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.

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

Jodie loves Bramble for all of her talents, but she’s particularly proud of the way she helps others

Bramble is the most incredible dog in every sense. She has done TV and film work, performed in plays on stage, has achieved the highest level in agility class, was crowned a winner in dancing at Crufts and last but certainly not least, has made a huge difference to my life.

I suffer from depression and PTSD, and because of that I sometimes have dissociative episodes. When I do, Bramble will lie on my chest and lick my face, which can help stop the episodes from getting any worse. She is also trained as a hearing dog for my sister, who is deaf, and can alert her to noises, help her to cross the road and even bring her items.

She always stays positive

I’m a dog trainer and behaviourist and Bramble works with me as a ‘stooge dog’, which involves helping in the rehabilitation of anxious dogs and puppies. Her brilliant personality has helped build confidence in so many others. She also works with people who have severe dog phobias and has visited primary, secondary and special education schools to educate them about her fellow four-legged friends.

Recently, Bramble has been a bit poorly and is unable to do everything she normally loves – but she always stays positive, and makes the most of the things she can still do, like going for walks and snuggling on the sofa. She truly is an incredible dog.

Whether he’s playing with her niece and nephew or checking in on her mum, Riley is loved by everyone in Lisa’s family

Riley is my best friend, and the most loveable, funny dog you could wish to meet. We brought him home when he was a tiny puppy to make sure he would be comfortable with my young niece and nephew.

He's so attentive and caring. He loves other dogs and people, especially my now eight-year-old niece and six-year-old nephew. We walk every day, which I need to do as I’ve had back problems for more than 20 years, and it keeps me moving.

He’s the most loveable, funny dog you could wish to meet

Riley waits at the window for me to come home from work and always lets me know when it's time for his walk. We often visit my mum, who lives a few minutes away, and he pops in to check the house is okay when we get there.

He’s struggled with allergies since he was a baby. They’ve made him quite ill at times, but he’s never let that get him down and he's always up for an adventure. After lots of tests, we now know what to avoid to keep him happy and healthy.

Rach fell under Archer’s love spell as soon as she set sight on him, and now he is a happy part of her family.

We wanted a dog to share our adventures with and to explore new places. We had our heart set on a blue Great Dane, and when we met him as a puppy, we knew he was the one for us. With an arrowhead shaped white patch on his chest, we called him Archer and he’s been a fantastic addition to our furry family.

We knew he was the one for us

He shares his sofa with his feline brother and sister and shows his gentle side with them. He helped me through a mental breakdown and gave me something to focus on during my recovery. He really is a gentle giant, and always gets showered with attention wherever he goes, putting on the charm and snuffling out snuggles with everyone he meets.

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.