Since Rosie’s children have left home, Gimli has filled the gap they left with lots of laughs and constant support

Gimli is our sixth rehomed dog, and has been with us nearly five years. He's a joy. He loves humans and always invites them to tickle his ears. He also loves playing with the dogs he sees regularly on his walks.

His dedication to sniffing when he's outside always reminds us of a reader with a very good book. My husband now calls his walks ‘going to the library’.

Gimli stops us being empty nesters

Gimli’s my constant companion. When I fractured my femur last June, we had to wait 10.5 hours for an ambulance. For all that time, he sat quietly and supportively by my side, near the fracture. When the ambulance team came, he welcomed them and stood back quietly as they manoeuvred me onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.

Our children have flown the nest now to have their own lives (rightly so), but Gimli stops us being empty nesters. He fills the house with fun and welcomes all the affection we used to give the children with genial appreciation.

Sweet Lola truly gives meaning to the title ‘Man’s Best Friend’ for Gemma’s son

Lola is the best doggie – she’s always loving and loyal.

She’s always loving and loyal

We got her for our son who was struggling with Tourette’s syndrome, anxiety and depression, and she’s helped him more than she will ever know.

My son and Lola even share the same birthday, so they have a very special bond.

When Paula bought a miniature schnauzer for her daughter, she never expected to find out that ‘he’ was in fact a female dog – now known as Sadie

My daughter, Eve, had been on a campaign to get a dog since she was two years old. Every birthday or Christmas when we asked what she would like for a present, she always replied ‘a dog’.

At age 13, she said if we didn’t get one before she was 14 we could forget it as she’d get one when she left home. This made us realise that we had no good reason not to get one. So, for Christmas that year, we bought Eve a lead and dog bowl to show our commitment, and the day after Boxing Day we had a little mini schnauzer called Freddie.

She has us all wrapped around her little paw

After a few days, the breeder rang us to ask if we’d been to the vet (we had, and the vet said he hadn’t ‘dropped’ yet) and then asked for the puppy back as ‘he’ was a girl who someone wanted to breed from! Of course, now we were completely besotted with her so couldn’t part with her.

Sadie is small but mighty and makes her gentle presence felt – she has us all wrapped around her little paw. She makes us laugh, melts our hearts every day and has been the best thing we’ve ever done as a family.

Pebbles came into Ellie’s life while she was recovering from breast cancer – and she turned out to be exactly what she needed

I adopted Pebbles when she was 15 weeks old from a rescue centre. She’s a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with the sweetest face and waggy tail. I was recovering from breast cancer at the time, and still felt anxious after a year of treatment. She constantly made me laugh – she’d even walk around with my finger in her mouth, leading me round the room!

Pebbles has made me enjoy life again

Now, she brings me toys and wakes me up every morning with a kiss. She always tells me when she wants a cuddle. She’s just my best friend.

Pebbles has made me enjoy life again and look to the future. We love walks and trips to the pub or shops. I’ve also enrolled her on a scent detection course, and she’s been having so much fun doing it.

I think she actually rescued me, and I’m grateful every day for the happiness and love she provides. Her nickname is Starfish as she sleeps on her back with her legs out, like a starfish.

Zeus has been through so much himself that he knows just how to help Sandra through the dark times.

My boy is amazing. Three years ago, he went for routine op and sadly became very ill and near death. Through all the treatment he had, he survived and stayed loving, and now we have diagnosed a haemophiliac dog.

That dog has saved my life

His life has changed, but he's the most loving, happy dog. Every day, I wake up to him wagging his tail because he’s so pleased to see me. He has helped me during the worst times – I lost my brother during lockdown and also had a heart op, but that dog has saved my life.

The strength he has to be happy and to go through so much being so ill means I couldn't wish for a better dog. He’s my life. Bless him.

Kelly and Joey were a match made in heaven, and not just because of Kelly’s ready supply of tennis balls!

Joey found us, post lockdown #1. I placed an advert detailing the life we could offer a dog. Perhaps someone had over-dogged themselves during the pandemic and wanted to reconsider, but also wanted the best for their pooch. It turns out there was someone in that position and they contacted my ad and the stars aligned. Joey joined us in October 2020. He was six months old and a true working lab. He needed a job.

I have never known a dog love his tennis balls so much!

As we got to know his character, Joey’s true calling emerged: to save tennis balls at all costs. I have never known a dog love his tennis balls so much! If he’s not retrieving his own, he’s searching for those little rubber critters others he’s lost. We have a tub full of balls we never set out with!

He loves entertaining us as we seek out new routes to walk on the south coast. We’re very glad he found us. He’s a sensitive soul, brain always in overdrive (if not always engaged), loves his cuddles and is very handsome… but maybe I’m biased!