My name is Riffat Abbas. We are four now in the home, my wife, my daughter and my son - Softy. We count Softy as a part of our family.

I left Pakistan for England over 30 years ago and I have worked as a teacher of Urdu and as a radio broadcaster in Bradford for many years.

My wife, who trained as a doctor, was paralysed down one side of her body after a severe stroke which left her in a coma for many weeks. We 'met' and fell in love after she phoned my radio programme and told me her story.

Quick to learn

Softy, my German Shepherd, is barely a year old. This breed is generally recognised to be obedient and quick to learn.

I am thinking about sending Softy to a special support dog training school. This would enable Softy to carry out simple household tasks for my wife.

Softy is trained to sit in his 'basket' when asked to do so

I need a dog for my wife. She can't work now as a doctor because she is paralysed on the left side. So the dog is very helpful to us.

I've lost many friends

However some people are less keen on my Softy.

I've lost so many of my friends, they don't like to visit me because I have a dog at home. I'm not bothered about it because I'm in love with the dog. Not only me but my wife, my daughter, we all love him.

He's like a family member. If you like to visit us with this family member you are most welcome, if you don't like we don't bother.

Keeping pets isn't something that Muslims generally do.

It's very unusual that Muslim people they keep a dog in the home. In the Muslim religion our prophet says you can't keep a dog but another saying is that you are a good human being if you love animals.

More loyal than human beings

I haven't seen any Muslim family that has a dog at home. And people they were always raising questions but I think if they will try it - dogs are more loyal than human beings and more loving than human beings.

Softy enjoys eating what the family are eating rather than dog food

My living room is fairly small and Softy is already quite a big dog. People often ask me why I doesn't keep Softy in a kennel in the garden - but we couldn't bear to be separated from our beloved Softy.

Every day, after school, my daughter rushes home to play with Softy.

Always my daughter used to ask me - 'I need a brother. I want to play with someone'.

So I was always thinking what to do. We bought a parrot and it just flew away.

So I thought a dog would be the most beautiful companion for my daughter and it's happening nowadays. Now she doesn't ask for a brother she says 'He's my brother'.