brave boy. He still loves life and is having fun. He still shows his hatred of the postman. And I caught him sitting ON the dining room table last week – something he hasn't done since he was a puppy.

We're on borrowed time as we know remission is unlikely to last long once chemo finishes in April, but we are trying to make the most of our time together. I can't imagine life without him.

Christine’s dog Patch likes to keep her on her toes sometimes, but she knows he’ll always be there for her no matter what

Patch is such a loving dog. He enjoys nothing more than a good cuddle – but don’t be fooled, because he can also be a cheeky little rascal! One of his worst habits is unplugging things from their sockets. Once, he even managed to unplug my freezer! I’ve had to strategically place objects around the house now in an effort to deter him.

He can also be a cheeky little rascal!

One of the things I love most about Patch is his quirkiness. He likes to make himself comfortable, so every day he jumps up onto the sofa and rearranges the cushions so he has a stack of pillows to rest his head on. It makes us laugh every time!

He’s also extremely protective of me. Patch loves to sit and look out of the window, but if he sees someone approaching the house he barks like mad at them. Of course, that’s not to say he doesn’t know how to behave – every evening after I’ve done the dishes, he sits and waits patiently for me to give him his treat.

Rescue dog Thor has shown Laura just how important compassion is

Thor is our larger-than-life bundle of joy. We rescued him when he was around six months old. He’s been through a lot, but the loyalty, trust and love that he gives us has changed the way I think and behave, and he even encourages me to be more compassionate towards others.

He’s also taught me to laugh more

Having Thor has made me realise that forgiveness can be comforting, and companionship is important. He’s also taught me to laugh more, especially when he plays chase with other dogs (not many can keep up with him!) and when he loses his beloved tennis balls in the sand at the beach.

He’s so funny in many ways, like how he knows exactly when it’s 8pm, which is his treat time. He always comes and puts his head and paw on your lap, looking up at you with those big eyes. It’s impossible to resist!