For Hollie, Cooper is a happy reminder of the two years she spent travelling around Canada

Cooper is everything to us. He came into our lives when we were travelling in Canada and got stuck in a small prairie town during Covid. The lady who ran the local dump (it was so remote there was no bin service!) used to have at least 15 dogs, three cats and a horse. They would run around her farm property and none of them were neutered. So, naturally, when she offered us this little golden mutt (a Chihuahua Jack Russell type), we just said we’d make it work.

A few months later, our immigration fell through, and we had to leave the country. We were devastated. It was something we’d worked towards for so long and leaving was so hard. When we came back, Cooper was immediately our source of comfort and familiarity during a time of culture shock and grieving.

He came from such a specific part of our journey and now he is always with us to symbolise that. He helps us through sad times and knows exactly what to do to cheer us up. He’s the happiest dog of all time (people say it regularly!), so having him around is a blessing.

He has quite a strong set of adorable quirks too. He was born with a natural mohawk that never went away, which is always a great conversation starter with other dog owners. He also has the longest and loudest yawns known to man. For a tiny pup, he’s so full of life!

He’s the happiest dog of all time

He might only listen when there’s biscuits involved, but Abigail’s family wouldn’t be the same without Buddy!

Buddy is the heart of our family, and a lot more than a soft cuddly lump! Everybody loves Buddy! The grandparents always ask about him, friends always give him fuss and the neighbours always sneak him treats. You can't put your hands in your pockets without him thinking there might be a B word (biscuit) in there.

Buddy is the heart of our family

Buddy was a rescue and has been with us for three years now. He fit right in! He was the support we needed after losing our beloved family dog Tyson because Buddy knows exactly when you need a cuddle. Buddy has recently claimed some new decking for himself in the garden... we now call it Buddy's decking. It even has a sign to make sure everybody knows this!

Buddy loves to come running with me. We go all over town and make people smile. His tongue is so long it hits him in the face as he runs! He's the perfect running Buddy. I'd say Buddy's super power is his selective hearing because he responds better to biscuit or dinner than his own name.

Though Lesley-Anne is living with several health problems, her Cockapoo pup Binah always gives her a reason to smile

My Binah is a Cockapoo, a curly cuddle pup. She’s clever and quirky, and she loves meeting everyone and rambling everywhere. I have primary biliary cholangitis and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, so I ride a wheelchair and spend lots of time just resting. Binah always makes me smile.

We adore her, and she adores us

When we go out, she’s often the reason people want to speak with us. And when we’re at home, she brings her well-chewed toys to me to play fetch, catch and tug-of-war.

She seldom barks, though she occasionally gives a little squeak or baby ghost howl. She has the most beautiful eyes and big golden curls like Shirley Temple. She’s all love. We adore her, and she adores us.

Laura couldn’t wait to get her first dog, and as soon as she saw Buddy she knew it was meant to be.

Earlier this year my partner and I moved into our own home, and I couldn’t wait to rescue a furry friend to join us. I am a massive dog lover and was never allowed one as a child. We searched local dog homes for months to no avail, the dogs were always reserved. I was then informed about a charity which rescues street dogs from Cyprus. The first picture I saw on their Facebook page was Buddy! It was love at first sight – his eyes just capture your heart.

His eyes just capture your heart

When he arrived in the UK he was very nervous, but such a sweetie who just wanted to be loved. A few months down the line and I couldn’t imagine life without him! He is my best friend, making each day brighter. You would never know he had a hard start to life. He’s so friendly and gentle (he’s never even barked) and makes friends wherever he goes! He also loves going on adventures, especially the beach.

When Peter first brought him home, Ace was a little uncertain about life with his new family – but he soon settled right in.

We rescued Ace from a British-run dog home out in Cyprus. He was a street dog and had been found by a lovely Cypriot family, after being shot and left for dead by an unknown person. They took him to a vet who had to remove multiple pellets, and it was touch and go for a while. Luckily, he recovered well and they cared for him until he was fit and healthy. Then, they took him to the dog home so that he could find his forever family.

When Ace finally arrived in the UK, he was hungry, tired and scared after his long journey, but bribing him with some cooked chicken helped me to win him over! I brought him home and in the morning he met our two young children for the first time – and he was terrified. It took him a few days to venture out of his dog crate.

He now adores the children and his new home

After a month of being loved and treated like the prince that he is, Ace became braver and started going on walks with my wife and I when the kids were in bed. Almost two years on and he now adores the children and his new home with our family. We take him on lots of walks around the village, as well as further afield. He is a very loving and devoted dog, who likes nothing more than to snuggle on the sofa where he falls asleep instantly, snoring like a freight train!

He was named Ace by our eldest, who’s a six-year-old superhero fan. Apparently, in the original comics, Batman had a rescue dog named Ace! A perfect name for our perfect dog.

Sweet and funny Marley has come leaps and bounds since he was first adopted into Jo’s family

Marley is a rescue dog that we adopted around 10 months ago. When we adopted him, he was very underweight, dirty, scared and had visible wounds and cuts.

He’s now the sweetest, most affectionate and loving dog who adores cuddles, tummy rubs, playing games and snuggling up on the sofa with us. He’s also very gentle with my two children and lets them play with him, pick him up and cuddle him. He sits so well for a groom and brush, too!

He’s honestly the best, most loving dog we could have ever wished to adopt

Marley was starved when he was younger, so now he absolutely loves his food. He goes crazy at dinner time – howling, barking and jumping up and down like a kangaroo waiting to be fed. He loves his treats and barks in the corner of the kitchen where they’re kept whenever he’s hungry. It’s hilarious.

Marley also has a cheeky habit of jumping onto our kitchen table to try and steal some food. We have even found him on the worktop occasionally!

He loves his walks, too, and always likes to sniff stuff and follow cats. He’s honestly the best, most loving dog we could have ever wished to adopt.