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Great
British Dogs

Meet Sandy

William’s job isn’t easy, but he knows he’ll always come home to Sandy’s loving support and affection.

I'm a support worker for the very vulnerable and my dog is the best thing that has happened to me since lockdown began.

She gives me so much love!

I come home every night and she jumps all over me and gives me so much love. She makes my day so much better. She is my alarm clock, and even talks to me in her own special way by licking my face and nudging me when she needs me.


Meet Blossom

Blossom’s overbite meant she was no longer valuable to breeders, but their loss was Lyndsey’s gain as the pair have now formed an unbreakable bond

Blossom is originally from Ireland where she was used for breeding. It wasn’t long before they realised that she was passing on her overbite, reducing the value of her puppies. They no longer wanted her, so she went to Many Tears rescue centre in Wales.

From there she went to a foster home, before being adopted by a family. Sadly, this didn’t last long due to a marriage breakdown, so it was back to Many Tears, into another foster home, and then we met her and she came home with us. This was all before she was five years old.

We’ve now had Blossom for three years and it’s like she’s always been here. It took her about a year before she would let us rub her belly, and she’s still not 100% sure about my husband. But she’s my shadow and will follow me wherever I go. It’s a bond I’ve never had with any other dog I’ve owned and it’s so special. She’s been my jogging buddy, my marathon-walking buddy, my isolation buddy, and everything in between.

We absolutely adore every little hair on her

To see her character come out over the years has been absolutely beautiful. Watching her enjoying walks, trips in the car, days out as a family, scratches and her spectacular zoomies around our garden truly warms my heart. She is fantastic with both my daughters, and she even loves the guinea pigs!

There isn’t a bad bone in this dog’s body, which astounds me as she had such a rubbish start to her life. She is so patient and kind to our little puppy who joined the family in December, although she could do with being a bit firmer with him as he’s running rings around her!

Honestly, the love that our whole family has for this little ‘potato gremlin’ is immense. She’s our funky little monkey and we absolutely ADORE every little hair on her (though it would be nice if they stayed on her and didn’t stick to everything she touches!).


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Meet George

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


Meet Ruby

Not only does Ruby help with Amanda’s anxiety, but she also brings endless fun and laughter into her life

I suffer from anxiety and Ruby has helped enormously. Stroking her always makes things feel better.

She may be 12 now, but she still loves to play games

But more than that, she makes me laugh every day. We have conversations and she copies my tone of voice. She may be 12 now, but she still loves to play games and tease me.

She gets incredibly excited if we play ‘round and round the garden’ when she’s lying on her back – and I swear she laughs when we get to ‘tickle you under there’!


Meet Tara

Through helping her dog Tara to come out of her shell, Sharon has learned how important it is to look after herself

Three years ago, I decided to adopt a rescue dog. Fate led me to a forlorn little puppy who had been saved from a life of cruelty – her name was Tara.

It was a bumpy start. She was totally terrified and barely moved, having been mute the whole 12-hour car journey home. But with time, a lot of patience and unconditional love from me and my two gentle cats, she started to come out of her shell. She took two weeks to bark and it was months before she could sleep on her own, but slowly, her confidence grew and her beautiful fun, cuddly character emerged. She still prefers other animals to humans, but if you give her the time to get to know you, gaining her love and affection is a feeling like no other.

Together, we’ll walk through life

Adopting Tara has changed my life. I have Type 1 diabetes, which brings with it a realm of challenges. By focusing on protecting this vulnerable little pup and working to make her happy, I was distracted from my own dark thoughts. Through her I met fantastic new people in my area and got out and about, spending my days walking in nature instead of hiding at home.

Now we are a team and together, we’ll walk through life, looking out for each other and helping each other to grow. We are both the perfect example of how much good comes from accepting imperfection, and celebrating differences.


Meet Rolo

Now that they’re dog owners, Laura and her partner are always exploring the Scottish countryside with Rolo in tow

Rolo came into our lives about 16 months ago. We had wanted a dog for a while, but the time was never right, with my partner working in home care and me working for the NHS. Lockdown changed all that. It made us realise that it’s the smaller things in life that matter most, so along came Rolo.

Since getting Rolo, our lives have changed drastically for the better. We really can’t remember life without him. The weekends before he came along were filled with the same old things – going to cinema, staying home with a takeaway, or going to a friend’s for drinks. Now on the weekends, we look forward to exploring this fantastic country we live in. We’ve seen more of Scotland in the short time we’ve had him than in all the years we’ve been living here.

Since getting Rolo, our lives have changed drastically for the better

We love nothing more than getting up on a Saturday morning, going for a lovely drive and hiking round the lochs or up the hills. On the road home, we’ll stop at a wee dog-friendly pub for a bit to eat. We have made many friends because of Rolo, and he has his own circle of canine friends.

Rolo is a German Shepherd, so not the smallest dog ever. He absolutely loves life and is an absolute character. He’s one and a half now, and full of cheek at times, but we wouldn’t change him for the world. He does like to answer back now and again when he does naughty things, but he is a teenager after all!

The best part is the greeting you get when you come home from a hard day’s work. The joy and excitement in his eyes say it all. It really is unconditional love. Life before Rolo was okay and we were happy, but life with him is much more amazing. He’s had such a positive influence that I know both of us will be eternally grateful for.


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