HELPER: Inka empties the washing machine watched by owner Sue McCarthy

Even if your dog is far from being a show stopper like Crufts supreme champion Coco, the Norfolk terrier, you obviously want your pet to lead a healthy life, which is why it makes sense to think about insurance.

Research by Saga shows that 41% of the sixm dogs owned in the UK are crossbreeds. But only 15% of these are insured even though treatment costs for crossbreeds can be just as high as those for pedigree pets. Saga pet insurance starts at around £8 a month.

If you are fortunate enough to own a pedigree dog you should expect to pay more for cover. Petplan, the country's leading pet insurer, charges from £17 a month rising to £23.50 for extras such as £1,000 payment for a lost or stolen animal.

Most dogs can be insured up to their eighth birthday, but owners of some obscure breeds may find it difficult to get cover for dogs from six years of age and some animals, such as Pit Bulls, are likely to be refused outright. However, once a policy is in force it usually runs for the life of the dog.

To some less fortunate people, dogs are more than a best friend. They provide an essential lifeline.

Wheelchair user Sue McCarthy was at a very low ebb after divorce left her trying to reorganise her life alone. She had so much difficulty dressing and undressing that she often slept fully-clothed. Many other simple tasks, such as picking up items from the floor, took a huge effort. 'I was in a big black hole and there was no-way I could see a light,' says Sue.

Then, thanks to the charity Dogs for the Disabled, along came specially trained golden retriever Inka.

As well as helping Sue dress and undress, Inka helps with the shopping, unloading the washing machine and tumble dryer and she can pick up things as small as a postage stamp or as big as a broom. Sue says: 'With Inka by my side, no mountain is too high, no challenge too great.'

The charity trains up to 30 dogs a year and has been established since 1986 when bone cancer sufferer Frances Hay found that her dog, Kim, could carry out tasks that she was unable to do. Communications director Sarah Watson says: 'The dogs are trained with a toolbox of skills that can then be adapted to suit the individual's particular needs.'

Although it costs the charity up to £18,000 to train a dog, the users pay just £1 from the outset. The dogs are visited regularly and usually stay with the owner until the age of 12 depending on their health.

Owners pay between just £5 and £10 a month in general upkeep for the animal because all food is supplied by a benefactor and the cost of insurance is covered by the charity.

Contact information:
Dogs for the Disabled: 08700 776 600