Lily may be getting on, but Tamsin thinks she’s still as charming and cheeky as can be

Lily is 12 years old, yet she still steals any food she can get her paws on! She’s a bit lumpy and bumpy, and distinctly grey around the edges.

When Lily wakes up, her face often takes a while to return to normal after being squished by the side of her favourite chair, but most of all, she’s my 85-year-old mum’s best friend.

She’s my 85-year-old mum’s best friend

They’re both a little unsteady on their feet (and they’re on more medicines than you can imagine), but they love cuddles and cups of tea.

This picture is from one of her previous visits to the vet after breaking into a bag of dog food (she had no regrets!).

Max has brought Natalie’s whole family together, even helping to boost her daughter’s confidence

After many years of saying ‘One day we will get a dog’ and looking at everyone else getting puppies, we researched and looked and Max came into our lives at 15 weeks old in June 2021. He has brought the family together for walks and makes us smile. He’s very laid back and chilled, except when there is a cat walking across the garden. The way he trots, it’s almost like he’s a show pony!

The way he trots, it’s almost like he’s a show pony!

My youngest daughter often finds new situations stressful and can clam up, but Max is able to give her the confidence to try, and always reassures her that it’s OK. He has fitted into our lives and even enjoys a caravan holiday. But even though he enjoys exploring new places, he is just as happy being with us all.

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.

Daisy has given her owner Bridget a new lease of life, and even helped her to make a new friend or two

Daisy came to us when we were just retired. We used to have a dog when our children were small and I was at home with them, so we knew how much joy they could bring to our lives.

Taking Daisy out for walks has helped us to meet lots of new people. She gets walked twice daily, which forces us to keep active and enjoy some fresh air every day, even when it’s cold and wet.

Helped us to meet lots of new people

Now our grandchildren are going to universities across the country and our children are busy working, we don’t see so much of them. Daisy fills this void and gives us lots of cuddles and love. She loves riding in cars, especially our Morris 1000! She also makes us laugh endlessly. It’s hard to imagine how we managed for all those years without a dog.

For Katie and her wife, Otis has been the perfect distraction from the stress of their demanding hospital jobs

We bought our cockapoo, Otis, home in October 2020. My wife and I both work in hospitals – she’s a doctor and I’m a hospital manager. Our jobs are stressful, and they’ve been made even more stressful by COVID, but every single day Otis has made us laugh, filled our house with love and kept us entertained with his funny little personality.

We simply can’t imagine our life without him

His favourite place to be is up on our shoulders – he would spend all day up there if he could. We think perhaps he is a cockatoo not a cockapoo.

He is such a gorgeous boy, he has us wrapped around his little paw and we simply can’t imagine our life without him. He loves everyone and is never happier than when there is a house full of people to give him fuss and attention.

At the grand old age of 10, Joey has shown owner Julie that he’s strong, resilient and a real fighter

A few months ago, Joey collapsed and lost the use of his back legs. The vet said it was a stroke and that it was time to say goodbye.

His determination and zest for life is a lesson and a tonic

Joey, however, had other plans. After a few days, he began to move his back legs again. Then, after a week, he was weight bearing, which is quite a task for a 36kg Greyhound. Now, he can freely run and play.

His determination and zest for life is a lesson and a tonic for me every single day. He brings such happiness to our lives.