Bruno has been helping Rachel and her family heal after the tragic loss of their previous pup

Bruno is my whole life! In April 2020, at the beginning of Covid, we were lucky enough to become paw-rents to Barnum, our first Newfoundland. Our love for Barnum was instantaneous and we enjoyed watching him grow. But just after he celebrated his first birthday, he became ill with a large tumour in his liver. We had no choice but to put him to sleep. My heart broke.

I never imagined my heart would ever heal, or that I’d be able to be happy again. But in May 2021, Bruno was born. Sadly, his mum passed away from heart failure after a c-section, so he was hand reared, and I knew I would have to be an extra special mama to him.

Eight weeks later, he came to live with us in Scotland. My very broken heart was about to start healing. From the first moment I saw Bruno, I knew Barnum had sent him to help me heal. It was instant love, and it has grown every day.

Bruno is 22 months old now and is the most gentle and loving dog. He knows when I’m sad and he’s always there to make me happy. Even when I’m happy, he has the ability to make me happier. He has healed our hearts and makes us smile every day.

He’s the sweetest puppy, but he weighs in at 66kg, so his zoomies are something special, especially when he’s running over for a cuddle. He loves to kiss, cuddle and sit on our feet – or sometimes even our knees! He’s the biggest bundle of love and I love absolutely everything about him. His love is special – there are no words to describe it.

He has healed our hearts

Louise’s dog Sherman may be a giant, but his gentle nature means he’s adored by everyone in the community

We’ve had Sherman since he was a puppy, though back then I didn’t realise quite how big he would grow, both in size and personality. Sherman is an amazing dog, not only to us at home but also within our local community.

Sherman loves nothing more than attending school drop off and pick up, and if he doesn’t come, the children all ask for him. He is adored by all and constantly showered with cards, presents and more importantly, cuddles. There have been many occasions when parents have struggled to get their children to go school, but Sherman is happy to walk beside them, and that seems to be all the encouragement they need.

He is adored by all

Often, Sherman doesn’t want to leave the children, which can be quite embarrassing for me – it’s very tricky moving 12 stones of fluff! There are not enough words to describe the positive influence Sherman has had on us all. As well as looking after children, he also helps all the new puppies to become a part of our community by volunteering as a support dog, and even helps dogs who have been rescued and need socialising.

Owner Paul has always enjoyed listening to Percy’s musical talents, and clearly he is not the only one!

Percy is a singer. He has several favourite tunes, but his go-to is A Kind of Magic by Queen. No matter where he is, he can't control himself, if he hears this song he must sing to it!

Singing at the top of his voice

A couple of years ago, we were on holiday in the south of France, and found a pub we liked to go to every evening. One night, Queen came on the jukebox and Percy was away, singing, or more correctly, howling, at the top of his voice – much to the amusement of the guests.

The bar owner cottoned on to this, so every evening at the same time he would turn on the jukebox and Percy would do his thing. One night, there was a Karaoke competition. Needless to say, Percy took center stage – which was an upside down beer barrel with a microphone placed in front of it – and started singing at the top of his voice. He attracted quite a crowd and won by a mile, and afterwards became somewhat of a local celebrity!

Lexi came into Frank’s life after he suffered a stroke five years ago, and since then she’s made even his darkest days that little bit brighter

I’ve been a dog lover since I was a kid. I grew up with at least one Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound or Miniature Schnauzer always around. But my wife was not a dog-lover, nor had she grown up with any pets. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would not be having any dogs in my married life.

Five years ago, I had a stroke. It came out of the blue and suddenly my life was turned upside down. Two months afterwards, my wife had one of these ‘lightbulb moments’ and thought getting a dog would be good for my recovery. In life, when there is a window of opportunity, you have to grab it with both hands, so I certainly didn't argue! A few weeks later, we brought home the most gorgeous Jack Russell puppy, who we decided to name Lexi.

She helps alleviate my stress and anxiety on those dark days

Lexi has been a hugely positive influence in my life. She’s a loyal companion who’s always there for me. When my wife is working and our children are at school, Lexi is the one who gets me through the days. Every day comes with its own challenges for me. My life is governed by my stroke fatigue, but Lexi gets me out of bed and walking.

Often, if we haven't been out, Lexi will still try to get me to move my legs by dropping a tennis ball at my feet, encouraging me to kick the ball so she can fetch it. She helps alleviate my stress and anxiety on those dark days and gives me confidence that things can get better. She also knows when I freeze up, so if I stay in the same position without moving my face or body, she starts barking at me.

She’s loved by everyone in the house, including my wife. When we got Lexi, my wife was adamant that she would strictly be a downstairs dog. Today, not only is Lexi allowed in the bedroom, but she spends most nights sleeping on our bed! And our children can’t stop kissing and tickling her.

My stroke has been challenging for everyone in our house, but Lexi has been the silver lining that comes with every cloud! She has brought immense joy to us all and is a reminder that light can come out of darkness.

Despite being adamant he didn’t want a dog, Gordon fell in love with Arthur at first sight

Although other people’s dogs didn’t bother me, I never planned to have my own. But my daughter wanted a dachshund, so I agreed to get one after a job change.

When my wife and daughter brought Arthur home as an eight-week-old pup, they immediately fell in love. With eyes to die for and a charming and bubbly personality, it took me just a few minutes to feel the exact same way about him.

We can’t imagine ever being without him

I was shocked at my sudden transformation. From sleeping inside my fleece to joining me on my motorcycle, Arthur came with me everywhere. He even started sleeping with us in bed! And the rest is history.

Five years on, Arthur still sleeps in my fleece and is as beautiful and stubborn as ever. We also have five dachshunds now, so he sparked a complete change in our lifestyle – and I love every second of it. We can’t imagine ever being without him.

Zoe’s dog Piker is the perfect mix of affectionate and mischievous!

Piker has a beautiful temperament and she’s extremely clever, even though she is still young. She is a firm part of our family now and loves being with us all the time – so much so that she follows us around constantly, and even waits patiently for you if you’re busy.

She is a firm part of our family

Something that makes her unique is her love of rain. We practically have to force her inside when it’s wet so she doesn’t get too cold! Piker is very agile and super speedy, so she loves jumping and vaulting over the back of our sofa.

She is a bundle of fun and mischievous in the best possible way. We’re always amused by her funny antics!