Best dogs of 2024: Good (and bad) boys and girls that made headlines this year

Dogs were the best of us in 2024.

While the humans squabbled over prime ministers and presidents, good boys and girls across the world were out there being brilliant.

Some not so brilliant, but they must have had good reason.

Here’s a round-up of the ones who made headlines.

Ariel

Ariel, who was born with six legs, has had the sort of year she deserves, having been abandoned outside a B&M store in Pembrokeshire in September 2023 aged just 11 weeks.

But 2024 started with a bang as the cocker spaniel, who was also born with two vulvas and only one kidney, had a successful operation to have her additional limbs removed because they were causing health problems.

Soon after, the Disney mermaid-named pup was adopted by Ollie Bird, who runs an adaptive surf school in West Wales.

It means Ariel can not only walk comfortably now, but also gets to spend her days paddle-boarding along her local beach front.

“She’s swimming in the sea, she’s been paddle boarding, surfing, and is just great with kids and families. She’s a very gentle soul, she likes sitting and watching,” says Mr Bird.

Wild Thang

Every dog is beautiful on the inside.

Don’t forget that as you lay your eyes on Wild Thang, who finally won the World’s Ugliest Dog contest in California this year after four unsuccessful attempts.

The eight-year-old Pekingese contracted the viral disease canine distemper as a puppy, causing his tongue to permanently stick out.

Apart from that, his owner says, he’s “a healthy, happy Glugly (glamorous/ugly) guy”.

Not only that, but he earned a cheque for $5,000 (£4,000) through the competition – which we sincerely hope was spent exclusively on luxury treats.

Gaia (and crew)

Gaia is a right boffin.

She’s the top performer of five border collies, which researchers analysed to see how long their memories lasted.

Previous research had shown talented dogs, known as gifted word learners, have a unique ability to learn the names of hundreds of different objects.

But in September a study published in the journal Biology Letters suggested they could remember the names of some of these toys for an extended period.

Gaia was the top performer in the study, with researchers saying she was one of five participants who “remarkably” remembered the names of between 60-75% of their toys after two years.

A special mention to the other geniuses: Max, Whiskey, Squall and Rico.

You won’t forget your toys, and the world won’t forget you.

Titan

Names don’t get much more heroic than “Titan”, and this white labradoodle really lived up to it when he helped catch his owner’s killer.

Derek Daigneault was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his cousin Mandy Rose Reynolds, whose body was found burning in a field in Robinson, Texas.

Police responding to a reported brush fire found a dead body that was “burned beyond recognition” in April 2023.

Titan “barked frantically” at officers and refused to leave the area where the body was found, the police said.

The morning after the body was recovered, someone came across the dog sitting where the burning body had been and notified animal control, which discovered he was microchipped and belonged to Ms Reynolds.

They went to her home and discovered she was missing.

Forensic evidence revealed the body belonged to Ms Reynolds and an investigation led to Daignealt’s arrest several days later.

Last month he was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Ms Reynolds, an outcome which was largely attributed to Titan’s loyalty.

“The keys to this case were a heroic and loyal dog named Titan and extraordinary cooperation between law enforcement agencies in multiple jurisdictions and states,” assistant district attorneys Ryan Calvert and Alyssa Killin said.

Daisy

Cocker Spaniel Daisy waited eight years (roughly 56 dog years) to be reunited with her owner after she was stolen from her home in Mole Valley, Surrey, in November 2016.

She was a year old when she was taken from the garden kennels she was being housed in and her owner heard nothing for years.

Then, on 29 October this year, Surrey Police were made aware someone had tried to update the details on Daisy’s microchip. She had been rehomed “in good faith” by the new owners who were unaware of her theft.

They immediately contacted the microchip company to get the new owners’ details and, two days later, officers reunited Daisy with her original owners in Surrey.

Officers said there was “not a dry eye in the house” when Daisy, now slightly deaf, finally saw her owners.

“She recognised them immediately and stuck to them like glue,” they said.

Trooper

This bull terrier is a tough lad, having been left for dead as Hurricane Milton approached Tampa, Florida, in October.

A highway patrol video showed the dog up to its chest in water and tied to a fence as people began evacuating the state.

The animal appeared shaken and started barking as it was approached by an FHP trooper.

The terrier, who was fittingly renamed Trooper after the incident, was taken to a vet after the rescue where it was found to be healthy, and has not been returned to the owner.

His owner, who told investigators he left him on his way to Georgia because he “couldn’t find anyone to pick the dog up”, has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty and faces five years in prison.

Beth

Royal pup Beth, who accompanied Queen Camilla on many an engagement, was sadly put down in November due to an untreatable tumour.

The Jack Russell terrier was adopted by the Queen in 2011 from the Battersea Dogs And Cats Home, for whom she was a long-time ambassador and patron.

Beth, along with the Queen’s other adopted terrier, Bluebell, was so loved by Camilla that she even featured on her coronation gown, with goldwork motifs of the two dogs embroidered into the historic dress.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement announcing her death: “A sad farewell to Beth, the Queen’s much-loved companion… who brought such joy, whether on walkies, helping on official duties or curled up by the fire.”

