Abigail got her sassy little Chihuahua Bob as soon as she moved into her first home at the age of 21.

I got Bob from Gumtree, because his old owner said he didn’t get along with her other dogs. At this point he was 18 months old and had never really been on a walk outside, he had always been pushed around in a dog pram because he just refused to walk!

The special thing about Bob is he has three legs, as his front left leg never properly formed. The day he came to live with me I popped him down on the pavement and with no issue at all he started hopping along next to me! He now loves his long walks along the local canal with my grandad, my mum and her dogs, managing about eight miles which is pretty good for a three-legged Chihuahua!

He now loves his long walks

He hasn’t just brightened up my life but also all of my family members lives too. The first thing any of them say to me is always ‘How’s bob doing?’.

This cheeky little monkey loves nothing more than playing fetch, eating lots of treats and receiving lots of belly rubs. His favourite place in the world is the beach, although he thinks he owns the place once he gets there!

He is such an inspiration with how he gets on with his life and adapts to everything in his path no problem. More recently, throughout this pandemic he has been a true star. Things were so strange, but getting out every morning for a long walk with Bob really helped me through it all. I can’t say the same for the poor little guy though, he couldn’t wait for me to stop working from home so he could enjoy his naps uninterrupted!

After a difficult start in life, Jake has flourished into the playful (and vocal) pooch he is today with help from Lynne’s family

Jake, our Jack Russell x Whippet, is the love of our lives, the apple of our eyes and an irrepressible bundle of fun and noise! We rescued him from the RSPCA 14 years ago, when he was about two and half years old. He had been mistreated, so he was a terrified, shivering wreck, and a shadow of the loving, confident dog he was to become.

He was frightened of everything, showed fear aggression and couldn’t bear to see us hugging, as he thought we were hurting each other. He didn’t know how to play ball and was terrified if he knocked anything over.

He has taught us all the value of patience, kindness and trust

Now he’s definitely the king of the castle and the boss of us! He is front and centre of everything that happens in our home. He steals all the cushions on the settee and takes up all the room on our bed. He has six dog beds and a sheepskin rug, so he can be warm and comfy, wherever he is in the house.

At 15, Jake still chases his tail and is really playful. He enjoys walks and shouting at all the local dogs. He has a ton of soft toys, but his favourites are a long-necked duck he loves to throw around and bark at, and a cross-eyed mouse called Mr Twister. He’s feisty and fearless and very, very vocal! But, most of all, he is very loving and affectionate. He loves cuddles and belly rubs and hates being left, which happens very rarely.

Last year, we found a lump on Jake, and we were distraught. But we’re very blessed as it turned out to be okay. This year, we’ve found out that Jake has a heart murmur. He’s just started medication, which we hope will help control it, and keep him happy and healthy for as long as possible. He has taught us all the value of patience, kindness and trust. We are so lucky to have him. Put simply, he loves us, and we love him.

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.

When Elizabeth rescued Milo, little did she know that he would become the inspiration behind her own dog treat business

In August last year, I stumbled across a photo on social media of a little puppy. He had been found with his siblings on the streets of Bosnia and was looking for his forever home. I had thought for a long time about getting a second dog as my older dog is 12 years old and I wanted some company for both of us. After getting through the rehoming process, I was told I had been picked to rehome Milo.

When I picked him up, a lady walked round the corner with a ball of ears and legs in her arms and instantly I fell in love! Almost a year later and he has led to the most amazing transformation of my life. Before I got Milo, I was withdrawn, anxious, socially awkward, depressed and searching for something.

He has led to the most amazing transformation of my life

Now, I adore going out on adventures with Milo, and he has also triggered my biggest adventure yet. My other dog, Holly, has severe allergies so we were always limited with treats and food. So, when training Milo, a young street dog who is food motivated, I needed to find something they could both have. This led to me finding my passion for making dog treats, and my business was born – Liz's Pet Bakery.

Milo is now chief taste tester and official cuddler! During the week I work full time and at the weekend we regularly attend craft fairs, dog shows and food festivals to showcase our treats. Milo meets and greets all the pups whilst operating his own cuddle booth.

We are now both more confident, social, happy and content and he really did change my life for the better. Although we’ve had low points (and I’ve gone through two carpets and six broadband cables), nothing could've prepared me for the transformation this little lad could bring me. I am proud to say I rescued him, and he wants for absolutely nothing!

Georgina’s dog Sprocket has oodles of energy, and that’s exactly why she loves him so much

Sprocket is the best thing to ever have happened to our family. His endearing quirks never fail to put a smile on our faces. For instance, he always runs with his legs so straight he looks like a cartoon, and in the evening, he huffs and puffs very loudly before dramatically opening his pen, just to let us know he wants to go to bed.

He can sometimes be a bit of a diva

He’s a tiny bundle of energy and always ready to play. I wouldn’t say he’s spoilt, but he is well-loved and so always enjoys – and expects – a cuddle or two in our bed. He can sometimes be bit of a diva, and we often find ourselves having to pause the TV because he’s making a racket by digging around or barking because he wants to go out.

None of this really matters though, because our little pup is such a sweetheart. We love him for all of his funny habits and his adorable personality.

Grief is an overwhelming thing. But, by simply being by her side, Hero has been an invaluable source of comfort for Julie.

Hero, a rescue dog, came into my life after my husband died. I took him in initially to be part of the family and to train up at agility.

But dealing with the death of my husband then took its toll on me and I now find life very hard to deal with. There is so much that I feel unable to do without support – and that support is coming from all my dogs, but especially Hero who is constantly by my side.

It’s almost as if we’re healing each other

He reads my emotions and responds in the way he feels best. He is now on the way to becoming my emotional support dog. He was such a mess when I took him on, it’s almost as if we’re healing each other. With his help, I hope to get back some normality and I eventually want to see him compete with the rest of our dogs in agility.