Ever since Elaine adopted Cisco a couple of years ago, he has grown from a nervous rescue into a loving, playful dog

Cisco is an Ibizan Hound cross. He was in a rescue centre in Spain, where he was handed in by a hunter, and then he was moved here to the UK. He was very fearful to begin with, and he still often gets unsettled by people he doesn't know.

It has been an honour to build a bond with Cisco

It has been an honour to build a bond with Cisco and gain his trust over the two years since we adopted him. He loves cuddles and lying against us. His personality has blossomed, and he’s become a goofy character at times. He pads his paws on the spot when he’s excited and can appear like a cartoon character.

He still finds the world scary sometimes, but he has shown so much resilience. He’s also always been a gentle boy and never reacted in an aggressive way, even when he’s frightened.

When Paul wanted to change his lifestyle for the better, Harry was there to lend a paw

I work in IT, which means I have a very sedate life.After I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes a few years ago, I was encouraged to increase my daily activity. To help with this, we decided to get a dog, and so Harry the English Springer Spaniel bounded into our lives.

He’s becoming a very friendly pup

Socialisation has been a challenge, as we live in a rural location so Harry doesn’t get to see a lot of people on a daily basis. However, he’s becoming a very friendly pup. He’s never happier than when he’s outside, either exploring in the woods or being my gardening assistant. He especially likes to carry branches to the compost heap or dig out old fenceposts. We really couldn’t imagine life without him.

Pixie is the perfect companion for her owner Rebecca

Pixie is one of a kind.

She’s the best friend I could ask for

In fact, she’s more cat than dog. She loves nothing more than spending her days stretching out in the sunshine, relaxing or prowling around the garden. But, when it comes to bedtime, all she wants is a cuddle! She’s the best friend I could ask for.

When it comes to who’s in charge, Leigh is under no illusion that it’s her dog Chloe who rules the roost

Chloe lights up my day every day. When I come home from work she’s so happy to see me, it’s almost as though I’ve been gone for months. She’s a very clever dog, so we have to watch what we say around her – for example, she used to get so excited every time she heard us use the word ‘chicken’, we now have to refer to it as ‘cluck’!

A little ray of sunshine

One of her favourite things to do is chase the wildlife living in the garden – that is, when she isn’t playing with her extensive collection of toys. She adores her little stuffed bear, which she’s had since she was tiny. Chloe also loves to snuggle, so every night at around 7pm, she’ll sit and nudge her blanket until you move it onto the sofa for her to cosy up under!

I couldn’t imagine my life without my beautiful dog – she is truly a little ray of sunshine and joy. Even though she’s nearly nine years old now, she’s still a lively little puppy at heart.

Even though he’s just a puppy, Teddy has already had a hugely positive impact on Jean’s mental health

Teddy is one of three pups my Chihuahua, Pip, gave birth to, which is why the two of us have such a close bond. One of the pups unfortunately died, but him and his brother both thrived and got lots of care from their mum.

Seeing him grow has really helped with my anxiety and other mental health issues, from the first time he opened his eyes to his first burst of personality and the many times he’s made me feel better.

Teddy is three quarters Chihuahua and a quarter Yorkie, which explains his great personality! He has explosive zoomies around the house and garden, he likes to show off how ‘buff’ he can be to other dogs, and he barks at his brother whenever he has a bone.

Teddy loves playing and he’s loved almost every single toy or game he’s ever been introduced to. But the game he loves the most is being chased by his brother. Even though his legs are small, he can run super fast!

Overall, Ted’s really improved my wellbeing, as I’m always happy to go home and see him and receive his little kisses. It’s like he understands my bad days and good days.

I’m always happy to go home and see him

Luna has returned joy and exercise to the lives of Sasha and partner

We adopted Luna as a puppy from our local Dogs Trust in June 2021. She has completely changed our world for the better. My partner suffers with PTSD and having Luna in our lives has made the dark days bright. She gives us purpose, companionship, a reason to do more physical activity and of course, lots of laughter.

She’s made the dark days bright

Luna enjoys most things, but she especially loves swimming and playing football. On her walks she will always collect any plastic bottles she finds and carries them home to be put in the recycling bin.

She's so full of character and does a great job at an eye roll if you’re saying something uninteresting!