When Dawn adopted her rescue dog Katsi, Rapha was great at helping her adjust to life in a happy home

My Rapha is a very well-behaved Cockapoo. He’s also my therapist who has helped me through the toughest times!

Fifteen months ago, I decided to rescue my other dog, Katsi. She’d been chained up and had three pups with her, who are all also in good homes now. I saw the advert on Facebook but wasn’t interested in the pups, as Rapha was already six and it’s a big age gap! I knew he would be better with an adult dog, and long story short, he welcomed her with open paws, even though she was terrified at first. Now, they’re besties and share my bed with mutual respect for each other.

Rapha is kind even though he’s been attacked several times. The last time was nasty, as both dogs were on lead and the other owner got dragged over to us – she couldn’t stop her very large dog! Now, he’s understandably cautious of other dogs when he’s on his lead, so he growls a little. Off lead, there’s no problem. He’s just a friendly, loving little boy who loves life.

He’s just a friendly, loving little boy who loves life

I love walking and so do Rapha and Katsi. We often go on walking holidays together. Rapha loves a café or pub on our walks. He’ll drag me in if he thinks it’s time for a snack. At home, when I’ve been out, he runs up to greet me with a shoe, toy or even his bed in his mouth as a gift and he wiggles so much. He’ll panic if he can’t find something to give me!

He’s loving, caring, and a loyal best friend to both me and Katsi. He’s definitely shown her how to be a pet and how to play. We’re working on trust still, but we’re getting there. She trusts him, me and a handful of other people. She also looks to him for guidance as he’s a great role model.

He doesn’t like to wear a coat when it’s wet and will sit and refuse to move until it’s removed. In lockdown, my daughter started making dog accessories to fill the time, and he was the model! He really is a first-class dog in every way.

Even when the sun isn’t shining, life seems a little brighter when Julia sees Mango clowning around.

Mango has made life in lockdown so much more enjoyable. She loves playing in the garden and is a very fast runner! When there is hot weather, Mango loves jumping around in the water from the hose. She also loves playing with ice cubes filled with treats.

She has been such a loving companion while we work from home

We love her cute snoring and clown-like behaviour. She has been such a loving companion while we work from home. She loves nothing more than playing with other dogs, her food (which she munches down in seconds!) and playing with squeaky toys. We love you Mango – you might be a bit of a clown, but we wouldn’t change a thing!

With Spirit by her side, Joleen can live life to the full and make the most of every day

Spirit came to me as a rescue dog. She was very troubled with behavioural issues, but that hasn’t stopped her from massively improving my life for the better.

I have suffered with depression, anxiety and panic attacks, but training and rehabilitating Spirit has given me something to focus on. It’s forced me to get up every morning on days when I’ve wanted to stay in bed and hide from the world. Together, we have built up a successful dog walking business and now I’ve gained qualifications, I can even help other people with their dogs.

Rehabilitating Spirit has given me something to focus on

As Spirit is getting older and her mobility is failing, we are now doing Mantrailing, which involves training dogs to find missing people. She’s shown me such love and devotion over the years,and I’d be lost without her.

After joining Julie’s family during the pandemic, Amber has quickly adapted to their active lifestyle, offering endless cuddles and support

Amber joined our family in May 2020, just after the first Covid-19 lockdown. She made our Sprocker very happy as we had lost her previous companion in February. She had been a farm dog with two previous owners and she had never had a collar or been walked on a lead, so she was a little barrel on legs!

She has been a godsend to our family

She soon adapted to our active lifestyle, enjoying Canicross, hiking, canoeing and camping. Although she is not a trained therapy dog, she has been a godsend to our family – always there for a cuddle, looking out for us and keeping us happy all the time.

Her favourite things are sleeping in the full washing basket and lying upside down for belly rubs. She also forms the Canicross dream team with my youngest son and they have a magical bond.

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.

Alexandra knew that getting a dog might help her, but she could never have predicted how much joy and companionship Freddie would offer

Freddie has saved me. I suffer with anxiety and panic attacks, which got particularly bad last year. I knew getting a dog wouldn’t ‘fix’ me but I also knew that for some people, having a dog can be a source of comfort.

It’s safe to say Freddie has been my saviour – he truly lights up my world every single day. He’s got such a big personality that everyone always comments on how ‘human’ he is.

Freddie has been my saviour

Freddie likes to chat, so he’ll howl at me whenever I talk to him. Every morning and every time I come home after being out, he makes this cute little growl – I’m sure it’s his way of telling me he loves me.