The Most Popular Dog Breeds That Have Never Won “Best in Show” at Westminster
America’s favorite dog for many years now, Labrador Retrievers have done abysmally at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, placing only 11 times but never 1st in their group. A Sporting Group breed, Labs were recognized by the AKC in 1917. That’s 100-plus years in which to accomplish something, Labbies. Perhaps they should spend more time on conformation and less time perfecting their sad Lab faces!
Golden Retrievers have done even worse, placing in their group only 6 times since Westminster began. But at least they snagged a pair of Best of Groups in the past few years. Goldens — who, like Labs, are in the Sporting Group — were officially recognized in 1925, giving them plenty of time. But maybe they were all too busy fetching tennis balls?
A little dog with batlike ears and a distinct underbite, the French Bulldog has never won Best in Show at Westminster — which is pretty sad, considering these dogs have been exhibited there since 1897. The last time a French Bulldog got close was in 2021, when this breed captured its second-ever Non-Sporting Group win.
Rottweilers, members of the Working Group since 1931, have had no Best in Show wins at Westminster. It gets worse: Although they’ve had 1 group win, Rottweilers have placed 2nd, 3rd or 4th only 6 other times in all those years.
Pembroke Welsh Corgis were first recognized by the AKC in 1934, and they are a proud member of the Working Group. Over the years, these pups have picked up an outstanding 7 Best of Group ribbons and more than 2 dozen other placements. Not bad! But no Best in Show win ever.
By the way, the Pembroke’s close cousin, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, which is a member of the Herding Group, has never won Best in Show at Westminster either.
The overwhelming winner among all the breeds listed here, Dachshunds have placed many times in the Hound Group, with 11 Best of Groups. There are 3 classes of Dachshunds who compete: Longhaired, Wirehaired and Smooth. (Miniature and Standard Dachshunds compete together in each of these 3 classes.)
The AKC recognized Dachshunds as a breed in 1885, which perhaps accounts for the enduring popularity and relatively high rankings at Westminster.
Look, we should cut the Australian Shepherd a little slack — this dog breed has been competing at Westminster only since 1994.
Interestingly enough, Australian Shepherds are not from Australia. They descend from working mountain dogs, who were companions to Basque shepherds from southern France and northern Spain. These smart, exuberant working dogs are members of the Herding Group.
These gentle, graceful pups — members of the Toy Group — have never won Best in Show at Westminster? That’s crazy!
One possible reason: Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are relatively new to the scene, competing at Westminster only since 1997.
One of the oldest-recognized breeds, Great Danes were admitted into the Working Group in 1887. Although they’ve never won Best in Show, they’ve taken home 5 Best of Group ribbons, with a total of 22 placements.
A completely different breed from the Standard Schnauzer and the Giant Schnauzer, the Miniature Schnauzer is a member of the Terrier Group and was recognized in 1926. Since then, the breed has managed to eke out only 1 Best of Group, but it has placed 8 other times, a not altogether dismal showing.
Added to the Toy Group in 1969, Shih Tzus have done remarkably well for a breed that has competed for only the past half century. The breed has garnered an admirable 5 Best of Group placements, as well as 14 other group placements.
2. The differentiation of Beagles Over 13″ and Beagles 15″ and Under first appears in the Westminster catalog in 1893. Both Varieties competed together, and when Group competition began in 1924, only one Beagle advanced to the Sporting Group as Best of Breed in 1924-1929, and to the Hound Group in 1930-1942. Beginning in 1943, each dog selected as Best of Variety advanced to the Hound Group.
1. The Hound Group was held for the first time at Westminster in 1930. It was made up of some breeds formerly in the Sporting Group (Afghan, Basset, Bloodhound, Beagle, American Foxhound, English Foxhounds, Greyhound, Harrier, Irish Wolfhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Otterhound, Russian Wolfhound, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound, Whippet) and one breed from the Working Group (Dachshund).
The column headings in each chart represent the number of Best In Show Awards and Group placements in each position. The year in parentheses in the “BIS” and “1” column represents the last year that this breed won BIS and the last year that it won the Group; the number in parentheses in one of the other columns represents the last year that the breed placed in the Group; if there is a year only in the “1” Group column, that means that the last time that the breed placed in the Group, it won the group.For example, a Pointer has won 3 BIS (the most recent in 1986), 14 Group 1 (most recent in 1989, 4 Group 2, 7 Group 3, and 5 Group 4 awards. The last time it placed in the Group was in 1998 with a Group 4.
