From the moment Deborah adopted him, Pepe the Chihuahua has slotted perfectly into her life – and her handbag!

Pepe is a joy. I was living alone before I got him, and it was just a bit lonely. It had been a couple of years since my previous dog had passed away, and I had been on the fence about whether to get another dog. If I did, I knew it would have to be the right one.

He is the sweetest, friendliest and quietest dog I’ve known

In the end, picking Pepe was a bit of a whirlwind. I adopted him from a family who had other big dogs where Pepe (as a Chihuahua) was getting trampled. Unlike many Chihuahuas, he is the sweetest, friendliest and quietest dog I’ve known. He’s happy to meet everyone, children and adults alike, and he’s always curious about other dogs – if a little nervous around the bouncy ones. I don’t blame him!

He’s fitted into my life perfectly. He’ll hop in a bag and come into the shops with me, chill out in the office at work, travel on adventures with me in the campervan, and sleep while I’m working from home. It sounds cliché, but he literally gives me a reason to smile every single day, and I just hope he feels the same.

When Paula bought a miniature schnauzer for her daughter, she never expected to find out that ‘he’ was in fact a female dog – now known as Sadie

My daughter, Eve, had been on a campaign to get a dog since she was two years old. Every birthday or Christmas when we asked what she would like for a present, she always replied ‘a dog’.

At age 13, she said if we didn’t get one before she was 14 we could forget it as she’d get one when she left home. This made us realise that we had no good reason not to get one. So, for Christmas that year, we bought Eve a lead and dog bowl to show our commitment, and the day after Boxing Day we had a little mini schnauzer called Freddie.

She has us all wrapped around her little paw

After a few days, the breeder rang us to ask if we’d been to the vet (we had, and the vet said he hadn’t ‘dropped’ yet) and then asked for the puppy back as ‘he’ was a girl who someone wanted to breed from! Of course, now we were completely besotted with her so couldn’t part with her.

Sadie is small but mighty and makes her gentle presence felt – she has us all wrapped around her little paw. She makes us laugh, melts our hearts every day and has been the best thing we’ve ever done as a family.

Before she was rescued, Miri’s weight was severely affecting her health, but that all changed with a little TLC from Jean

Rescue dog Miri is a Miniature Dachshund, who belied that title when she came to me two years ago through Dachshund Rescue UK. Weighing in at a whopping 12.5kg, she was anything but miniature in stature. She could barely walk, her chest and belly were dragging on the ground, she couldn't lift her head up high, and her breathing was under strain.

She’s living proof that change can happen, with the right love and care

Skip forward two years and Miri is a svelte 5.1kg. As her size has diminished, her confidence has just grown and grown. She adores cuddles and attention, which she laps up from the residents when I visit my mum in her care home, bringing a huge smile to the faces of those who indulge her.

At the hockey club, she has become the club mascot, and a real inspiration for those who have followed her journey. She’s living proof that change can happen, with the right love and care

Christine is so proud of gentle Milly, who goes above and beyond for her fellow pets

Milly is so loving and friendly. I suffer with depression and she seems to know when I’m not feeling good and will come and put her head on my lap. She is also a real hero because she has donated blood to the pet blood bank on a regular basis since she was two years old – in September just gone she made her 16th donation!

She has donated blood since she was two

She loves holidays by the beach with her other half, Daisy, and she has lots of friends that come to our house for play days. She acts all brave when she thinks she has to, but in reality, she’s a big sissy and wouldn’t hurt a fly. Milly always greets people with one of her toys, although she does do a submissive wee wee at the same time, so I have to tell them to watch their feet! She also loves to swim in any water she comes across on our walks and likes to get very muddy, running through all the puddles.

From helping her care for her children to supporting her through relationship breakdowns, Taz has been Lacey’s rock for 12 years

I bought my Border Collie Taz just after my eldest son was born. He was just eight weeks old, and a bundle of trouble! I was suffering with anxiety and depression, and my partner at the time worked nights which left me alone with a new baby. From day one, Taz just seemed to know that I needed him. He would go and look round the house when I got worried and lie quietly by my side when I had panic attacks.

As a ‘teen’ Taz became a handful. He was so cheeky, and very overprotective of me. We ended up going to obedience and agility classes which taught him how to be a helpful member of the household, while also bringing me out of my shell and allowing me to find myself again.

He has been my only constant for 12 years

Over the years, he has helped look after me through four pregnancies. He learnt to help me up from the floor when I was too big to do it myself. When my babies were born, he would fetch wet wipes and toys. He was my rock through a divorce and a very nasty breakup, and even though he isn’t a big fan of hugs, when I’m upset he lets me cry into his fur. He has been my only constant for 12 years.

We have a cup of tea together every morning (he loves a decaf with oat milk in his very own mug), and he sleeps on the end of my bed. He is slowing down now, and we have a new puppy, Bruce, who Taz is training up ready for his retirement years. Taz is my dog of a lifetime, and I can honestly say I don't think I would be here without him.

Sarah’s family adores Jeffrey – a small dog that’s made a big impact!

Jeffrey, our beloved Miniature Schnauzer, became part of our family as a companion to our teenage son.

At the time, our son was lonely and missing his siblings (who being eight years older had already left home). He was also sad after being bullied for several months at school.

Our son took great joy in training Jeffrey to do all sorts of tricks, as well as taking care of him and taking him for walks. Jeffrey was his loyal companion, waiting at the foot of the stairs by the front door all day when he left for school and squealing and leaping with delight when he returned home. This built our son’s confidence and helped him to make new friends.

He loves nothing more than everyone coming home

Our son has left home now, and since he can’t keep a dog in rental accommodation, Jeffrey is looked after by us parents. He follows me around, takes us for a walk every day and when our son returns, he’s beside himself with joy! He’s loyal to the whole family and loves nothing more than everyone coming home.

Jeffrey keeps us active and his favourite place to go for a walk is the beach near where we live. He also loves walks in the forest, parks and the local area, and he enjoys saying hello to everyone! He used to play fetch with a ball, but since he’s lost most of his teeth, he can only do that with very soft toys now. He’s extremely friendly and has a great personality. He’s curious, inquisitive, adventurous and enjoys a good cuddle with a tummy and neck rub!

Family life is complete with Jeffrey.