Ruby’s such a cheerful dog that she recently won a tail-wagging award at Lesley’s local street party

Bouncy, curious and mischievous, Ruby is a little red Patterdale Terrier who loves other dogs and children and is always ready to play and have fun. She’s a great swimmer, too, and loves to ride on my children's boogie and paddle boards (before launching herself into the sea to catch her floating fish toy!).

She loves everyone and everything

Despite facing some stiff competition from some very happy dogs at our annual street party, Ruby won ‘waggiest tail’ and has her first place rosette pinned above her bed. Sadly, she failed to win the ‘best child handler’ because she stopped, greeted and licked every single person watching, one by one! She loves everyone and everything.

Whether she’s comforting them or making them laugh, Luna has been a lifeline for Denise and her husband

We adopted Luna from a rescue centre soon after lockdown. She’s been my husband’s saviour as he suffered heart failure after contracting Covid and will never be fully well again, either physically or mentally. Luna seems to know when to give extra love and she sits with him to comfort him. She keeps me sane too, as I can get out for walks with her and chat to other dog owners.

She is such a sweetie and loves nothing better than rolling on her back wherever she fancies. This can be on the carpet indoors, outside in the sunshine, on the grass, on the beach or most recently in the snow. Sometimes she has a naughty day and will roll in mud, or worse!

She’s also really lazy and will easily sleep for 10-12 hours at night, which we don’t mind at all. Her latest thing is demanding a head massage by thrusting her head into my lap and then she closes her eyes in bliss!

Every day she amazes, astounds and brings us such joy, which is a bonus as she came with a list of behavioural issues that have all disappeared. She travels well and we’ve taken her 500 miles to Scotland on holiday where she loves the forests, beaches and the self-catering cottage we rent. We couldn’t hope for a better companion.

We couldn’t hope for a better companion

Though Vanessa was told Milo might not make it to his next birthday, she’s still helping him live his life to the fullest three years on

At almost two years old, Milo was diagnosed with a grade six heart murmur and wonky valves, so he was taking medication to slow the swelling when I fostered him. I was told there was a possibility that his heart could burst before reaching his fourth birthday.

Every day is a special one with Milo

Every day is a special one with Milo. With regular heart medication and check-ups, he’s still living his best life at the wonderful age of seven. He attends lots of greyhound and pet awareness events, and his fantastic nature has even helped a few hounds to find their forever sofas, too.

Emma’s brain condition makes everyday tasks difficult, but Luna always helps her out when she needs it

I’ve had Luna since she was eight weeks old. Even though she’s been a crazy one from the start, she’s also been a godsend for me. I have a brain condition that affects me daily, and it also means I struggle with my back. I have more bad days than good, and Luna has noticed this as she has got older.

She’s been a godsend for me

I think because I’m the only one who walks and feeds her, we have a very strong bond. If she sees me struggling to get up when I’m in pain, she’ll come and grab the cuff of whatever I'm wearing and pull me up. If I'm having to walk slow when we’re out, she’ll walk slowly by my side.

Sometimes if I'm having a bad moment of sleepiness and have to lean on something, Luna will come over and nudge me from behind or appear beneath me and stand up to help me up. I know when she’s just being a playful pup, but I can also tell when she’s being genuinely caring and trying to help me.

From her garden patrols to her endless games of fetch, Daisy has always been a light in Fiona’s life

Daisy is a typical Jack Russell, or not so! She’s half human, or more. We have had her since a tiny pup with a squished nose resembling a guinea pig, only smaller. She has grown into the most enchanting, loving dog, who’s very much part of our family.

She loves tummy rubs, ‘special biscuits’ aka treats, and sleeping on our bed (she hardly moves but occasionally creeps up for a cuddle). She patrols our garden with aplomb, chasing pigeons and crows away and protecting our hedgehogs so gently. Rats? Well, she routes them out fearlessly and fast and brings her catch into the house with great pride.

She has grown into the most enchanting, loving dog

Daisy is an absolute darling. She is hyper intelligent and knows many words, including the obvious ‘walkies’, as well as ‘greenhouse’, ‘summerhouse’ and ‘orange ball’. The orange ball is a practice soft cricket ball that’s her absolute favourite and she fetches it endlessly, until I'm exhausted and she's still going!

Sadly, she's developed a heart murmur, so exercise is now a little restricted and she sleeps a lot. We hope to get her a Jack Russell puppy next spring. She is so friendly with other dogs, and I think it would be a real bonus in her life and might very slightly help our grieving when she passes. Daisy is simply the best!

Through helping her dog Tara to come out of her shell, Sharon has learned how important it is to look after herself

Three years ago, I decided to adopt a rescue dog. Fate led me to a forlorn little puppy who had been saved from a life of cruelty – her name was Tara.

It was a bumpy start. She was totally terrified and barely moved, having been mute the whole 12-hour car journey home. But with time, a lot of patience and unconditional love from me and my two gentle cats, she started to come out of her shell. She took two weeks to bark and it was months before she could sleep on her own, but slowly, her confidence grew and her beautiful fun, cuddly character emerged. She still prefers other animals to humans, but if you give her the time to get to know you, gaining her love and affection is a feeling like no other.

Together, we’ll walk through life

Adopting Tara has changed my life. I have Type 1 diabetes, which brings with it a realm of challenges. By focusing on protecting this vulnerable little pup and working to make her happy, I was distracted from my own dark thoughts. Through her I met fantastic new people in my area and got out and about, spending my days walking in nature instead of hiding at home.

Now we are a team and together, we’ll walk through life, looking out for each other and helping each other to grow. We are both the perfect example of how much good comes from accepting imperfection, and celebrating differences.