Even though he’s just a puppy, Teddy has already had a hugely positive impact on Jean’s mental health

Teddy is one of three pups my Chihuahua, Pip, gave birth to, which is why the two of us have such a close bond. One of the pups unfortunately died, but him and his brother both thrived and got lots of care from their mum.

Seeing him grow has really helped with my anxiety and other mental health issues, from the first time he opened his eyes to his first burst of personality and the many times he’s made me feel better.

Teddy is three quarters Chihuahua and a quarter Yorkie, which explains his great personality! He has explosive zoomies around the house and garden, he likes to show off how ‘buff’ he can be to other dogs, and he barks at his brother whenever he has a bone.

Teddy loves playing and he’s loved almost every single toy or game he’s ever been introduced to. But the game he loves the most is being chased by his brother. Even though his legs are small, he can run super fast!

Overall, Ted’s really improved my wellbeing, as I’m always happy to go home and see him and receive his little kisses. It’s like he understands my bad days and good days.

I’m always happy to go home and see him

Swizzle is a bundle of laughs, and Grace is very grateful to have him in her life

Swizzle is our miniature black and tan Dachshund. He’s changed our lives for the better in so many different ways, like helping to keep us active. One of our favourite things to do now is go for a long walk, and without Swizzle, we would never have discovered some of the nature trails or beautiful sites in our local area.

Having Swizzle also means we can’t be picky – we have to go for a walk come rain or shine. Getting outside no matter what has helped to improve our mental health, especially in these difficult times we’re all facing.

He’s changed our lives for the better

Swizzle makes us laugh everyday with his unique quirks. He always comes to sleep in our bed, but he doesn’t just curl up at the end – no, he lies with his head on the pillow, flat on his back, just like a human.

Like a typical Dachshund, he loves to bark out the window at other dogs passing by, and he gets particularly excited if he sees one that looks like him. We’re sure he thinks he owns the street outside our house!

Tiggy and Bumble were a much-needed addition to Rosie’s family after two long years away from home

We are lucky to have two beautiful dogs – Tiggy the springer, who turns two in September, and Bumble, who turns one in May.

After a very testing tour in the Middle East with the forces from 2019 to 2021, when we had to rehome our three beautiful dogs, coming home to the UK and being able to have dogs straight away was so important.

They bring so much fun to our family

They make us all happier and Bumble in particular does not miss a chance for a walk. So, you should never put your jacket on until you’re completely ready to go.

Tiggy, our little springer, is amazingly calm in the house and she cuddles in like a human. They both bring happiness, calm and so much fun to our family.

Although it hasn’t always been easy, Emily adores Ruaridh and all the positivity he has brought into her life.

Little Ruaridh came into our lives only one month ago but the impact he has made has been substantial. Although extremely hard work, he has already made our little family happier and healthier in every way. From getting us up bright and early (5am!) to getting us out in the fresh air more – he really has improved our wellbeing.

He really has improved our wellbeing

He’s the greediest dog and the loves to explore the world through his mouth. The strangest thing he enjoyed eating was the binmen’s gloves after the binman tried to give him a cuddle.

As he grows, so do Ruaridh’s eyebrows and his long golden hair often glimmers in the sun. We love our little bundle of fluff and would love to spend some quality time away with him on his first holiday.

Resilient rescue collie cross Holly has brought owner Kathryn 15 years of joy.

We brought our rescue dog Holly, a collie cross, home on 17 December 2005 when she was about one year old. She was very jumpy and bouncy and her tail wagged in a circle. 14 years later she's a grand old lady and has to cope with an awful lot.

She's the love of my life

She has fatty lumps which make it uncomfortable to lie down, she has a sebaceous cyst on her neck which she lets us clean and bandage, under sufferance, every day. She is losing her hearing but has adapted quickly to hand gestures instead. She has arthritis, she has episodes of vestibular disease and recently we have discovered that she has heart disease too. So these days she isn't so jumpy and bouncy, but she's still so affectionate and loving, faithful, gentle, placid, laid back and beautiful.

She'll still rip the post up if she gets there first and can be stubborn and contrary. She doesn't like the rain, and she's happiest exploring the garden, eating her tea or her favourite game sausages, sleeping or having big cuddles. She loves being pampered at the groomers, which is a real treat for her that she thoroughly deserves. She's a real battler and as long as she's got her favourite things – and all her medication – she's happy. She's the love of my life.

Since he came into Chris’ life, Wyn’s been a therapy pet, a school dog and even a blood donor

Wyn came to me after he'd been found as a stray and handed in at my vet. After no one came to claim him, I took him in. When he was first brought in, he wasn’t chipped or wearing a collar, so I asked him, ‘What's your name?’ Then I told him that that could be shortened to ‘Wyn’, and I got a wag. So, Wyn's name is actually the acronym of that question.

He's a Saluki cross, and like many Salukis, he enjoys chasing games with my other hounds. He's also a typical Sighthound, and when he’s not playing games, he chills out on the sofa.

He loves his cuddles – as far as he’s concerned, people are there to love and fuss him, and he returns that in kind. This quickly led to him doing his Pets As Therapy assessment, and he’s been visiting a local mental health hospital for many years now. He loves his visits, and everyone loves seeing him. The staff have told me he makes a real difference to the patients and their wellbeing.

He’s been visiting a local mental health hospital for many years

Wyn’s also an education dog, so he goes into schools with me to promote animal welfare. After our sessions, the children get to meet him. He’s always really gentle with them, and he's even helped some of them overcome their fear of dogs.

He recently retired as a blood donor with Pet Blood Bank UK, having made 25 donations. This means he helped save the lives of 100 dogs, as each donation gets turned into four blood products. He even continued donating during Covid, even though I wasn't allowed to accompany him.

Wyn is always a fantastic icebreaker. Usually no one speaks to each other on train journeys, but when I’m travelling to events with him, everyone wants to come and say hello. He’s a fantastic companion to me and a wonderful ambassador for dogs in general, particularly Sighthounds.