Westminster Dog Show Live Updates: Penny, a Statuesque Doberman Pinscher, Captures Best in Show
The breed, which came out on top in its working group earlier tonight, last won Westminster’s top honor in 1989. Cota the Chesapeake Bay retriever was the runner-up.
Penny, a statuesque Doberman pinscher, was named best in show at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, defeating a dignified and occasionally floppy field of other finalists.
Penny won the top prize at the pre-eminent dog show over Wager, a smooth fox terrier; Cota, a Chesapeake Bay retriever; Zaida, an Afghan hound; Cookie, a Maltese; JJ, a Lhasa apso; and Graham, an Old English sheepdog.
“They always say, what a great lineup,” the best-in-show judge, David Fitzpatrick, said before naming the winner. “But this is one that will go down in history.”
The main portion of the show began on Monday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center with 2,500 dogs from more than 200 breeds competing. Each represented a particular group, as designated by the humans who organize dog shows. Winners of the first four groups — toy, hound, herding and non-sporting — were chosen on Monday and thus had an extra day to rest up.
Here’s what else to know:
Backstage photos: We know what you’re here for. Here you go.
Catherine O’Hara honored: The actress, who played a dog handler in the 2000 mockumentary “Best in Show” and died last week at 71, was honored with a tribute on the big screen at Madison Square Garden. “A true legend, timeless talent and icon,” read a card on the screen.
Terrier group: Wager, a sprightly smooth fox terrier, won in an upset over Baby Joe, the miniature schnauzer who was the favorite coming into the competition. Amy Rutherford, Wager’s breeder, said that in the moments before best in show, she planned to “tell him he’s a good boy, and give him a little pep talk.”
Sporting group: Cota, a precocious 5-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever, strode into the ring with a tastefully tousled coat and a no-nonsense attitude. His win was unsurprising to close watchers of The Canine Chronicle’s all-breed rankings: He finished 2025 as No. 2.
Hound group: A blond and stunningly regal Afghan hound named Zaida defeated a strong pack of competitors — including a bloodhound, a Saluki and an Ibizan hound — to take the title. Known professionally as GCHG CH Zaida Bint Muti Von Haussman, Zaida comes from Ingleside, Ill., and is 6 years old, which makes her practically an old lady in dog years.
Toy group: A Maltese named Cookie won the always exciting toy group, defeating a Pomeranian, a pug and a Shih Tzu, among other dogs. Cookie, who is 4 and comes from Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., has a great deal of long white hair and is known professionally, in accordance with her family’s baking theme, as GCHB CH Ta-Jon’s Made From Scratch.
Non-sporting group: This group, which is essentially made up of dogs who do not belong to the other groups, was won by 5-year-old JJ, a silky-haired Lhasa apso. A native of Manakin Sabot, Va., JJ is known officially as GCHP CH Ta Sen Westgate Jingle Juice. In his way, he has the same general vibe as Cookie and as Zaida — oodles of light hair that flows like molten silver when he runs around the ring. (A theme seems to be developing.) JJ beat a schipperke, a Chinese Shar-Pei and a Xoloitzcuintli to capture his group title.
Herding group:Graham, the Old English sheepdog who won the herding group, also has a lot of fur, but his puffs out as if it had been teased with a large egg whisk. He was up against a tough group of herders, including a miniature American shepherd, a German shepherd and a Bouvier des Flandres. He is 4, comes from Colorado and is known officially as GCHB CH Bugaboo’s Give Me Smore’ (yes, the apostrophe is meant to go there).
Amy Rutherford leading Wager, who turned 2 just last week, on one of the most successful walks of his young life.Credit...Lanna Apisukh for The New York Times
In an upset, Wager, a sprightly smooth fox terrier,was selected by the judge Polly Smith as the winner of the terrier group at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Tuesday night.
At just 2 years old, Wager managed to beat out the miniature Schnauzer who was the favorite coming into the competition. (His name was Baby Joe, and he was unbowed in defeat.)
“This dog is my heart dog,” said Amy Rutherford, Wager’s breeder, owner and handler. “He means everything to me.”
In the moments before best in show, she planned to “tell him he’s a good boy, and give him a little pep talk,” she added.
Terriers are heavyweights at Westminster, where they have won best in show 47 times (the most of any group). Fifteen of those wins came from wire fox terriers, who have flossy undercoats and tongues that look like Fruit Roll-Ups.
The field on Tuesday included a pleasantly scruffy Irish terrier and a low-slung Dandie Dinmont terrier who was the only member of his breed to compete at this year’s Westminster.
Spectators cheered for the Norwich terrier, the breed that wins the fictional Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show in the 2000 mockumentary “Best in Show.” In the movie, the dog is handled with frazzled charm by Catherine O’Hara, who died last week at 71.
Last year’s terrier group champion was Archer, a Skye terrier whose silver coat almost totally concealed his eyes, giving him a surfer-like affect. “That’s a lot of cardio for a dog with short legs,” his handler, Antoinelle Vulpis, said after his win.
With that, the final seven have been decided. Time for best in show.
Penny, a Doberman Pinscher, won best in show.
Cota, a Chesapeake Bay retriever, won the sporting group.
