From the moment Lisa met Bear, she knew he was supposed to be a part of her life

When we got Bear, I was in a tough place. I was unemployed and coming out of a long period of depression, but he brought joy into my life. He gave me a reason to get up in the morning and structure to my day. His eagerness to learn and his excitement at doing new things is just brilliant.

It was love at first sight

When you see him in the morning or after coming home, he'll grab his favourite toy to show you and have a cuddle. The way he looks at me, it’s like he’s really trying to understand what I'm saying – it’s so adorable!

Bear may be my pet, but really, he’s my buddy and best friend.

Sprocket quickly became a treasured member of Carla’s family

Sprocket is our first dog. It took us a while to decide whether getting a dog was for us, but it was without a doubt the best decision we have ever made as a family. Sprocket is such a lovely boy – he's a working Cocker Spaniel so is full of energy and enthusiasm for life. He has a wonderful, sweet temperament and wouldn't hurt a fly. He loves his walks and taking him out in the countryside is an absolute joy.

He joins in with everything we do

As we’ve never had a dog before, we didn't realise just how much they become a part of your family. Sprocket plays a huge role in all our lives, and we couldn't bear to be without him. He joins in with everything we do,from kayaking to camping. He is very funny and has mad moments where he zooms around the house. He also likes to do his ‘happy howl’, which wethink is him telling us how much he’s enjoying life.

Karen took Mollie in as a foster dog and in return she’s made every day brighter for her

Mollie came to us three years ago as a foster dog and I fell in love with her immediately.

There’s never a bad day with Mollie

She’s blind and epileptic, but this has never stopped her from loving life. She makes every day brighter and has even helped my other foster dogs recover from trauma that they’ve suffered – helping them to realise that life is for living without worries!

You can never have a bad day when you've got a Mollie to snuggle up to.

Lorna just couldn’t be without her furry best friend, Fergus

Fergus has been an absolute blessing during the last year. I’ve had to shield, and he’s been by my side the whole way through.

We’ve passed away the days away together, and he’s been a great help to me in the garden. Fergus loves nothing more than to dig holes, although I often catch him digging in places he really shouldn’t!

He’s been by my side the whole way through

He’s such a loving and friendly dog, and with him to look after, I have a reason to get up early in the morning – although usually, it’s because he’s jumping on my head in an attempt to tell me he’s ready for his breakfast.

Fergus, along with his big brother Henry, have their own social media page and have kept hundreds of followers entertained with their antics during lockdown. I would be lost without my constant companion.

Brody is always around to look out for Amy and her family

Brody is the most loving dog. He brought my partner and I closer togetherwhen we took him on his daily walks during lockdown. He is patient, caring and playful, and he always looks after our new-born son, laying with him when he cries, or staying at our feet when we feed him.

He always looks after our new-born son

He also has a great sense of humour and a very playful character. For instance, he likes to survey the neighbourhood as though he’s a watchdog, he barks at his treats and spends hours playing with his ball. Brody is a truly special dog.

With Holly and Toby’s help, William has gone from never wanting to leave the house to taking them out every day on his mobility scooter

I never really wanted a dog, but my wife insisted. “It will get you out and about”, she said. I had started to become a home bird because my diabetes affected my feet and the pain was terrible. It definitely didn’t do anything to inspire me to go out.

First we got Holly, a beautiful Westie pup who was no trouble at all. Then came Toby – he was only seven months old, but we were his third owners. It soon became obvious that he had never been socialised. So, that gave me a good reason to get out of the house.

At 80 years of age, I now have a great time out and about

At 80 years of age, I now have a great time out and about. Holly likes to sit on my knee and use the horn of my mobility scooter, whereas Toby loves to walk beside me. I have met so many new people and they always stop to talk to me and pet the dogs.

Life has now become a great adventure with my two furbabies. They have helped me so much. Without them, I would never have left the house. But now I’m often seen exploring the roads on a daily basis with my companions at my side.