Luna has a quirky, strong-willed personality, but her owner Daisy completely adores her

Luna’s a rescue dog from Ireland, who we’ve had since she was just nine months old.

She’s loveable and calm natured, but also the strangest dog (in the best way) that you’ll ever meet.

Luna is very set in her ways

Luna is very set in her ways and doesn’t like anything outside of her usual routine. She won’t walk a different route and will lie down and refuse to move like a stroppy toddler! She likes her own seat on the sofa and waits for treats at the same spots on her walk. She really is the heartbeat of our family home.

By the time he was just three years old, Sonic had already had four different owners, but Rebecca and her husband were more than happy to become lucky number five

Sonic was a rescue dog. We adopted him in May 2019. We were told by the rescue centre that Sonic had a loving home as a puppy but, after the couple that owned him split up, he was left living on the streets.

He eventually went to a shelter and was adopted by a woman who gave him up after two months. He then was adopted by a family who gave him back after just a week. After that, he went to a foster home and, finally, he came to us.

My husband and I fell in love with him as soon as we saw his photo and read his story and, despite setting out to adopt a Labrador, we knew instantly that we needed Sonic in our lives. He was just three when he arrived, but we were his fifth home, so naturally it did take some time for him to settle in and trust us not to leave him again.

He still thinks he can sit on my knee as if he were a little chihuahua!

Sonic is a very sensitive boy. He was severely underweight when he came to us, but after lots of work he has gained some weight back. He still struggles with eating meals, but he does love tasty treats!

He follows us around the house and is only calm and content when he’s cuddled up on my lap. He’s a big boy, and he’s very boisterous and energetic, with zero awareness of how large he is. He still thinks he can sit on my knee as if he were a little Chihuahua!

He is very clumsy and cannot catch a treat in his mouth no matter how hard he tries. He loves being off the lead and runs for miles. He seems to have selective hearing when it comes to recall, but he always comes back eventually!

He is a million miles away from the calm Labrador that we originally set out to adopt, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our home is chaotic, but he fills our lives with so much love and we, in turn, adore him!

Ruth’s dog Lazlo has helped to bring her family even closer together

When Lazlo came into our life, we had not long adopted our children. He helped them to understand that we were their forever family.

A while later, when I temporarily lost sight in one eye, Lazlo was my loyal companion. He guided me until I was better, always looking out for me to make sure I was ok. He’s such a calming influence and adapts so well to any situation.

Lazlo was my loyal companion

He fits in perfectly with our family and looks after his furry companions as much as his human ones. He has two sister cats, Flossie and Raven, two house rabbits called Harley and Quinn, and this year, he even got a new sister puppy, Lyra.

Lazlo is so protective of us all that he can sometimes get quite ‘barky’ when anyone new approaches us. He may be a dog, but he’s got the heart of a lion!

Baz is completely besotted with rescue dog TJ, who never ceases to melt the hearts of everyone he meets

TJ was originally bred for racing, but he never made the grade. He was then put up for adoption and spent five months with another family. However, he wasn’t a forever pet for them and was soon returned to the rescue centre.

We were fortunate enough to adopt TJ in June 2022 when he was just over two years old. We knew we had a lovely pet, but he had a wonderful surprise in store for us.

In January 2023, I broke my hip and spent over a week in hospital having a full replacement. When I was taken home and put in bed, he got up on the bed (without any prompting), cuddled up to me as close as he could and put his paw firmly across my chest. It was as if he was saying, “You’re mine to look after now!” – and he has done so ever since.

It was at this stage that his true personality came to the light. This positive behaviour was nurtured and he’s now my emotional support dog! He looks after both me and my wife.

TJ is calm, gentle and extremely loving

I’m disabled and have several illnesses, but TJ instinctively knows how to respond perfectly every time. The biggest surprise is that he hasn’t needed any training – he’s just a natural.

TJ is calm, gentle and extremely loving. When we’re out on walks, he’s always checking on either me or my wife to make sure we’re all fine. He also walks calmly alongside my mobility scooter (and also enjoys running alongside me when I turn the speed up on a deserted track).

Once, he found me on the floor in the bedroom. I’d dropped something on the floor, and it had rolled under the bed. In an unusual, agitated state, he ran to my wife to alert her that I was in trouble. It was a false alarm, of course, but he didn’t know that.

As well as providing physical care, he’s also a tremendous help for my depression. He gives me the confidence to socialise (he’s a great talking point), and I’m always thrilled to see other people making a fuss of him.

Although emotional support dogs are not yet given the same rights as other assistance dogs in the UK, I have permission to take him to my GP's surgery, dentist, three different hospitals, restaurants, cafés, a number of shops, pubs and museums. The reception is much the same everywhere we go – people love him! Patients in hospital waiting rooms particularly love seeing him there.

I don't think he realises just how special he is, as everything he does comes so naturally to him. It’s all part of his beautiful, enormous personality.

Debbie couldn’t be without her gorgeous dog and best friend Bella

Bella is a seven-year-old Corgi crossed with a Sheltie. I have Borderline Personality Disorder, which means my moods can change at any given time. Bella senses when I am very low and will jump up and put her paw on my arm to comfort me.

Put her paw on my arm to comfort me

As my Emotional Support Dog, Bella goes everywhere with me and even helps me in the shops. She’s really smart – she always knows when it is time for breakfast, and will come out of the bedroom and head to her foodmat in preparation.

She loves going out in the car and also enjoys her walks, especially in the long grass. Bella is very good with wild animals and won't ever chase them. Her favourite place is the beach, as she likes to feel the sand between her paws. I have so much love for her, and I know she loves me too. I simply can't imagine life without her.

Patrizia and her sister may not know Bonnie’s history, but one thingthey are sure of is her wonderful personality

My twin sister and I already had two dogs in our family when we recently decided to foster another. She’s called Bonnie and she’s just seven months old. We got her from a charity called Underdog, who rescued her from Romania.

Loves making new friends

We don’t know her breed but whenever we go out people love to guess. Most seem to think she’s some sort of Husky, Lurcher and Terrier mix, but the jury’s still out on that one!

Bonnie has something of a sheepdog mentality, and always tries to herd other dogs together. She’s so sociable and loves making new friends. During the day she’s crazy and energetic, but as soon as it gets dark, she loves nothing more than crashing out and curling up on our laps.