As Lynn and her family settle into a new life, Winnie has been helping them socialise more

We adopted Winnie after she was rescued for crying at nine weeks old. She’s a very funny and outgoing dog who thinks she’s a celebrity and expects everyone who walks past her to acknowledge how pretty she is (or she will make a strange noise at them!). She also hates getting her feet wet and prefers to sleep under a duvet.

She has made a very positive difference in our lives

Winnie helped us to get out every day and meet other dog walkers and villagers, who have now become firm friends – and many of the elderly residents now carry dog biscuits in their pockets in case they see her. She has made a very positive difference in our lives and helped us settle into our new chapter in the North East, where we didn’t know anyone.

Rosie makes every day brighter for Jane and her family

Rosie, who was born on the summer solstice, lights up the room without saying a word. She’s at her happiest when she’s running along the beach chasing the birds, though she never actually catches any. Rosie loves to skip over rocks and never slips, no matter how much seaweed there is.

She’s ginger, fluffy and loyal

She’s ginger, fluffy and loyal, and our whole family absolutely adores her. All of us have a picture of her saved as our screensaver, and she’s definitely the favourite family member. She’s taught us love, loyalty and trust and that’s something we will always be grateful for.

Jo and her dog Treacle had plenty of time to bond on their adventure through Europe

Treacle was found abandoned in the Bulgarian ski resort we were working at last winter. She was only about two months old, and not in the best condition. We took her in and nursed her back to health until she was strong enough to go outside and play in the snow. She grew into a happy, cheeky puppy who loved to spend time with us.

When the first lockdown happened, we were stuck in Bulgaria and couldn’t get home, so we found work on a campsite nearby. Treacle adored having us around all the time, and spent her days going on long walks and playing with the other dogs on the site.

She’s a major hit with all the guests

After a while, we managed to get a new job with a caravan park in the UK, and drove all the way through Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany and France with Treacle sleeping in the backseat. She was so well-behaved, charming every border control team we encountered and even waiting patiently when our van broke down.

Now we’re back in England, and Treacle loves her new countryside life. She likes to sit outside on the decking of our caravan and watch the world go by, or join us for a ride around the site in a golf buggy. She’s a major hit with all the guests too, and always manages to wrangle a treat out of them!

From her clumsy nature to her friendship with the family kitten, Wulfwynn has brought endless joy, love and laughter to Em’s life

Wulfwynn enhances the lives of myself, my husband and our young son with her affection and antics. As an Irish Wolfhound, she is completely unaware of her size, and clumsiness is definitely the order of the day. She trips over her own legs, bumps into things, and insists on trying to sit on our laps, despite being far taller than I am on her hind legs, let alone our son!

She can be a bit of a mess too, always emerging from the woods covered in leaves and twigs! However, all this awkwardness disappears when she reaches the ferns on the edge of the woods during our daily walks. Then, she flies like a bird, leaping and bounding through the undergrowth – a thing of beauty and elegance.

She insists on trying to sit on our laps, despite being far taller than I am on her hind legs

She is particularly funny with our Bengal kitten. They are definitely partners in crime. Montmorency the kitten knocks things off the piano so that Wulfwynn can chew them! They chase each other round the garden, play-fight (Montmorency giving as good as he gets), and then curl up together.

One morning, when Montmorency was still a tiny kitten, and Wulfwynn was already coming into her full size, we came down to find that we had accidentally shut both animals in the kitchen together overnight. Wulfwynn was lying on the hard floor, looking aggrieved, while the kitten was sprawled luxuriously on the huge dog bed, looking smug with satisfaction! Such joy, such love, and so many laughs!

This year is sure to down in history because of the coronavirus outbreak. But for Lucinda, it will always be the year she welcomed Dudley into the family.

We have owned two Golden Retrievers over the last 30 years, but sadly our last beautiful boy died in November. For the first time in all these years, we were faced with a home with no dog – and the loss hit us hard.

Slowly the conversations began: should we think about getting a puppy? We agreed that it wouldn’t be a good idea and yet we started looking at puppies online. Before we knew it, we were suddenly puppy owners again. You think you could never love the same way again, but the first time we met Dudley, it was pure love.

29 February 2020 was D-day – Dudley day. And home he came. He was a beautiful, brave, bundle of fluff. For the next few weeks, he started to meet the extended family – including Rory, our beautiful grandchild, and Cooper his new doggy bestie. We had just established a routine when things changed.

We were isolated but not alone

Coronavirus and lockdown became the new reality. There we were isolated. No more family, cuddles with the children, eating together, laughing together, being together. We were isolated but not alone.

Amidst the surreal, there was Dudley. Beautiful, innocent, wide-eyed Dudley. Dudley who is growing bigger and bolder every day and who believes he rules the roost. In truth, he probably does!

We chose Dudley because there was a connection, we couldn’t say what at the time, but now we think we know. It feels like he was coming to us for reason. None of us knew what was to come and somehow, he came to fill the void. This year will be defined in history by the coronavirus, but for us, it will be defined by the year Dudley came to save us.

Jovie adores being cradled by her owner, Charlotte

Jovie is a rescue dog from Greece. We got her as a young pup at six months old and she’s been the greatest addition to our lives!

She adores children and can’t get enough cuddles from anyone who visits. Even though she’s a rescue, she’s the most laid back and affectionate dog and is completely unfazed by anything life has thrown at her. Jovie can even sense if you’re sad and will make you stroke her by pawing at your hand until you move.

She only gets grumpy is if I miss her snack

Her favourite place to be is in my arms, being held like a baby. She also loves to nuzzle into your neck (but she snores like a train, so I tend to lie her down next to me).

As the picture shows, she’s happiest when with me – her person. I work from home so she’s always with me. As long as I’m nearby, she’ll sleep with a smile on her face. In fact, the only time she gets grumpy is if I miss her 10:30 snack – no meeting is important enough that she should not have it, and our other dog Max helps her remind me, too!