Owner Samantha speaks of how life is better and brighter with Koa in it!

Koa is my heart dog.

He’s never unhappy – always wagging his tail and smiling. In fact, he makes even the saddest days bright.

He makes even the saddest days bright

He’s definitely a mummy’s boy and follows me everywhere I go, while also being independent, majestic and incredibly goofy.

Lucy’s dog Dexter is so good at trouble-making, he actually became famous!

Dexter is a master of destruction. We’ve dubbed him with the nickname ‘Choppers McGee’, and his vet and the nurses call him ‘Dexter Naughty Pants’!

You may be wondering how he’s earnt himself this reputation. Well, at just 14 weeks old, he managed to eat the earpiece from our son’s headset and ended up in emergency surgery. It was about the size of a ring donut, so it’s quite incredible that he swallowed it in the first place. On that day, the CBBC crew from the TV show ‘Pet’s Factor’ happened to be filming. After hearing about Dexter’s antics, they decided to run a story on him – they even turned him into a cartoon character called ‘DJ Rex’!

They even turned him into a cartoon character

Regretfully, the experience hasn’t made him any more sensible. Watching his own exploits on the TV seems only to have motivated him further, and recently he tried upgrading to swallowing a pair of socks. Of course, it didn’t work and he soon returned them, covered in slobber. He seems to have developed a fondness for shoes in general, and now enjoys chewing flip flops as well as the occasional nibble on the garden hose.

He may be naughty, but Dexter is also incredibly smart, and has learnt to open the patio doors from both the inside and the outside. This doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll come indoors though when asked though – he’ll usually stay outside until we lure him in with a treat!

Dexter is a fabulous, goofy, one-of-a-kind dog who is a very much-loved addition to our family.

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!

Life isn’t always easy for Rachel, but Brewster does everything he can to make each day a little better

Brewster is a rescue dog, but I think he’s saved me just as much as I saved him. I have severe endometriosis which causes me a lot of pain and I can sometimes feel very low. Brewster has only lived with me for a short while, but we already have such a strong bond, and he's changed my life immeasurably.

He loves exploring outside and has learned how to walk nicely on his lead. I'm so proud of him. Keeping active is good for me too, and I can already feel my health and mood improving because of our daily adventures.

I can already feel my health and mood improving

Brewster is such a perceptive boy and can always tell if I'm having a difficult day. He loves to play and can be quite boisterous, but when I'm feeling low, he's so gentle and will just come and rest his head on my leg or put his front paw over my hand. He lives for cuddles and adores having his face stroked.

I work from home, and Brewster likes to lie on the floor and keep my feet warm – which is always very welcome on those wet and cold days! My dog has had such a huge impact on my life in such a short space of time. He's loving, friendly and fun and I feel like the luckiest dog mum in the world.

Leanne and her partner love their fluffy companion, Nova, who brightens up their lives with her adorable quirks.

Nova came into my life at a moment when I really needed something to give me a boost – and she sure did that! Her energy, playfulness and the love she gives my partner and I is second to none.

When she smiles and her tongue hangs out

She loves to go to the park so much that, even just a mention of it and she does a little hop and a skip, then runs off in search of her lead! In the evenings she does her ‘zoomies’, where she runs around in circles then jumps up onto the sofa and flips all the cushions off, which really makes us giggle.

My favourite thing about her is when she smiles and her tongue hangs out of the side of her mouth. I’ve yet to meet someone who isn’t taken in by Nova’s charms. Affectionate, caring, lovable and at times cheeky, she’s the best companion we could ever have and we absolutely adore her.

Mark’s dog Dobby has many quirky habits that bring his family endless joy

Dobby is a Whippet and Italian greyhound cross who always makes us laugh. He enjoys stealing people’s socks, running very fast around Chesterracecourse and pinching our toast, but what he loves most is climbing intothe basket of warm washing after it has been tumble dried.

He enjoys stealing people’s socks

He has made a real difference to our family life during the pandemic. My daughter has always wanted a dog and he has provided her so much comfort over the last six months, helping her to get out and exercise and stay positive. He can be a little over enthusiastic at times, but that’s just part of his charm.