Jovie adores being cradled by her owner, Charlotte

Jovie is a rescue dog from Greece. We got her as a young pup at six months old and she’s been the greatest addition to our lives!

She adores children and can’t get enough cuddles from anyone who visits. Even though she’s a rescue, she’s the most laid back and affectionate dog and is completely unfazed by anything life has thrown at her. Jovie can even sense if you’re sad and will make you stroke her by pawing at your hand until you move.

She only gets grumpy is if I miss her snack

Her favourite place to be is in my arms, being held like a baby. She also loves to nuzzle into your neck (but she snores like a train, so I tend to lie her down next to me).

As the picture shows, she’s happiest when with me – her person. I work from home so she’s always with me. As long as I’m nearby, she’ll sleep with a smile on her face. In fact, the only time she gets grumpy is if I miss her 10:30 snack – no meeting is important enough that she should not have it, and our other dog Max helps her remind me, too!

Kirsty is incredibly grateful for Bruno’s infectious love for life

Bruno came to us at just four months old. He is so lively and happy, and nothing ever brings him down. We could never have anticipated how greathe would be for us, or how much he would help our mental health. It’s like he knows when we’re having a bad day and does everything he can to make us feel better.

We honestly can’t imagine life without him

Even though he is a big dog now, he still believes he can sit on our laps. We honestly can’t imagine life without him and it’s even more difficult to remember what it what like before him.

Bruno wants to play with every other dog he sees. His favourite places to walk are along the river or down the beach, though he isn’t a big fan of the sea. We share our love for him on his Instagram page. We just hope that if people are having a bad day, they stumble across his cute pictures and find a reason to smile again.

Samantha knew that Winnie the rescue dog would be a perfect addition to her family

We got Winnie as a companion for our autistic son. She was due to come home to us the week of the first lock down, and sadly the process ended up being delayed. We felt so sorry for her as it meant had to stay at the shelter for a little while longer. But, we kept our hopes up and as soon as the restrictions eased, we were told we could come and collect her.

We’re always here to protect her

At first, she was extremely shy and wouldn’t come near us, but we gave her space and over time she stared to realise just how much we love her. We’ve had to build up her confidence bit by bit and show her the joys of the big wide world – but also reassure her that we’re always here to protect her.

Winnie is now a loved member of our family, and is not only a true friend to our son Jake, but also a pal to our other pets. Jake loves her so much, and she’s been a huge help to him throughout these uncertain times.

Natalie has always wanted a dog, but Maia has brought her more happiness than she could have ever imagined.

We bought Maia because everything in our life was going so right, and the only thing that was missing was her! We went around and looked at a few litters, but nothing felt right until she climbed into our arms. I was never allowed pets growing up, so to have her in my life now is a love I never knew. She is so loving and loyal. Truly one of a kind, she loves to lie at one end of the room rolling the ball to me and enjoys laying on the sofa with her head in my lap.

One of a kind

She’s the best dog a person could ask for. She pulls us up on our down days and brings us higher on our good ones. A dog is the only thing in life that loves you more than itself.

Barney, affectionately known as Barney Bear, has been a restorative source of joy for Jacqueline

When my dad passed away in 2020, I thought I’d never smile again – he passed away from Covid and I couldn’t say goodbye to him.

Shortly after, we decided to get a puppy. My dad was a shepherd, and his Border Collie was called Barney, so I decided to call him Barney to keep Dad’s memory alive. This name soon became ‘Barney Bear’.

He’s my best friend and I smile every time I see his cute face!

Barney-Bear is a Shorkie, and to say he changed my life would be an understatement. He mended my broken heart and taught me how to smile again.

After being my dad’s full-time carer, I’ve found purpose in my life again. I’ve also taught Barney-Bear how to do lots of fun tricks. My personal favourite is his silent bark (he’ll bark silently on command if he gets a treat). He’s my best friend and I smile every time I see his cute face!

He saved me from a very dark place, and I love him dearly for it.

Sully is the most loyal of dogs and likes to accompany Paul everywhere – he won’t even eat a biscuit without him!

Deep down Sully is a big softie at heart, very loyal to my wife and I. He gets nervous when out and likes to cuddle his teddy – in fact, he is so attached to it that he’s been known to carry it around with him on his walks!

He loves to go fishing with me

We do walk together a lot, but he loves to go fishing with me. He goes mad when I catch a fish, watching my line until I bring it in. He sits there for hours with me. We also go to watch my daughter play football, and he’ll sit on my lap while the game is going on.

If my wife gives him a biscuit in the morning before going out, he won’t eat it until he has shown it to me when I come home in the afternoon. All it takes for us is to say to him ‘where’s the cat?’ and he’ll go up the garden barking like mad, even though there is no cat!