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.

Elissa’s dog Wookie may be small but, she’s bursting with energy!

Our little Yorkie, Wookie, is the light of our lives. Neither of us had ever had a small dog before, and she has been amazing since the day she came home. Wookie is bold, intelligent, and will walk miles whatever the weather. Even as a tiny, eight-week-old ball of fluff, she immediately wanted to play with our three big cats.

Wookie is truly indefatigable

She will happily wade through the mud or jump into cold water for a swim.Once, she tried to climb a tree to go after a squirrel, and she’s even chased a Muntjac deer – although what she thought would happen if she caught it, I don't know!

Wookie truly is indefatigable. I remember when we went to Mortimer Forest for the day. We walked 11 miles, and when we got home Wookie immediately picked up her ball and wanted to play!

She fills our hearts with happiness every day, and there is nothing better than rambling through the woods with her, watching her sniff, explore andrummage through the hedgerows. It was such a joy to be able to include her in our wedding, back in 2001. She was our ring bearer, and she stole the hearts of everyone there.

Barna’s natural instinct was to protect Emily, and now he is a fully trained medical assistance dog, helping to giving her back her independence

Nearly three years ago, we brought Barna, a Hungarian Vizsla puppy, into our lives to be a loving pet and companion, yet he has proven to be so much more than that. I live with a serious and complex neurological condition that causes me to collapse regularly. I myself have no awareness of these onsets, and would often be injured or be admitted into hospital, but all that changed when Barna was six months old.

Changed my life for the better

We discovered that Barna could detect the minute changes in the pheromones my body released in the lead-up to a collapse. He would ‘alert’ me via a series of behaviours, including intense staring, refusal to do as asked and a single bark. These are my five-minute warnings, which gives me a chance to make myself safe. Realising Barna’s potential to detect an oncoming episode, we contacted the charity Medical Detection Dogs.

Nearly a year and a half later, we were given the amazing news that Barna is now a fully accredited Medical Alert Assistance dog. As a family, we can’t put into words how much both the charity and Barna have changed my life for the better. He is the first Hungarian Vizsla to be accredited as a medical alert assistance dog (as far as the charity is aware) in the UK, so he is flying the flag for all other breeds that may not be conventionally thought of as great assistance dogs.

Kelly wasn’t sure she was ready for another dog – that is, until Charlie bounded into her life.

Charlie came into our lives unexpectedly, after a text came through from a family member who knew how upset I was after losing my dog Bella. Lockdown was tough enough and without my sidekick, I was struggling.

Cute and cheeky Charlie

A change of circumstances meant Charlie faced the prospect of going back to the kennels, which was unideal seeing as he’d been through rescue centre twice already. He came for a visit one Friday night, just for a trial run – and he hasn't left since!

Initially we didn’t feel ready for another dog, but as soon as we saw him, we knew instantly that cute and cheeky Charlie was meant to be a part of our family. He’s so full of love and character, and such a happy dog.

Lynda was devastated when Sam suddenly went blind last year but, to her amazement, he hasn’t let that slow him down at all

Sam has shown me that even in dark times, there can still be light. Up until September last year, he was a fun-loving, adventurous young Collie who lived life to the full. Then he went blind, almost overnight. Long story short, despite tests and an excellent specialist, the reason for this remains unknown.

My husband and I were devastated and our other Collie, Caley, soon realised something was wrong as her playmate could no longer see her to play. However, despite the shock and heartache, I immediately started looking into how a blind dog could still live a full and happy life.

Sam has shown me that even in dark times, there can still be light

Sam and I have worked together, learning new commands such as ‘step up’, ‘step down’, ‘careful’ etc. Caley and I wear bells when we are out so he can hear where we are. As a result, he is still able to walk off lead in most places. We live in the Scottish Highlands and he was used to a lot of freedom before he went blind, so it's fantastic that this hasn't been taken away from him along with his sight.

He still enjoys swimming and belts around the garden as if he were sighted. He has inspired me every single day. My sadness for him is still there, but he’s taught me that, despite your setbacks, you can still get on with life and live it to the full. He is absolutely amazing, and I hope he goes on to have many years of adventures up here in Scotland.

Liz’s dog Honey is quite unusual, but that’s what makes her so special

We rescued Honey when she was just three months old. She has a very unique personality and hates all other female dogs but is very friendly with people.

She has a very unique personality

Honey has kept my husband and I sane during lockdown, and together we’ve discovered new walks and how therapeutic it can be to spend time outdoors. Honey is getting old now and so we can’t walk as far as we usedto, but we still have a lot of fun together. She loves playing ball and especially enjoys being around water.

Honey also has a cheeky side and is not afraid to let you know when she wants food!