Rhiannon had never really wanted a dog before, but her life is infinitely better now Tilly is in it

At 62 years old, I got my very first dog. I didn't know I liked dogs until I met little Tilly, my Toy Poodle.

I now never have a bad day

Tilly is my unconditionally loving companion, who has ensured I now never have a bad day. She sits on my bed every morning and eagerly waits for just one of my eyes to open. Then that is officially the start of happy time.

She faceplants me with licks and hugs me between her paws. Her zest for discovery, fun and nature has given me back my purpose in life.

Emma fell in love with Crissy from the moment she rescued her in Spain, and she knew straight away she had to adopt her

I started volunteering in Spain at a rescue six years ago. One day, a skinny, 11-month-old Great Pyrenees cross was brought in.

Her previous family had mistreated her, and she was so scared. As we carried her into her kennel, she was clinging to us for dear life and trembling. I couldn't bear to leave her in there, so I took her into my cabin where I was staying.

She settled onto my bed but didn't take her eyes off me. I popped into the shower and, when I looked down, I realised that Crissy had climbed into the cubicle with me and was just sitting there, looking up at me. In that moment I knew I had to adopt her.

She’s a big dog, but so gentle

I brought her to the UK, and she's not left my side since then. At 50kg, she's a big dog, but so gentle. She is wonderful with children. She loves her food, so once she's back from a walk she talks to us until she gets her food. She loves smaller dogs and protects my partner’s little dog when we go for walks.

Since getting Crissy, I've ended up setting up my own rescue with a Dutch lady in Spain. We rehome dogs across Europe and this year alone we’ve found forever homes for 20 dogs in the UK. I’ve also rescued another dog, Timmy, who Crissy welcomed with open paws.

She's my best friend and has been a constant in my life. People say she's lucky to have me as I spoil her, but I'm the lucky one as she brings such love and happiness to our family.

Throughout all of Ellie’s suffering Amber was right there beside her, providing her with the emotional support she needed to keep fighting.

My Cockapoo Amber has helped me to stay positive through the toughest times of my life. She came into our family when I was 16 and first started experiencing symptoms of my illness. She was only eight weeks old and quickly became my best friend, as I had to leave school and my life as I knew it began to fall apart.

It was almost two years later I was diagnosed with a life-limiting illness that left me housebound, in constant pain and extremely weak. At my lowest, Amber was the only thing that kept me going and the only thing that would make me smile. Whenever I got upset she would lick my tears away and stay by my side and when I was really unwell, she would scratch and cry at my door or do whatever she could to be with me. She was a constant source of comfort and made me feel so safe and less lonely.

She would lick away my tears

When nurses would come to visit me at home, they would always comment that Amber was always so close to me but she also instinctively knew when she needed to give me and the nurses space (although she was never too far away). They would often tell me that they’d always say they we’re going to see ‘Ellie and Amber’ because she never left my side. I’d spend months in hospital, and she would come and visit me. Having a cuddle and seeing her happy face was a massive boost. My heart would feel lighter whenever she would visit.

Without Amber I wouldn’t be here today. Last year I had surgery that thankfully gave me a second chance at life. I only got to that point because I wanted so desperately to take her for long walks or play with her in the garden again, she’s mad about tennis balls and loves to play fetch. The idea of giving her a happy life and repaying her for all the years of happiness she gave me when I needed it most kept me going. She still supports me when I have bad days but now I take advantage of every opportunity I can to be with her and do something fun.

I honestly don’t think words can really describe just how much I love her and what she means to me, but when I was a little girl I would dream about having a dog like her and I feel so lucky to have her in my life.

Mac is constantly making his owner Grace laugh with his hilarious antics

Mac is a two-year-old Golden Retriever and he is the most wonderful boy. He loves toys, especially stuffed animals. His favourites include a shark, a teddy bear, two hedgehogs, two sheep plus many more.

He loves toys, especially stuffed animals

Whenever someone comes to our front door, Mac always greets them witha toy, regardless of whether they want it or not. He’s got such a friendly nature that he insists we say hello to all of the dogs and people we see on our walks. He also adores running, sliding and rolling around outside, particularly when it’s snowy or if he’s near the water.

Working from home has been a strange adjustment but having Mac around has made it so much easier, and he gives me the motivation I need to carry on each day. It’s amazing the difference a happy dog can make to your life. Mac is a bundle of joy.

Whether she’s dragging the family our for walks or stubbornly refusing to follow commands, Arla is always keeping Izabella entertained

Arla is my 11-month-old White Swiss Shepherd and she’s the best reason to get up in the morning. She loves meeting new people and will circle you until it makes you dizzy, just so she can get the good scratches from all sides!

Always up for an adventure, she loves sniffing out new spots, especially if there are muddy puddles involved. Ever since she's joined our family, we've had more exposure to the Great British countryside than ever, in all weather conditions! It's hard to feel the cold when you have a big white fluffy coat like Arla.

She’s the best reason to get up in the morning

Now it's spring and the lambs are about, she’s made a habit of dragging us to the nearest sheep field on her walks so she can stare at them in awe with her tail wagging, true to her Shepherd ways. Every so often, a lamb will come up to the fence to have a closer look and it truly makes her day.

Although she has many quirks, her funniest habit is putting herself to bed as soon as you mention training in the house. Arla has a rule that the house is only for play, sleep and strictly no work. All you have to do is ask her to 'sit' or pick up a treat and she's straight in the crate – sometimes she shuts the door after herself too!

Leyanne’s dog Mishka might look like a lion, but really, she couldn’t be a bigger softie

Mishka is a Chow Chow like no other. She seems to think the world is hers and that everyone is just here to see her. We take her to Loch Lomond in the summer and she loves it, mostly because all the tourists fuss over her and want to take her photo. She’s quite a diva, and has a tendency to decide she’s taking a nap, no matter where we are. Once, she even decided to lie down in front of a police van that was trying to get past her!

Chow Chows are supposed to be nervous around strangers, but Mishka takes no notice of this. She loves everyone, and since we live near two primary schools she especially adores playing with the children, who always think she’s a little lion!

Kids always think she’s a lion

She is the gentlest, most loving dog I've ever had. I suffer from Fibromyalgia and she is the only one that can push me through on my bad days. She seems to sense when I'm not feeling good and looks after me. She also alerts me when my diabetic husband is about to have hypoglycemic attack.

When Mishka travels in the car she likes to ride shotgun, and we always see the other drivers and pedestrians smile at her as we drive by. She now has a little brother who absolutely adores her and looks up to her – he is always cleaning her and checking she's ok!