When Deb and her husband were struggling to conceive, their fur baby Rufus joined the family and helped them through the toughest few years of their lives

Myself and my husband had been together since 2002. In 2008, we bought our home, and in 2009 we got married and very quickly decided we wanted to have a baby.

Little did we know, life was going to throw us a massive curve ball and our journey wasn’t going to be that simple. So, 2011-2013 came and went with no joy of a baby. We’d had a round of fertility treatment and it failed, and my mental health was taking a bashing.

Then, in March 2014, we decided to get our fur baby Rufus and he literally saved me for the next two years. He was my confidant, my best friend, my shoulder to cry on and my strength to get up every morning.

He knows everything about me – the good, the bad and the ugly

He got me through so much, and still does. He knows when I’m upset, or when I need time and hugs. He knows everything about me – the good, the bad and the ugly.

Then, in 2016, our journey as human parents finally began, and Rufus is exactly the same with his human brother. He’s by his side forever and always and loves us all unconditionally.

I share my story as I feel like we sometimes don’t give our doggos enough credit for what they do for us. Just this month we added another furry friend to our brood and, again, Rufus has taken to him so well. I’m proud of my boyo and he will forever be my first baby.

Life isn’t always easy for Rachel, but Brewster does everything he can to make each day a little better

Brewster is a rescue dog, but I think he’s saved me just as much as I saved him. I have severe endometriosis which causes me a lot of pain and I can sometimes feel very low. Brewster has only lived with me for a short while, but we already have such a strong bond, and he's changed my life immeasurably.

He loves exploring outside and has learned how to walk nicely on his lead. I'm so proud of him. Keeping active is good for me too, and I can already feel my health and mood improving because of our daily adventures.

I can already feel my health and mood improving

Brewster is such a perceptive boy and can always tell if I'm having a difficult day. He loves to play and can be quite boisterous, but when I'm feeling low, he's so gentle and will just come and rest his head on my leg or put his front paw over my hand. He lives for cuddles and adores having his face stroked.

I work from home, and Brewster likes to lie on the floor and keep my feet warm – which is always very welcome on those wet and cold days! My dog has had such a huge impact on my life in such a short space of time. He's loving, friendly and fun and I feel like the luckiest dog mum in the world.

Over the past five years, Liz has watched George transform from a naughty little puppy into the best dog she could ask for

George was the most mischievous pup ever. He was banned from two different dog training classes and the trainer refused to have him. He was also banned from our local pub for trying to bully the landlord’s dog. At home, he chewed through kitchen work tops, chair legs, cushions etc... I could go on.

Now, he’s the best boy ever. Our family wouldn’t be without him. At the age of five, he’s already blind in one eye, but it doesn’t hold him back. We just love him.

George was the most mischievous pup ever

Lily’s love for life has helped Kathryn’s children to get outside and stay positive

Lily is a fun-loving English Springer Spaniel. She is obsessed with tennis balls and loves to swim!

Her boundless energy and love for the outdoors is helping my four teenagers to get through lockdown. She gives them something to do each day and gets them out of the house and into the fresh air.

She keeps our whole household smiling

One of her favourite pastimes is chasing my 19-year-old son as he skateboards around the park. Lily is truly bonkers and a best friend to all of my children. She keeps our whole household smiling through even the darkest days.

Tracey loves her dog Chewy for all his adorable – and hilarious – quirks

Chewy came into my life a year ago, back when I really didn’t think I had the room for another pet. At the time, we already had two elderly dogs who have sadly now departed, and if it wasn’t for Chewy, I don’t know how I would have coped.

He is adorable and such a character

I fell in love with Chewy as soon as I saw him. He is adorable and such a character that it didn’t take long before my partner was smitten too. Chewy is very stubborn (apparently this is a common trait amongst bulldogs), and he sulks if you ask him to do something he doesn’t want to do, like go out for a walk when it’s raining. He has a thing about cardboard boxes and loves to tear them to shreds. He is very greedy and will go to any lengths to claim food, even if it’s not something he actually likes!

Chewy is big and solid but still believes he is a lap dog, so loves to curl up on my knee in the evening. He really is a wonderful addition to our family, and I couldn’t have asked for a better lockdown buddy.

Nymeria has been through a lot, but Tabitha is in constant awe of how she takes everything in her stride

I’ve had Nym since she was just a puppy, and since then she has remained closely by my side. When she was younger, I taught her lots of tricks such as rolling, walking on her hind legs and pirouetting. She has got me through many tough times with her calm demeanour and cosy cuddles.

She very quickly grasped how to live with her blindness

In early 2020, Nym went suddenly and completely blind. She started running into things and became much more nervous. Fortunately, she’s a sweet and trusting dog, so she very quickly grasped how to live with her blindness, learning new words such as ‘careful’ and ‘step’. Now she’s used to navigating using her sense of smell and hearing and has even memorised the layout of the house as well as our regular walking routes, so she can get around with confidence.

I love my dog just as much now as the day I got her. I wouldn't change her for the world.