Lizzy’s vineyard job can be somewhat lonely at times, but luckily Arlo and Pip are always on hand to brighten her days

My dogs are my world. They come with me everywhere and there is never a moment that we’re apart. We work on a vineyard in Essex – me looking after the vines and the dogs exploring all day. Without my dogs it would be an extremely lonely job. They are my company every day and they never fail to make me laugh.

Without my dogs it would be an extremely lonely job

Arlo (a Labrador) is six and I have had him since I was 16. He has been my best friend for years now and has been with me through everything, from living with my parents to buying my own home and getting engaged. One day, he’ll be the best man at our wedding. Pip (a working Cocker puppy) is our newest addition at three months old and he’s full of beans.

Pip loves to run and jump at dandelions, play with insects, chase butterflies and dig holes. Arlo loves sleeping ALL DAY in the sun and chewing sticks when he does get up (sometimes). They are lucky boys and I like to think they are very happy too.

Ruth’s dog Lazlo has helped to bring her family even closer together

When Lazlo came into our life, we had not long adopted our children. He helped them to understand that we were their forever family.

A while later, when I temporarily lost sight in one eye, Lazlo was my loyal companion. He guided me until I was better, always looking out for me to make sure I was ok. He’s such a calming influence and adapts so well to any situation.

Lazlo was my loyal companion

He fits in perfectly with our family and looks after his furry companions as much as his human ones. He has two sister cats, Flossie and Raven, two house rabbits called Harley and Quinn, and this year, he even got a new sister puppy, Lyra.

Lazlo is so protective of us all that he can sometimes get quite ‘barky’ when anyone new approaches us. He may be a dog, but he’s got the heart of a lion!

Dennis is the dog of Gillian’s dreams – and he’s even won round her husband, too!

After many years of persuasion, my husband finally agreed to get a dog, which was great news for my son and daughter who had always wanted one.

Not long after, I found Dennis, an adorable Border Terrier. It felt like it wasmeant to be. He has been the best thing to happen to our family since thechildren were born. Dennis has helped us get through lockdown, and to deal with our grief, as my mother-in-law sadly passed away not long before we brought him home.

Dennis has helped us get through lockdown

He’s also been my daughter’s home-school buddy and has boosted her confidence when she’s had down days. Our adorable pup has even brought a smile to my fathers-in-law’s face, for which we’ll be forever grateful.

All that being said, it’s surprisingly my husband who is Dennis’s biggest fan!

Wonder Pug Prince has given owner Kate six years of support – and sneezes!

Prince is my best friend and is just the greatest company. He was one of a litter of six, and we picked him because of his underbite, which we fell in love with!

He’s my best friend

Prince seems to instinctively know when you need a cuddle or cheering up, if you’d like a walk or just want to sit down. I got him after the death of my father six years ago, and he also was a huge comfort when my mother died this year.

Prince is a Pug who loves mountain walking and the beach. His personality is very human; he’s a mummy’s boy and loves a cuddle. He enjoys chasing birds and thinks he can catch them in the sky. He loves to eat (but luckily has never been into eating furniture or shoes!)

His best friend is our family dog Theo, a Bernese Mountain Dog. He also has the trick of sneezing on you when he’s very excited!

Daisy has given her owner Bridget a new lease of life, and even helped her to make a new friend or two

Daisy came to us when we were just retired. We used to have a dog when our children were small and I was at home with them, so we knew how much joy they could bring to our lives.

Taking Daisy out for walks has helped us to meet lots of new people. She gets walked twice daily, which forces us to keep active and enjoy some fresh air every day, even when it’s cold and wet.

Helped us to meet lots of new people

Now our grandchildren are going to universities across the country and our children are busy working, we don’t see so much of them. Daisy fills this void and gives us lots of cuddles and love. She loves riding in cars, especially our Morris 1000! She also makes us laugh endlessly. It’s hard to imagine how we managed for all those years without a dog.

Seero may be small in size, but he’s made a big impact on Ashleigh and her fiancé

In February 2020, my fiancé and I were looking to adopt a shelter/rescue dog. We live in an upstairs apartment so wanted a small dog. None of the shelters around us had any though, so we took to searching through Facebook.

Adopting Seero was the best decision we’ve ever made

My partner came across an appeal for a little black dog in Cyprus. He had four separate posts from the charity hoping someone would take an interest in this little boy, but nobody seemed to. That broke our hearts – he looked absolutely perfect to us and we fell in love with the photos of him. We thought it would never happen. How would we get him to North East Scotland from Cyprus? I messaged the shelter's page to enquire. A week later we were picking Seero up from a drop-off point in Glasgow. We couldn't believe our luck.

I've had a horrible year due to poor health and being unable to work for the time being, and Seero has definitely saved me – and my partner – more than we saved him. Waking up to his little face, a wagging tail and big kisses has been amazing. He really seems happy now. His eyes were once sad, but now they’re full of love. Adopting Seero was the best decision we've ever made. I would advise everyone to consider adopting.