As Deborah’s husband recovers from a life-changing injury, Sky has been helping him learn to walk again

Sky was a rescue puppy who found us when times were very low.

My husband and I are keen mountain climbers and we love the outdoors, but he sustained an ankle and leg injury that stopped him walking.

Each day, we’re going further together

Sky has been by his side throughout his recovery, and she has been his push towards walking again. Each day, we’re going further together. She is our magic mountain dog.

Nymeria has been through a lot, but Tabitha is in constant awe of how she takes everything in her stride

I’ve had Nym since she was just a puppy, and since then she has remained closely by my side. When she was younger, I taught her lots of tricks such as rolling, walking on her hind legs and pirouetting. She has got me through many tough times with her calm demeanour and cosy cuddles.

She very quickly grasped how to live with her blindness

In early 2020, Nym went suddenly and completely blind. She started running into things and became much more nervous. Fortunately, she’s a sweet and trusting dog, so she very quickly grasped how to live with her blindness, learning new words such as ‘careful’ and ‘step’. Now she’s used to navigating using her sense of smell and hearing and has even memorised the layout of the house as well as our regular walking routes, so she can get around with confidence.

I love my dog just as much now as the day I got her. I wouldn't change her for the world.

Billy was a scaredy cat when he first met his owner Rachel, but now he’s gone through a complete transformation

We rescued Billy when he was seven months old and were already his third owners.

Due to being kept in a cage, he smelled pretty bad when we first met him. But now, he’s gone from being frightened of everything (even the wind!) to being a lovely, funny and confident little boy who brings us great pleasure.

Who needs slippers?

He’s such a clever little thing and he’s a delight to train. In fact, he can do lots of tricks! I love nothing more than settling down for the evening with him lying on my feet, because who needs slippers?

This picture is one of my favourites. Here, he’s just had a good brushing and his ears are full of static!

After helping Jacquelyn grieve the loss of her previous dog, Willow has become a very special part of her life

When I lost my last dog at 13 years old, I thought that my broken heart couldn’t be mended, but then Willow came along and filled it with love and joy.

Willow came along and filled my life with love and joy

She is bonkers but kind, gentle and loves everyone. She has helped many people and other dogs overcome their fear of big dogs, particularly German Shepherds. She’s a great ambassador for larger breeds, and she’s also my best friend.

Unfortunately, she thinks she’s a lap dog! She has no concept of personal space – but I wouldn’t change it for a second.

Jon loves nothing more than fossil hunting with his furry companions, Poppy and Sam

Poppy and Sam are my beach-walking adventure buddies. We live in rural Somerset on the Jurassic Coast and go for walks daily, for both fitness and fun. I’m a keen photographer and amateur fossil hunter (as well as a professional psychiatric nurse).

My beach-walking adventure buddies

Poppy is a great fan of muddy, wet walks and they both love to run around Bristol Channel Beach, playing in rock pools and waiting for me to turn over rocks to see what we find. It’s great fun chasing eels through rock pools, though we’re yet to actually catch one.

Poppy is good at picking up small, flat stones for me – she once even brought me a small ammonite fossil! In the photo, you can see both of them with a 197-million-year-old Ichthyosaur fossil we found while playing on Stolford Beach.

Whether Mishka is stealing clothes or making people smile, she always brightens Samantha’s day

Mishka is my beautiful seven-year-old British Timber Dog. She was the world's naughtiest puppy and managed to destroy three sofas and hundreds of socks in her younger days, but it just made her all the more adorable.

Mishka brings a smile to everyone

Unfortunately, she’s been unwell over the past few years, but she’s still the sweetest, most affectionate girl. Mishka brings a smile to everyone and is adored by her family. When we’re out and about she manages to make friends with strangers, who always seem happy to be greeted with such a cute bundle of fluff.

This last year has been tough for us all, and we’re so proud of the way Mishka has helped people to smile through even the most challenging of times.