Not only does Ruby help with Amanda’s anxiety, but she also brings endless fun and laughter into her life

I suffer from anxiety and Ruby has helped enormously. Stroking her always makes things feel better.

She may be 12 now, but she still loves to play games

But more than that, she makes me laugh every day. We have conversations and she copies my tone of voice. She may be 12 now, but she still loves to play games and tease me.

She gets incredibly excited if we play ‘round and round the garden’ when she’s lying on her back – and I swear she laughs when we get to ‘tickle you under there’!

When you’re feeling blue, having someone to listen to you can make the world of difference. And for Claire and her husband, Shylow is always all ears.

Shylow is the most ‘human’ dog! He has guided my husband through a very dark period of depression and listens to his every word. He sat beside my husband, tilting his head, listening to every word and rambles back. Shylow understands everything we say to him and my husband and the dog share their own howling conversations. Shylow is our motivation to get up and get outdoors.

Watching him live his best life with us has enabled us to live ours with him

He brings toys to play with and tells us exactly what he wants. Shylow enjoys the finer things in life like freshly cooked sausages – or a packet of beef hula hoops! He is very well-behaved, and watching him live his best life with us has enabled us to live ours with him.

Alfie doesn’t often enjoy doing what he’s told, but luckily Karen loves him unconditionally anyway

Alfie is a very quirky boy! He prefers to do the opposite of all other dogs. He hides under the table the moment you get his harness out. He doesn't play fetch – he’ll run for the ball, but there’s no chance you’ll get it back until he's eaten it!

He prefers to do the opposite of all other dogs

He doesn't like meals. He will do NOTHING for a treat. He rips up all his beds, preferring a bean bag or the floor. He won't give his paw, sit, lie or recall. And he loved escaping until we built our own Fort Knox!

He drinks from dirty puddles, water features, or anything other than his bowl – unless he's desperate. He's a typical terrier: full of character, spirited and an anarchist. But we love him dearly.

Sally can’t resist Barney’s cuteness – she’s just got to hope that everyone else feels the same way!

My Cavapoo Barney is such a huge part of my life. During all the lockdown periods, he has always been the one who cheers me up, makes me laugh and most importantly, doesn't judge me for my questionable fashion choices!

He is a very sensitive dog and reacts to my moods, especially if I’m feeling down. When he can sense that I’m upset, he’ll comfort me by cuddling up for a snuggle.

He can sense that I’m upset

Barney is very cute, but he knows it, and so he’s always trying to wrangle an extra treat or two. This would be fine if it was just from me, but he has been known to creep up behind strangers in the park because he can smell treats in their pockets. We try to be strict with him, but we’re yet to succeed with that.

Aprille, her husband and their dog Ella love exploring the British countryside together

Ella came into our lives when our friends decided to breed their Labrador Sam. We love mountain climbing and long walks in the Suffolk countryside, and they convinced us that we needed a dog to share those experiences with.

Ella’s favourite place to walk is the Lake District

They were certainly right. Ella’s favourite place to walk is the Lake District,and we’ve been fortunate enough to spend many hours hiking the Cumbrian Mountains. She loves collecting rocks and sticks to carry on her adventures, even if they’re half the size of her! We think she must be part-seal, because she’s so dedicated, she often dives underwater to seek out her treasures

She has been our best friend during this troublesome year, and we never go far without her. Ella has even given us the inspiration to write blogs about our walks and take pictures of the many glorious sunsets we catch along the way. It will be a lovely way for us to look back on our adventurestogether.

It’s all aboard for Claire and her sailing buddy Fynn, who has a tendency to make his co-sailors a little seasick…

Fynn is our sailing buddy. As a Labrador, he delights in all forms of water!

He splashes through the waves

Since he was a puppy he has come on board with us on our dinghy, and has always enjoyed every moment of it. We love his company as he splashes through the waves, trying his hardest to catch flotsam and jetsam and make other water users smile.

His company is somewhat less enjoyable in our canoe due to his excited dashes from side to side in order to look over into the water. He is indeed a water dog through and through, and a sail would not be the same without him!