Dogs are a human's best friend. And that's never been more apparent than it has over the past two years. With their unconditional love and loyalty, and their waggy tails, they make an invaluable addition to the family.

But their cuteness isn't the only thing that makes them amazing animals. There are countless stories of how our pawsome friends continue to astound us with their survival skills, their determination and their dedication to us humans.

So to celebrate our furry companions, over the next two blogs we've compiled a list of some of the most awe-inspiring dog tales to brighten your year.

Enjoy!

4 of the Most InspiringDog Stories

1. Hero the Unbeatable Husky

   From zero to Hero! Back in 2017, during a forest walk in Huddinge in Sweden, a family made a discovery which led to our first story. No one will understand how a husky puppy could be abandoned, but when the pup was found, it could hardly breathe and its tail was covered in fly larvae nests.

   The family immediately took the puppy to an animal hospital in Danderyd - even though they had to perform resuscitation during the journey, and they didn't really know if he would survive. After amazing work by the hospital and Hundstallet (an animal sanctuary run by the Swedish Dog Protection Association) funds were raised to nurse and help the husky puppy back to life.

   Today, the puppy lives with his new family in Täby. When he was adopted by the Almgren-Borg family, he was very weak, he could hardly walk and had to be hand fed.

   Now, he is a strong determined husky, named Hero - after the mountain where he was found!

   

2. Max the Miracle Dog

   In 2006, Kerry Irving was seriously injured in a traffic accident and suffered chronic pain. He was unable to walk and was diagnosed with severe depression. But in 2008, his life changed when he adopted his Springer Spaniel Max.

   Max became a social media super star when his owner started posting regular photos and updates about how Max turned his life around with his companionship and unconditional love and support.

   During the pandemic, Kerry and Max broadcast their daily walks and antics around the Lakes in Cumbria, UK - and along with his 'brothers' Paddy and Harry, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world joined them virtually, providing them, too, with essential support and comfort during lockdown.

   Max became the world's virtual therapy dog and went on to make public appearances, visits to schools and helped raise around £300,000 for charities, including PDSA. He now even has royal connections, having met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace! He is also the first ever pet to receive a PDSA Order of Merit.

   Max not only helped his adopter Kerry Irving turn his life around, he also helped other people worldwide through incredibly dark times of isolation, grief, loneliness, anxiety and fear during lockdown.

   In recognition, this famous four-legged hero has been honoured with a bronze statue in his likeness, which sits on a bench in Hope Park in the Lake District so that all his fans for years to come can sit and have a cuddle with the loyal pooch.

   

3. Finlay makes the Guinness World Record Book

   We know dogs love to play with balls, but Finlay has taken this doggie game to a whole new level!

   Using his large mouth to his advantage, Finlay, with a little help from his human owner, Erin Molloy, held 6 tennis balls in his mouth at one time, setting a new Guinness World Record!

   Living in New York, this amazing Golden Retriever first showed his prowess back in 2017 but only recently got his paws on the world famous book of records.

   On his own Instagram (@finnyboymolloy) Finlay announced: "BIG NEWS! I can officially say that I am in the @guinnessworldrecords book for 2022! This of course wasn't easy, and certainly felt like forever and a day to accomplish! Thank you to all my friends and fans who have been following my tennis ball journey since the beginning".

   Well done Finlay!

   

4. Finn the Poster Dog who made Simon Cowell cry!

In 2016, Police dog handler Dave Wardell and his faithful German Shepherdwere attacked and stabbed. Finn almost died from the wounds to his head and chest. Their story captivated UK audiences, who became invested in the dog's recovery.

Wardell was at Finn's side throughout the repair of his life threatening injuries, even sleeping by his side. After 3 months, Finn was fit enough to return to duty but finally retired in April 2017.

However, this was not the last act for PC Wardell and Finn. After his recovery, and retirement from the police force, Finn became the "poster dog" for a campaign to bring about more severe laws in the UK to prosecute those who injure service animals such as dogs and police horses.

During the campaign, PC Wardell and Finn put in many personal appearances at events, awards shows and on television, including news channels and even appeared on ITV's Britain's Got Talent, reducing judge Simon Cowell to tears.

Significantly, their campaign has resulted in an amendment being made to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, making it harder for those who harm service animals to claim they were acting in self-defence. This is known as Finn's Law and this year, a subsequent campaign was successful in introducing an increased maximum sentence for cruelty to animals,from 6 months to 5 years.

But his notoriety doesn't end there! Finn is also an ambassador for The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, which supports both serving and retired police dogs.

It has been years since the attack on both Finn and PC Wardell, but that night has not been forgotten. "On 5 October every year, I wake up in a cold sweat at about 2am - that's when it happened,"says PC Wardell. "Finn is usually laying on the floor beside the bed and I reach out and touch him.

"He has always been my hero, and I honestly don't know what I would do without him there by my side. He's getting on in doggy years, but he still waits for me every time I come home from work; he refuses to believe he's getting older. He's happy, healthy, fit and strong - and he'd go back to work tomorrow, if he could."

That's it for Part One of our 'Inspiring Dog Stories' series!

Feel hungry for more? Keep an eye out for Part Two to see even more incredible stories about our four-legged friends - but make sure to bring your tissues!

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