This date is determined by Westminster Kennel Club records and is somewhat arbitrary. It does not necessarily correspond with official recognition by the AKC nor with its standing as a separate breed or variety at Westminster. Rather it is usually when that breed is first named as such in the catalog and show records.
The 1888 Catalog is the first in which AKC Rules are included (adopted Dec 6, 1887). From Rule 2: “Every dog entered at any show held under these rules … must be registered in the American Kennel Club Stud Book. In case a dog has not been registered previous to date of entry, owner must fill out a registration blank and forward same, with fee of 50 cents, together with show entry to the Secretary of the Show, who shall mark the dog as registered and forward blank with registration fee to the Secretary of the American Kennel Club (The above to take effect January 1st, 1888).”
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The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is the second-longest continuously held sports event in the nation, predating the invention of the zipper and the light bulb. In fact, only the Kentucky Derby is older.
The latest winner of this world-famous canine competition was GCHB CH Flessner’s Toot My Own Horn “Trumpet” the Bloodhound, 2022’s Westminster Best in Show winner.
Here are 14 of the other past winners of New York City’s famous hometown dog show, which itself has beaten insurmountable odds. But Westminster is no ordinary show — and, as you’ll see from this gallery of past winners, its Best in Show winners are no ordinary dogs.
GCHB CH Flessner’s Toot My Own Horn
Trumpet the Bloodhound
Handled by Heather Buehner, owned and bred by Chris and Bryan Flessner, Heather Buehner, and Tina Kocar, Trumpet is the first Bloodhound ever to win Best in Show at the Westminster Dog Show.
GCH CH Pequest Wasabi
Wasabi the Pekingese
In 2019, Wasabi the Pekingese — bred, owned, and handled by David Fitzpatrick — was the first-ever Toy Dog to win the AKC National Championship. In 2021, the Pekingese won Westminster. Fitzpatrick’s other Pekingese, Malachy, won at Westminster in 2012.
“Like anything in life, things can change in a second,” Fitzpatrick says. “Wasabi went from an unknown dog to a history-making dog.”
“Siba” the Standard Poodle
Owned and bred by Connie S. Unger, Siba the Standard Poodle was the fifth of her breed to win Best in Show at Westminster. The last time a Standard Poodle won was in 1991.
“King” the Wire Fox Terrier
King’s Best in Show win made him the 15th Wire Fox Terrier to earn the top title at Westminster. The breed is the winningest at Westminster, followed only by the Scottish Terrier, which has eight wins. King’s handler, Gabriel Rangel, won in 2014 with another Wire Fox Terrier, a female named Sky who, like King, was owned by Victor Malzoni Jr. of Brazil. But King’s win is a “very significant one,” Rangel noted, because of the expertise of the man who judged it. Peter Green of Bowmansville, Pennsylvania, is recognized the world over as an unassailable terrier expert.
“Flynn” the Bichon Frise
This 5-year-old Bichon Frise is only the second of his breed to win Best in Show there. (The other, J.R., became a household name in 2001 after sitting in the silver-bowl trophy and pumping his paw at admirers.) Flynn’s handler, Bill McFadden, knows the thrill of reaching the pinnacle on Westminster’s signature green carpet: In 2003, he piloted Mick the Kerry Blue Terrier to victory there — a year after the fiery terrier turned in an out-of-control performance that likely cost him the big ribbon and two years after Mick was bested by that powder-puff of a Bichon, J.R.
“Rumor” the German Shepherd
Maybe it’s the pop-culture echoes of Rin Tin Tin, but German Shepherd Dogs are perennial crowd favorites at this show, though they’ve only captured top honors twice. Those who remembered when the aptly named Manhattan won at the 1987 show rejoiced to see this female Shepherd retake the mantle three decades later. Rumor’s win was arguably all the sweeter because she had been thwarted the year before by CJ the German Shorthaired Pointer. Named after a hit song by Adele, Rumor came out of semiretirement to earn this 2017 victory, prompting a rash of inevitable “Rumor Has It” headlines.
“CJ” the German Shorthaired Pointer
Some Westminster wins are dynastic, and this German Shorthaired Pointer is no exception: His grandmother Carlee won Best in Show at the Garden in 2005. The third GSP in the show’s history to earn that honor, CJ was shown by his breeder and owner Valerie Nunes-Atkinson, who is also a prominent West Coast-based professional handler. She has referred to him an “old soul,” though a commanding one, too: She notes that his nickname at home is “the Prince.”
