Flossie never leaves Hannah’s side, even on her wedding day and honeymoon!

My dog Flossie is my fur baby. She comes absolutely everywhere with me and my husband, including our wedding six months ago. Flossie was the guest of honour and made our day even more special.

We also took her on our honeymoon to the Lake District, where we had lots of fun adventures together, from climbing hills to riding a steam train.

She was the guest of honour at our wedding

Flossie’s favourite thing in the world is socks – she will sneak upstairs and have a good rummage through the washing pile until she finds one. She then proceeds to bury her sock treasure in any blanket or cushion she can find. If you leave a sock somewhere, it’s fair game!

Flossie recently celebrated her fourth birthday. The above photo is from her annual birthday photoshoot. There are more photos of Flossie in our phones than anything else – I’m sure all dog owners can relate!

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.

A true one-of-a-kind dog, Kin has changed Robert’s life for the better

This amazing, cheeky girl has brought so much joy to my life.

Kin is unique because she’s the very first and only Japanese Akita Inu in the UK to be actively working as a seizure alert dog.

Where there had been danger and darkness in my life due to epileptic seizures, Kin has brought safety and light. Warning me of an impending seizure, this beautiful girl has revolutionised my life – allowing me time to put myself in a place of safety and looking after me while I’m unconscious.

It’s difficult to put into words what Kin means to me

Just this week, I was having an unpleasant and painful medical procedure in hospital, and Kin was by my side throughout. She could detect that the pain was inducing a seizure, and she gave her warning signals, which I alerted the medical staff to. They heeded my instructions and Kin’s warnings, and they halted the procedure, which brought me back from the brink of having a seizure.

It’s difficult to put into words what Kin means to me, other than she is my absolute world! I love her so much.

Lilly is affectionate and easy to love, and she’s changed Joy’s life for the better

I re-homed Lilly three months ago from a breeder, and to me, she’s simply the best.

I was feeling quite lonely as I now live by myself, but she brings me so much joy every day.

She brings me so much joy

She always wants lots of tickles and strokes, and she walks really well when we go out with my mobility scooter. We have plenty of funny moments together and it makes me laugh so much when she barks to have the fan on her.

Lilly is also perfectly calm – until she sees any delivery men!

Because of her, I’m no longer lonely.

Millie’s confidence has grown considerably since Dawn rescued her, and now she’s even supporting the newest addition to the family – another rescue dog called Basil

We rescued Millie from Bosnia in June 2020. She was a poor frightened girl who had never been in a house or had any love, and she was destined for the kill shelter.

We had to house train her, give her space, build up her trust with us and teach her to walk with a harness. After six months and lots of memorable moments, she finally blossomed into the most loving, loyal and happy dog.

She brings joy to our lives every day. We walk on the beach and go to nature reserves, coffee shops and cafés. Everyone knows her and she even has her own Facebook page with her brother Basil, who we adopted from Budapest six months after Millie.

She dug up a WWII bomb in our garden

Millie has been Basil’s mentor. He had been badly abused and she has taught him to play and trust other dogs and humans. She puts her paw on his head when he’s anxious and wraps her front legs around him when he’s scared.

Since coming into our lives, Millie has gone swimming in our pond with the fish (who were not impressed). She has dug up a WWII bomb in our garden which resulted in the bomb disposal unit being called out. She has caught a blackbird in her mouth without hurting it, and now they are best of friends. She has rearranged the garden, dug up plants, buried our shoes and climbed the trees to steal bird food.

When we go on holidays together, Millie and Basil come with us, even when we are playing in our band. Our world is a much better place with them in it.

Mary’s loveable dogs, Pippy and Mollie, have helped her to get through lockdown

I had to shield during lockdown, and I found it really hard. Without the love and care l got from Pippy, l don't think l would have made it through.She made me laugh with her funny antics, cuddled me all night and checked up on me during the day.

Basically a real-life Scooby Doo

Pippy is hilarious and obsessed with food. Not a day goes by when she doesn’t steal a spoonful of my porridge in the morning! She also loves playing with her ball and is basically a real-life Scooby Doo. If my other dog Mollie loses her ball, Pippy usually finds it and points to it with her nose so Mollie knows where it is, but sometimes, Pippy will just steal it andrun away.

The past twelve months have been so tough, but with my dogs by my side, I’ve got through it all.