He's not kept a diary for decades but here, in Dog Days, Andrew Cotter draws inspiration from the great Samuel Pepys; like him, he bears witness to the extraordinary everyday as the world tilts on its axis in our own unsettling era. And so, with Olive and Mabel at his side - actually, dawdling in the long grass or sleeping upside down - Andrew takes a clear-eyed, often hilarious walk through a year that encompasses all of life from the crushingly mundane to the decidedly odd.

One winter's afternoon, Stephen Foster walks into a dog re-homing center with the intention of picking up a retired greyhound. Instead, he acquires an abandoned lurcher pup. Foster's knowledge of dogs is so vague that he has to look up 'lurcher' in key reference work The Giant Book of the Dog, to find out what sort of animal is coming to join the family. His research counts for little: the new arrival does not conform to any known breed standard, or indeed any standard whatsoever that might be considered dog-normal.

A social history of Labradors and how they have become the world's most beloved dogs, by writer, presenter and longtime dog lover Ben Fogle, whose beloved black Labrador, Inca, famously accompanied him on numerous journeys and adventures. Labradors are the most popular breed of dog in the world. Not only great family companions, they also excel at hunting, tracking, retrieving, guiding and rescuing.

Ex-policeman Colin Butcher had just set up his own pet detective agency. It was running smoothly, but he realised he needed a partner. And that's when inspiration struck.... Enter Molly, an unloved and unwanted cocker spaniel rescued from a classifieds website. Clever and charismatic, she melts Colin's heart, and the two are soon inseparable. 

Suffering from severe neck and back injuries, Kerry was unemployed and housebound, struggling with depression and even thoughts of suicide. He went from cycling over 600 miles a month to becoming a prisoner in his own home. In the face of unbearable pain and overwhelming panic, he persevered, and along the way, met an adorable yard dog named Max. This is their remarkable, inspiring story.

Two's a Crowd When You've Been Top Dog. In this riotously funny book, Stephen Foster picks up where Walking Ollie left off. Instead of one difficult dog, he's got two. Where Ollie sees a threat, Dylan sees a challenge - and Foster finds himself forever somewhere in the middle, trying to work out why they can't just all be friends.

Matt Baker's first ever book is a diary of the natural year and a glimpse into family life on the farm, peppered with moments from his TV career throughout. Away from the bright lights of hosting our favourite television programmes, Countryfile, The One Show, Blue Peter and many more, Matt Baker is happiest on the farm with his family, dogs, array of sheep, Mediterranean miniature donkeys and a whole host of wildlife in the farm's ancient woodland.

My Name'5 Doddie is a humbling, courageous and very funny celebration of a remarkable man. The extraordinary, life-affirming autobiography of Doddie Weir is an absolute must-listen – rugby fan or not. Rugby legend and MND campaigner Doddie Weir has always lived life to the full. On the pitch, Doddie's irresistible talent took him to the heart of every team he graced and brought him 61 caps for Scotland. He won fans all over the world with his sportsmanship, humour and boundless energy. Then, in June 2017, Doddie made the announcement that he had been diagnosed with MND. 

Clare Balding grew up in a rather unusual household. As her father is a champion trainer, she shared her life with more than 100 thoroughbred racehorses, mares, foals, and ponies, as well as an ever-present pack of boxers and lurchers. As a toddler she would happily ride the legendary Mill Reef and take breakfast with the Queen. She and her younger brother came very low down the pecking order. Left to their own devices, they had to learn life’s toughest lessons through the animals, and through their adventures in the stables.

When Monty Don's golden retriever, Nigel, became the surprise star of BBC's Gardeners' World, inspiring huge interest, fan mail and even his own social media accounts, Monty Don wanted to explore what makes us connect with animals quite so deeply. In many respects Nigel is a very ordinary dog - charming, handsome and obedient, as so many are. He is also a much loved family pet. He is also a star. By telling Nigel's story, Monty relates his relationships with other special dogs in his life in a memoir of his dogs past and very much present.

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night cleaner shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Ever since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat over thirty years ago, keeping busy has helped her cope. One night she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium who sees everything, but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Libby Clegg is one of the UK's most popular, recognisable and respected Paralympic athletes, having won 10 major gold medals, including two at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. As a sprinter who has only peripheral vision in her left eye, Libby runs with a guide runner while wearing a blindfold and, in 2021, she will defend her 100m and 200m titles at the Tokyo Paralympics. 

Bobbie the Wonder dog crossed more than 2,500 miles of plains, desert and mountains to find his way home - and became the inspiration for Lassie. Cher Ami the pigeon, despite being shot twice, delivered a message that saved the lives of 194 soldiers in 1918. Trakr the police dog spent two days exhaustively searching Ground Zero and found the last survivor of the 9/11 attacks. Ever since Alexander the Great named a city after the horse who saved his life in battle (and another after his dog), human history wouldn't be the same without the awe-inspiring tales of amazing animals.

Happy dog. Happy owner. A dog with behavioural issues is an unhappy dog. And likely has an unhappy owner. But the good news is that, at heart, every dog is a good dog. Every dog wants to behave well for you and make you happy, but whether they're being diverted by fear, stress or uncertainty, something is stopping them. Enter: the Dogfather. Having worked with more than 5,000 dogs - from Great Danes to Chihuahuas and everything in between - he has seen every behavioural issue going, whether it’s aggression, house destruction, refusal to obey commands or extreme anxiety. 

When 30-year-old Dean Nicholson set off from Scotland to cycle around the world, his aim was to learn as much as he could about our troubled planet. But he hadn't bargained on the lessons he'd learn from his unlikely companion. Three months after leaving home, on a remote road in the mountains between Montenegro and Bosnia, he came across an abandoned kitten. Something about the piercing eyes and plaintive meowing of the bedraggled little cat proved irresistible.