Mary’s loveable dogs, Pippy and Mollie, have helped her to get through lockdown

I had to shield during lockdown, and I found it really hard. Without the love and care l got from Pippy, l don't think l would have made it through.She made me laugh with her funny antics, cuddled me all night and checked up on me during the day.

Basically a real-life Scooby Doo

Pippy is hilarious and obsessed with food. Not a day goes by when she doesn’t steal a spoonful of my porridge in the morning! She also loves playing with her ball and is basically a real-life Scooby Doo. If my other dog Mollie loses her ball, Pippy usually finds it and points to it with her nose so Mollie knows where it is, but sometimes, Pippy will just steal it andrun away.

The past twelve months have been so tough, but with my dogs by my side, I’ve got through it all.

Jet helped Sue and her family heal after the loss of their beloved Banjo, and now he’s like an older brother to their two younger Whippets

Jet came to us with his brother Rebel via Whippet Rescue. We had recently lost our much-loved whippet, Banjo, at the age of three to an awful brain disease. We were heartbroken.

A few weeks after Banjo’s death, we received a phone call asking if we would consider adopting the two brothers. Their owner had become unwell and was no longer able to care for them. They were being passed around family members, none of whom wanted them. We thought long and hard for at least thirty seconds and said we would love them.

Jet is the venerable senior of our little pack

When we picked them up, every bone was visible. They were sunburnt, their ears were like old leather, and they were scared and bewildered. Over the next few weeks, we healed each other. They filled the enormous void left by our beloved Banjo, and we lavished them with good food and lots of TLC. They spent hours relaxing in the garden, and as they became more confident and settled, they helped out by digging and running all over the beds – but we didn’t mind.

We started taking them out in the car and they became firm favourites at our local National Trust property. They also loved trips to the beach as there was so much space to run. Sadly, we lost Rebel to kidney failure in March this year. However, Jet was not left alone as we had adopted a Whippet Bedlington Terrier cross called Reg in 2022.

At the end of May this year, we also had a message from a friend saying there was another Whippet in need, and she knew we had a ‘vacancy’, so Sam came to join us. Jet is the venerable senior of our little pack and keeps an eye on Reg and Sam.

As long as Jennifer has Alfie by her side, she can get through anything

I got Alfie during the pandemic as I live alone and wanted some companionship. Because of all the lockdowns, I barely left the house and my mood was constantly low.

I had been saving for a dog for a while but with the prices jumping up I couldn't find any I could afford. I randomly found an advert for Alfie and managed to be the first person to get in contact – it was clearly meant to be. He has brought so much happiness into my life and is helping me to get out of the house and interacting with people again.

He has brought me so much happiness

Since getting Alfie, I have been focusing on his training, which has given me something to do while spending all this time at home. He has made such a massive difference to my mood and quality of life. I honestly don't know what I would do without him.

Sarah showed Paddy some kindness, and now he’s a treasured member of her family

Paddy arrived at the rescue centre where I volunteered in November 2009. He was so terrified that he was put straight into a quiet area, where I sat with him. I took him home as a foster dog, and before long, he had become a permanent member of my family.

We had to Paddy-proof the house

He is quite a character. He counter-surfed until we trained him not to, still raids the bin if he gets chance, he can open doors and also jumps very high. We had to Paddy-proof the house to make sure he was safe!

My dog has helped me through some really tough times over the years. He’s so loving once you earn his trust, and he adores children. Paddy is best friends with our cats and likes to help other timid animals to come out of their shell. He also works to raise awareness about Lurchers and show what fabulous pets they can be with the right care and attention.

Sam’s dog Indie is a bit of a mischief-maker, but that’s what makes her so adorable

Indie is a family dog. She absolutely loves our children, especially when they let her on the sofa for early morning cuddles.She also enjoys long walks in the woods when it’s dry and occasionally the beach too, although she isn’t a fan of the sea, or any water for that matter.

Often ends up licking people in the face

I wish I had kept a diary of everything Indie destroyed when she was a puppy. She was such a heavy chewer and sometimes you just couldn’t catch her in time.There was one infamous occasion when we were settingup my son’s new tent, and as we stood back to admire it, Indie put her jaws around the guide rope and brought the whole thing down!

Indie gets a lot of attention, which she loves, but she doesn’t quite know how to handle herself, and often ends up licking people in the face – she’s especially partial to those with beards. It’s always a challenge trying to keep from scaring away strangers in the park.

Rose doesn’t get away with much when Finn’s around, but that’s what makes him so adorable

My Border Collie Finn never fails to make me smile. He adores the TV and will watch any animal programme, but he especially loves adverts with animals in them. As soon as one comes on, he’ll grab one of his many toys and start prancing around in front of the screen, barking loudly.

Finn seems to have an internal clock

Finn seems to have an internal clock, and he always gets restless around his mealtimes. If you miss the mark, he’ll badger you until you feed him! He also knows when I usually go to bed and will often sit and stare at me when it’s around that time, as if he’s saying goodnight.

He’s so funny and makes us laugh every single day, like when he tries to avoid puddles on our walks by doing a little sidestep dance, or when he helps his dad out with the gardening by doing some digging.