Kevin

Of the many Great Danes, Kevin was perhaps the greatest, having been crowned the world’s tallest dog by Guinness World Records in June.

The giant three-year-old measured 0.97m (3ft 2in) from his feet to his withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades) but was about 7ft when on his hind legs.

That, of course, made him an imposing figure, but so gracious he was that he often crouched and crawled near other dogs to make himself less intimidating, according to his owners.

He tragically died just days after when he underwent unplanned surgery due to illness, leaving his owner Tracy Wolfe said her whole family “devastated” by the loss.

But his (literally) huge legacy will live on.

“He was just the best giant boy! We are so glad that he was able to break the record and have that light on him,” Ms Wolfe said.

Jennie

Jennie the guide dog has been giving Larry the Downing Street cat a run for his money as the UK’s most notable political pet, having been a regular in the Commons alongside Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling, who is registered blind.

The golden retriever debuted in parliament in July, when she was seen patiently lying down by the front benches as MPs gathered in the chamber to elect the Speaker.

And Mr Darling, former leader of Torbay council, could be heard gently telling her to “stay there, good girl” as he was sworn in as the MP for Torbay later on.

She’s gone on to get some 18,000 followers on her X account, called “Rt Hon Jennie”, and made headlines as recently as 30 October, when social media users noticed her snoozing through Rachel Reeves’s lengthy budget announcement.

Roxy

Five-year-old Roxy spent almost half her life – 767 days – living in kennels at the Scottish SPCA’s Lanarkshire Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

The animal welfare charity said the Staffordshire bull terrier was given up by her previous owner after a “change in their life circumstances” meant they could no longer look after her.

It earned her the tragic title of “Scotland’s loneliest dog”.

But this year, after a number of appeals to find Roxy a new owner were unsuccessful, she finally found her forever home.

She had been continually overlooked by potential owners until Gerrard Brown and his daughter Dawn visited the centre and saw her picture on the wall this summer.

Mr Brown said: “We instantly fell in love with her face.”

How could you not?

Monty

Police dog Monty was commended for finding vital evidence that helped convict five people involved in a man’s murder.

Dog handler PC Neil Dobson was called to a flat in Barnet, north London, where a 30-year-old man, Olsi Kula, had been stabbed multiple times by men searching for drugs and money they believed were in the property.

Monty managed to find £8,000 in cash hidden in the headboard of a bed that the group had not found, said Met Police.

The gang were convicted of offences ranging from manslaughter to murder in May, and police heaped praise on the four-legged detective.

“We are thankful for the work of our police dog Monty, who was able to find vital evidence that helped secure a successful conviction,” says Detective Chief Inspector Neil Rawlinson.

Good dogs who were bad (but are still good)

Dog who started a fire

We don’t know the name of the dog who caused a house fire by chewing on a lithium-ion battery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in May.

But he has to be on the naughty list.

A video of the incident released by the Tulsa Fire Department shows two dogs and a cat hanging out in the home’s living room.

One of the dogs began chewing on a lithium-ion battery pack used to charge phones until it started sparkling before exploding in flames.

Fortunately, the family living there got out safely along with the pets.

Officials who shared the video said they hoped it would serve as a warning – not to pets, of course, but rather to the public, who should store batteries away from children and pets.

Dog who led a baby away from home

Another anonymous pup makes the bad list after leading a baby about 230 feet from his home in Argentina – though the dog nor the toddler can take the blame.

The baby crawled along a dark road with his family’s dog, continuing to make headway until police officers found the pair, both in good health.

They were returned to their mum, who said she had been asleep when they wandered off.

Commander

Joe Biden’s dog just cannot stop biting US Secret Service (USSS) agents.

That’s according to a series of internal USSS documents released early this year, which claimed the German shepherd had bitten staff at least 24 times.

The incidents included Secret Service members getting bitten on the wrist, elbow, forearm, chest, waist, shoulder and thigh.

One agent needed stitches after being bitten on their forearm at the White House while another needed six stitches on their hand after suffering a “severe deep open wound”, documents show.

Agents had to “be creative to ensure our own personal safety” due to the dog’s behaviour, according to an unnamed assistant special agent.

Four-year-old Commander has yet to comment on the allegations.

Bobi

Bobi truly did nothing wrong – but his reputation was affected when he had a Guinness World Record stripped from him posthumously.

The purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo Portuguese was said to have been 30 years and 268 days old when he was named the world’s oldest by Guinness World Records (GWR) in February 2023.

In October 2023, he died at the reported age of 31 years and 165 days.

But GWR launched an investigation in January this year and concluded there was no conclusive evidence that Bobi lived that long, subsequently taking his title away.

It’s sad but, record holder or not, Bobi lived a happy, full life in a little Portuguese village with his family.

Thanks for joining us for this year’s best dogs roundup. If you can’t wait until next year’s, why not check out 2023’s best lads and lasses to tie you over?