NEW YORK (AP) — It’s time for thousands of America’s toughest competitors.
Big or small, sleek or shaggy, imposing or mischievous, they’re all trying for the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which is celebrating its 150th milestone.
Could Comet the Shih Tzu take the trophy after coming close the past two years? What about Neal the bichon frisé, another 2025 finalist who is competing again? Could this be the year for Zaida, the Afghan hound, who has twice won the World Dog Show, a major international show, but has not yet made it to the finals at Westminster?
Or will the prize go to another well-known contender – or to a dark horse?
Here’s what you need to know about the most prestigious dog competition in the United States.
When is the Westminster dog show?
The judging by breed – officially called “conformation” – will take place on Monday and Tuesday, in a combination of the Javits Center and Madison Square Garden. The Best in Show will be awarded in the Garden on Tuesday around 11pm EST.
For fans who can’t be there in person, Fox Sports is showing the different components of the event on FS1 and FS2 and the various streaming platforms. Westminster streams some too.
How many dogs are there?
About 2,500 dogs from 212 breeds and varieties (subgroups of breeds) are registered to participate. (But no doodles. These popular poodle mixes are not recognized as separate breeds by the American Kennel Club, the governing body of Westminster, and many other U.S. dog shows.) There are competitors from every U.S. state and 18 other countries.
A few hundred more dogs, including mixed race those, took part in the Westminster agility and flyball competitions on Saturday.
What dogs are there to watch?
In addition to Comet, Neal and Zaida, the show includes Soleil, a Belgian sheepdog who won the National Dog Show that was televised last Thanksgiving, and a Lhasa apso named JJ, who triumphed at the huge AKC National Championship that aired in late December. The runners-up from those shows – George, an American foxhound and a Gordon setter named River – are also expected in Westminster.
And keep an eye out for Baby Joe, a miniature schnauzer who topped the national dog show rankings in 2025. Don’t forget Penny the Doberman pinscher, who has climbed the rankings since her crowd-pleasing performance in the Westminster semi-finals last year. There’s also a high-ranking Chesapeake Bay retriever, a prominent papillon and many other buzzy contenders.
But anything can happen at Westminster, a champions-only show where every competitor is a proven winner. Cognoscenti often says that victory goes to “the dog of the day,” meaning the dog that delivers the performance of a lifetime.
Whichever dog the jury chooses, others sometimes run away with the audience’s heart.
Daniel the Golden Retriever, a crowd favorite of 2020, is among eight finalists or winners returning Monday evening for a special presentation. That includes some of the other 2020 finalists, Bono the Havanese, Wilma the boxer – and Siba, the standard poodle who beat them all to claim the year’s best show prize. Do show dogs hold grudges? We’ll see.
What makes a dog the best at show?
First, dogs are judged against others of their breed. Each breed winner then competes against others in their ‘group’, such as terriers or sheepdogs. In the final round, the seven group winners compete for the best in show.
At each level, the judges decide which dog best fits the ideal, or “standard,” for its own breed.
Which breeds win the most?
Wire fox terriers (15 wins), followed by poodles of various sizes (11).
Many varieties not won yetincluding favorites like Labrador and golden retrievers. But never say never: last year’s winner, Monty, was the first Giant Schnauzer to be voted Best in Show. He then retired from showing, but is expected to take part in the special tribute to Westminster’s ‘legends’ on Monday.
What do winners get?
Bragging rights, ribbons and trophies. There are no cash prizes, although the agility winner may make a $5,000 Westminster donation to a training club or to the American Kennel Club Humane Fund.
Why are there protests?
Animal welfare activists routinely protest the Westminster show. They see it as an irresponsible beauty pageant for dogs, overlooking the plight of shelter dogs and the health problems of some purebreds.
For this year’s landmark Westminster show, PETA plans to demonstrate outside the show and has placed billboards nearby with messages such as “flat-faced dogs struggle to breathe,” mirroring aspects of the animal rights group’s ongoing lawsuit against the American Kennel Club. The AKC has called the case frivolous and is trying to get it dismissed.
The Westminster club notes that it donates to rescue groups, veterinary fairs and other efforts that help dogs. Club president Donald Sturz says this “demonstrates an overarching commitment to responsible dog ownership and responsible dog breeding.”
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