Georgina’s dog Sprocket has oodles of energy, and that’s exactly why she loves him so much

Sprocket is the best thing to ever have happened to our family. His endearing quirks never fail to put a smile on our faces. For instance, he always runs with his legs so straight he looks like a cartoon, and in the evening, he huffs and puffs very loudly before dramatically opening his pen, just to let us know he wants to go to bed.

He can sometimes be a bit of a diva

He’s a tiny bundle of energy and always ready to play. I wouldn’t say he’s spoilt, but he is well-loved and so always enjoys – and expects – a cuddle or two in our bed. He can sometimes be bit of a diva, and we often find ourselves having to pause the TV because he’s making a racket by digging around or barking because he wants to go out.

None of this really matters though, because our little pup is such a sweetheart. We love him for all of his funny habits and his adorable personality.

Not only has Freud supported Maria with her own mental health, but he’s now doing the same thing for her psychotherapy clients

I got Freud whilst studying to become a psychotherapist – we were studying Freud at the time. I have bipolar, so from a very young age Freud would support me if I felt low or had a panic attack by snuggling into me. He’s now a registered emotional support dog and comes with me when I see clients from ages 5-18 years old.

He’s a registered emotional support dog

Freud is half Pomeranian and half Chihuahua. He’s full of energy, but also knows when to be calm and cuddly. He loves other people, children and animals and lives with his bunny rabbit brother and sister, Brody and Brienne, who are free to roam my house 24/7. Freud loves them and is really gentle with them, but he does pinch their broccoli in the morning.

Freud loves to come kayaking with us and is a little poser in front of the camera. He has posed for local college students and was amazing at it. Freud has made such a positive impact on my life and now he's doing the same thing for my clients. I can't imagine life without him – he's a little star.

Sox’s funny quirks and boundless energy are an endless source of joy for Georgia and her family

Sox is such a positive influence in my family’s life. He’s a quirky little dog who manages to make friends with any species, whether that be dogs, people or highland cattle! He is best friends with some highland cattle calves, who always vocalise when they want to see him.

He is best friends with some highland cattle calves

Often Sox will bring his toys out around the house, but then refuses to give them up, turning it into a game of chase. He also likes to climb up onto his dad after his dinner, nip his earlobe after giving him tons of kisses, and then fall onto his back for cuddles as shown in his photo. Plus, he loves to cuddle and play about with his 14-year-old Collie-Lab brother, Max, who’s sometimes a bit grumpy with him.

Sox has this thing about crawling along the floor using one of his back legs to propel him forwards – he’s been doing this since we got him back in 2016! He’s a Lakeland Terrier crossed with a Jack Russell Terrier so he’s a bundle of energy and full of character. But we wouldn’t have him any other way.

Though Sarah struggled to socialise Austin during lockdown, that’s never stopped him from wanting to be everyone’s best friend

Austin came into our lives two years after I lost my heart dog, Freedom, to heart failure. I was apprehensive about getting another dog, but the house felt empty without one. So, we decided to change breed to a Lhasa Apso and found a wonderful breeder.

Austin was a lockdown puppy, so we struggled to socialise him. But we tried to get out to as many car boots as possible. As a result, he now knows what ‘car boot’ means and often sits behind the car on Saturday mornings barking to go out!

He may be tiny, but he’s made a huge impression on us!

He loves people. If someone is following us up the road on his walk, he has to stop and wait for them to say hi. His favourite people are children and elderly women – preferably on mobility scooters! The sound of the motor gets him really excited, and he likes to sit on their step.

He is such a character and will definitely tell you when he’s not happy about something. But all he wants to do is play, cuddle and meet his adoring public. He also loves camping in our trailer tent, where he’ll sit outside for hours watching the world go by and trying to attract people over for fusses.

His best friends in the whole world are our pair of guinea pigs, Mousse and Hamilton. He likes sharing their grass biscuits, getting in their cage and napping with them. He may be tiny, but Austin has made a huge impression on us!

When Bill and his wife were ready to start a new chapter, Rocco made it his mission to make sure it was full of fun

My wife and I were approaching our fifties and had decided it was the perfect time to get a dog. After a lot of research, we found Rocco. He looks like a Labrador who has the white spots of a Springer plus the tail of a Husky – and the energy of all three!

Bump the chair with his bottom

We’ve become a lot more mobile thanks to Rocco and his antics. If I’m relaxing in my recliner and he wants to play, Rocco will walk past and bump the chair with his bottom. He won’t stop until I give him attention! If, for some reason, we haven’t given Rocco enough of a walk, he’ll start going crazy at about 10pm to let us know he needs some more exercise. He’ll even grab his toys and dismantle his bed to get your attention.

Our fifties are full of activity and adventure, and it’s all thanks to Rocco.

Lily’s love for life has helped Kathryn’s children to get outside and stay positive

Lily is a fun-loving English Springer Spaniel. She is obsessed with tennis balls and loves to swim!

Her boundless energy and love for the outdoors is helping my four teenagers to get through lockdown. She gives them something to do each day and gets them out of the house and into the fresh air.

She keeps our whole household smiling

One of her favourite pastimes is chasing my 19-year-old son as he skateboards around the park. Lily is truly bonkers and a best friend to all of my children. She keeps our whole household smiling through even the darkest days.