With her appreciation for the finer things in life, Emily’s dog Indi is about as elegant as they come – until food’s involved

Indi is a Weimaraner who we rescued from a dogs’ home four years ago. It immediately became clear that she was a real lady, as she showed a preference for soft carpet and a tendency to sit with her front paws crossed.

We still can’t comprehend how she ended up in a home

She was initially incredibly wary of people and other dogs, but over the years she’s become increasingly social and now loves nothing better than a pack walk. She comes everywhere with us and adores the hospitality of local restaurants and pubs.

Her favourite is doggy tapas (her tastes are quite upmarket). But while she appears a true lady, she has the eating habits of an absolute pig and takes an ‘eat now and ask questions later’ approach.

Indi has brought an incredible amount of joy to our lives, and we still can’t comprehend how she ended up in a home. She is one in a million.

Emma fell in love with Crissy from the moment she rescued her in Spain, and she knew straight away she had to adopt her

I started volunteering in Spain at a rescue six years ago. One day, a skinny, 11-month-old Great Pyrenees cross was brought in.

Her previous family had mistreated her, and she was so scared. As we carried her into her kennel, she was clinging to us for dear life and trembling. I couldn't bear to leave her in there, so I took her into my cabin where I was staying.

She settled onto my bed but didn't take her eyes off me. I popped into the shower and, when I looked down, I realised that Crissy had climbed into the cubicle with me and was just sitting there, looking up at me. In that moment I knew I had to adopt her.

She’s a big dog, but so gentle

I brought her to the UK, and she's not left my side since then. At 50kg, she's a big dog, but so gentle. She is wonderful with children. She loves her food, so once she's back from a walk she talks to us until she gets her food. She loves smaller dogs and protects my partner’s little dog when we go for walks.

Since getting Crissy, I've ended up setting up my own rescue with a Dutch lady in Spain. We rehome dogs across Europe and this year alone we’ve found forever homes for 20 dogs in the UK. I’ve also rescued another dog, Timmy, who Crissy welcomed with open paws.

She's my best friend and has been a constant in my life. People say she's lucky to have me as I spoil her, but I'm the lucky one as she brings such love and happiness to our family.

Peanut the Pomeranian suffered from health issues due to his tiny size, but that hasn’t stopped him from keeping Julii on her toes with his antics

Peanut is a Pomeranian who was imported in early 2019, and seized at Dover as he was suspected of being underage and was very poorly, weighing just 0.7kg.

He went to Dogs Trust and received veterinary care, but his importer decided not to claim him, so he was put up for adoption. We went to meet him and decided to adopt him. But two days before I was due to collect him, he collapsed and was found having a seizure in his kennel.

He likes to practice Parkour whenever he sees a chance

He then spent several weeks at vets across Kent where he was tested for everything and finally diagnosed with Toy Dog hypoglycaemia. We fostered him and eventually signed the adoption papers in April 2019.

Peanut is tiny. He weighs 2.6kg, has a massive coat and likes to practice Parkour whenever he sees a chance. He’s already had to go to the emergency vets following a fall from a windowsill and a coffee table (twice!).

He is cheeky and a proper handful to train. He flies at the TV if they dare to put an animal on it and he is very high maintenance. But he is also very loving, he likes to be read a story (he tends to join in with his own comments!) and he has a wicked sense of humour. I can’t imagine life without him.

Diana wasn’t sure about dogs, but Ruby came into her life and changed that forever

We treat Ruby like she’s our third daughter.I’d never had a dog before and I was scared about getting one, but having Ruby has made me see that all dogs are absolutely lovely. She has always been a mummy’s girl, and she won’t go for a walk with anyone else. We go to France twice a year and Ruby has come with us every time. It’s a long day of travelling, but right she’s always good as gold.

She won’t go for a walk with anyone else

She is so affectionate and loves nothing more than cuddles on the sofa. If you’re sad, she will snuggle and kiss you even more. I am so pleased my husband and children talked me in to getting a dog, as Ruby has made the past ten years of my life the happiest yet.

Barna’s natural instinct was to protect Emily, and now he is a fully trained medical assistance dog, helping to giving her back her independence

Nearly three years ago, we brought Barna, a Hungarian Vizsla puppy, into our lives to be a loving pet and companion, yet he has proven to be so much more than that. I live with a serious and complex neurological condition that causes me to collapse regularly. I myself have no awareness of these onsets, and would often be injured or be admitted into hospital, but all that changed when Barna was six months old.

Changed my life for the better

We discovered that Barna could detect the minute changes in the pheromones my body released in the lead-up to a collapse. He would ‘alert’ me via a series of behaviours, including intense staring, refusal to do as asked and a single bark. These are my five-minute warnings, which gives me a chance to make myself safe. Realising Barna’s potential to detect an oncoming episode, we contacted the charity Medical Detection Dogs.

Nearly a year and a half later, we were given the amazing news that Barna is now a fully accredited Medical Alert Assistance dog. As a family, we can’t put into words how much both the charity and Barna have changed my life for the better. He is the first Hungarian Vizsla to be accredited as a medical alert assistance dog (as far as the charity is aware) in the UK, so he is flying the flag for all other breeds that may not be conventionally thought of as great assistance dogs.

Alex admires Luna not only for her empathy, but also for the way she takes life by the stronghold.

Luna is an amazing dog, who’s not only changed our lives, but has also bought joy to so many other people as well. She visits our local hospital and meets patients in the stroke unit.

She has an uncanny knack of knowing who needs her most, snuggling up to them and placing her head near their hands so they can pet her. Sometimes, she’ll even lie on the bed next to them. She manages to bring a smile to all of the patients’ faces.

An uncanny knack of knowing who needs her most

Luna is a typical Labrador who loves food and sleeping upside down on the sofa. Swimming is one of her favourite sports, followed closely by running through muddy puddles until she’s completely soaked! She’s a very laid back dog, nothing seems to faze her, even the arrival of a crazy black Labrador puppy into the family.

Luna takes it all in her stride, and is truly a joy to be around.