Amy was always unsure about getting a dog until Drift was born right next door

We had deliberated for years over getting a dog. Was it the right time? Were the children the right age? Would our cats cope? What kind of dog would suit our lifestyle?

We keep wondering why we never had a dog before

Then a litter of Dalmatian puppies was born on the farm next door and the time was right. And... Dalmation puppies... NEXT DOOR! Drift joined our family in December as our first ever dog and it’s like he has always been here. We keep wondering why we never had a dog before.

He has been a joy to train, and we are so proud of the calm and confident young dog he is becoming. Evenings are spent blissfully entangled with spotty limbs on the sofa, and we can't wait for a summer of adventures with him in our camper van.

Bramble was mistreated as a pup, but Vivienne’s family have given her as much love and care as possible since rescuing her

When we fostered Bramble 11 years ago, she was very frightened and shut down from her treatment at a puppy farm. She wouldn’t walk past me if I had boots on and would drop her head if you tried to pet her.

She’s so precious to us

I couldn’t get her to sit with me for months, so I arranged some cuddle time for a few days, and she eventually found her way back for more. And getting a kiss from her is rare, but she enjoys receiving them.

She’s so precious to us. It’s clear that Bramble has learned a lot from the way she’s now being treated, but we’ve learnt so much more from the love she gives back.

Carole adores her cheeky chappy Norman, even if he does have a habit of going walkabout.

As a pup, Norman was a bit of an escapologist. He managed to escape out of the house and run off round the corner. He got into a garden and went in through an open back door. He was discovered by the homeowner when he heard a noise, turned around and found Norman sitting watching tv with him and his family!

Norman was a bit of an escapologist

Another time, he managed to squeeze under our garden fence and make his way into our neighbour’s house… where he was eventually found in her upstairs bedroom.

Rosemary took Daisy Mae in when she was left without an owner, and in return she’s helped her heal from the loss of her previous dog

Daisy Mae lost her owner a few months ago. He had dementia, so she’s now overweight due to overfeeding and lack of exercise. Her owner’s son found me through a rescue centre, and she came straight to me.

She's a failed foster, as I'm adopting her!

She's been through a lot, but she has a lovely temperament and is ever so good. She's my fourth dog, as my last furbaby died nearly two years ago from serious heart disease, which left me heartbroken. But Daisy Mae has mended my heart and brought me such joy.

She's a great companion, and she’s a Staffy, so she’s full of happy wags and lots of kisses and smiles. I live on my own, so she also helps with any feelings of loneliness. And now, she's a failed foster, as I'm adopting her!

Kurtis is always there to keep Stephanie calm, taking her out and about for some fresh air and making her laugh with his dancing!

When I first found Kurtis, I was struggling through a very difficult time in my life. I was depressed and battling anxiety, which left me spiralling and unsure what to do.

Little Terrier with the biggest heart

My boyfriend and I had moved into our first home together, with a garden perfect for a small dog. Having grown up with dogs around me, it felt incomplete without one. After a lengthy search for the right breed and a rigorous adoption process, we drove the 11-hour round-trip to collect Kurtis from his former owners who no longer wanted him. We worked hard on his confidence, obedience and toilet training, and fell in love with his personality – a cheeky, lovely little Terrier with the biggest heart.

Kurtis kept me company on my long commute and became an amazing office dog. When my anxiety attacks come along, he sits on my lap and licks my face, so that I have to calm down and cuddle him. He gives me a reason to get out and about and get fresh air so that I don’t wallow.

Kurtis loves to cuddle on the sofa, but he also loves to dance. He will stand on his hind legs and tap dance for attention, and trot around with his oinky toy pig! He loves to sunbathe and will sit right on your head if it happens to be in a sunny spot. We take him on all of our adventures, and he checks out dog-friendly spots wherever we go!

Elissa’s dog Wookie may be small but, she’s bursting with energy!

Our little Yorkie, Wookie, is the light of our lives. Neither of us had ever had a small dog before, and she has been amazing since the day she came home. Wookie is bold, intelligent, and will walk miles whatever the weather. Even as a tiny, eight-week-old ball of fluff, she immediately wanted to play with our three big cats.

Wookie is truly indefatigable

She will happily wade through the mud or jump into cold water for a swim.Once, she tried to climb a tree to go after a squirrel, and she’s even chased a Muntjac deer – although what she thought would happen if she caught it, I don't know!

Wookie truly is indefatigable. I remember when we went to Mortimer Forest for the day. We walked 11 miles, and when we got home Wookie immediately picked up her ball and wanted to play!

She fills our hearts with happiness every day, and there is nothing better than rambling through the woods with her, watching her sniff, explore andrummage through the hedgerows. It was such a joy to be able to include her in our wedding, back in 2001. She was our ring bearer, and she stole the hearts of everyone there.