Staffys were officially crowned the UK's favourite dog breed following a TeamDogs poll this summer - and it’s easy to see why the lovable bulldozers are so popular.
The misunderstood breed can get a poor media reputation, but owners of this wonderful breed know what they’re really like - attention-loving, bed-hogging, food-gobbling babies.
Time and time again this big-hearted breed have hit the headlines and made people smile, cry and laugh.
From driving tractors in tutus to dramatic transformations - here are six times beloved Staffys have captured hearts in 2021.
Just a dog driving a tractor in a tutu
Zoe, a Staffordshire bull terrier cross German shepherd, is a superbly talented pup, and can do anything from skateboarding to surfing.
But one of her most impressive tricks has to be riding a tractor at her owner, Brian Reichelt’s plant nursery in Queensland, Australia.
In the clip, Zoe - known as Zoe the Wonderdog - is seen wearing a pink tutu and a pair of sunglasses as she drives the small tractor slowly along the path.
Her hind legs are planted on the seat of the tractor with her paws on the steering wheel, and she even seems to look around to check the coast is clear for her trailer full of veggies.
Must… catch… car
Hayley Legge had taken her Staffy, Diesel, to Harlech Beach, near Porthmadog, Wales, for a run around when she got tired of throwing his ball in a game of fetch.
In a video shared to the Staffies UK Facebook page, Hayley put Diesel’s ball in the back of a remote controlled car before zooming it across the sand with the eight-year-old dog chasing after it.
In the video Hayley and her partner Adam can be heard giggling at the dog behind the camera as he runs after the Traxxas Unlimited Desert Racer, which retails at around £700.
One commenter dubbed the idea ‘genius’, with another adding: “That’s got to be the best way to walk a dog, ever.”
But dad… the Christmas tree is fine?
Two Staffordshire bull terriers were left in the dog house after wreaking havoc in their home while their owners were out - but left the Christmas tree 100% in tact.
Nia, two, and her 10-month-old puppy sister, Nala, had been trusted with being left out of their crates while owners Antonio and Ana Maria Costea were out working.
And when they came home, they quickly realised it had been a mistake, with masses of stuffing and straw strewn around the house.
In the clip, Nia excitedly greets her owners at the door, almost as if to distract from the mess behind her.
As they step into the lounge, Nala appears, surrounded by masses of stuffing pulled from toys and pillows - but the Christmas tree in the corner of the room remains untouched.
In the kitchen, viewers had worried there’d been a massacre, after straw and hay bedding was torn up on the floor - but Antonio assured them their two chinchillas were unharmed, and that Nala had just ripped up a bag of bedding.
Unlikely best friends
Momma the Staffordshire bull terrier was saved by her owner when she and her five puppies were set to be put to sleep.
Now she lives on a farm and her best friend is a baby cow called Elsie.
The adorable duo have gone viral on TikTok after user @do.the.scarn shared a video of the couple sharing a smooch.
Other dogs can be seen playing on the farm, but Elsie the heifer only has eyes for the blue Staffy, called Momma.
Everything about the clip melts hearts, from the gentle dog letting the calf lick her face, to the cow's little pink sunhat.
Staffy’s amazing transformation after being abandoned
Skinny Staffordshire bull terrier, Coco, was found abandoned in a crate outside a Doncaster home on November 11, after a member of the public reported finding the pup to the RSPCA.
The ‘severely underweight’ and terrified dog was believed to be abandoned after becoming an unwanted lockdown pet.
She was rushed into the vets for urgent treatment as she was so thin, she was struggling to support her own bodyweight.
But when she arrived at Sheffield’s RSPCA kennels, she went on a specialised diet and regime in a bid to get her back to full health.
And it didn’t take long for someone to fall in love with Coco, as she found her forever home just before Christmas. Who doesn’t love a happy ending?
The perfect way to remember a lost pet
When a mum-of-three discovered her elderly Staffy didn’t have long left to live, she began collecting every stick he brought home from his walks.
A month after 12-year-old Boycie passed away, Andrea McNally created a beautiful festive tribute for her beloved Staffy.
The 48-year-old saved the stick from Boycie’s final walk before he fell ill, and has adorned it with fairy lights, baubles and decorations, now proudly hanging in her home in Maidstone, Kent.
Andrea shared her Christmas decoration on a Facebook group dedicated to Staffordshire bull terriers, after Boycie succumbed to his heart tumour.
She said: “Lost my best boy recently and he loved to collect big sticks out on walks. He would often bring them home.
"He picked up a stick on his last walk and I decided to make a Xmas decoration from it. Thought I would share it because they turned out well. Great way to remember a great friend.”