“Miss P” the 15-inch Beagle
As beloved as the Muppets may be, Miss P the Beagle was not named for Miss Piggy, but rather her name is a shorthand for “Peyton.” Born and bred in Canada, the 4-year-old hound was the second Beagle to win at the Garden; the first to break the ice was her great-uncle, the inimitable Uno, who won in 2008. The conventional wisdom was that the 2015 show would be won by a top-winning Bloodhound, but Westminster has a tendency to nurture upsets and upstarts, and Ms. P was no exception.
“Sky” the Wire Fox Terrier
Bred in England to run with Foxhound packs, the Wire Fox Terrier became a symbol of all that was debonair and dashing in the 1930s and ’40s. (See Asta, canine star of the popular “Thin Man” movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy.) Today, these harsh-coated terriers have lost some of their cultural cache, but at Westminster they continue to reign supreme as the show’s winningest breed, taking Best in Show 15 times. “Sky” was “discovered” by her handler Gabriel Rangel, who spent almost a year convincing Sky’s owner to let him take her on the road. As it is with many show dogs who want to go out on top, Westminster was 5-year-old Sky’s final bow.
GCh. Banana Joe V Tani Kazari
“Joey” the Affenpinscher
Joey the Affenpinscher was among the most cosmopolitan of Westminster winners, born in the Netherlands and understanding commands in English, Dutch, Spanish and German. A continent-hopping show dog, Joey scored the sought-after Triple Crown — Best in Show at the world’s three iconic shows: Crufts, Westminster and the AKC National Championship. This win at Madison Square Garden was the first for his breed, which was developed in Germany in the 1600s and whose name means “monkey terrier.” And, like those supersmart simians, Joey had a mind of his own. “This isn’t a breed you train,” his handler, Ernesto Lara, told The New York Times. “He’s like a human. You befriend him.”
GCh. Palacegarden Malachy
“Malachy” the Pekingese
The second time was the charm for this pear-shaped Pekingese, who won the Toy Group at Westminster in 2011, but lost Best in Show to sprightly Hickory the Deerhound — a study in opposites. While critics on Twitter compared 4-year-old Malachy to a Wookiee and even “Snooki” from “Jersey Shore,” they clearly didn’t appreciate this breed’s royal roots: Pekingese warmed the laps of Chinese emperors for centuries. Insider insight: Knowledgeable judges will gently lift a Pekingese during the examination on the table to ensure the dog has the desired density of bone and substance.
GCh. Foxcliffe Hickory Wind
“Hickory” the Scottish Deerhound
“The most perfect creature of heaven” is how this ethereal Sighthound was described by Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott, one of the famous owners of the breed; another was General George Armstrong Custer, who hunted buffalo with them on the Great Plains. The Scottish Deerhound’s springy, floating gait helped it traverse the heather-covered Scottish moors, and its harsh coat protected against the cold and mist. Six-year-old Hickory’s win was the first ever for her breed at Westminster, and she retired after the show to go on to her next career — motherhood.
Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot
“Sadie” the Scottish Terrier
No doubt about it: Westminster is terrier territory. Those scrappy earth dogs have won 46 of the show’s 112 Best in Shows — more than 40 percent of them. Focusing on individual terrier breeds, Scottish Terriers like Sadie have won Westminster eight times, second only to Wire Fox Terriers. While Westminster has a reputation as something of a “giant killer” show — dark, um, horses will often triumph there, despite the conventional wisdom — 4-year-old Sadie started the show as the odds-on favorite and sailed right to the finish.
Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee
“Stump” the Sussex Spaniel
The Sussex Spaniel is supposed to embody the three L’s — long, low and level. And those proportions are what gave Stump his name: He evokes a furry brown log, or tree stump. At 10 years of age, Stump was the oldest dog to go Best in Show at the Garden, after surviving a near-fatal infection years before. His breeder, Doug Johnson, scored another first with this win, being the only person to breed two Westminster winners of different breeds. (The other winner, in 1996, was “Brady,” a Clussexx-bred Clumber Spaniel, which explains the kennel’s portmanteau: Clumber + Sussex = Clussexx.)
Ch. K-Run’s Park Me In First
“Uno” the 15-inch Beagle
Arguably, no other Westminster winner earned quite the celebrity of this bugling Beagle, who traversed the country to visit the White House, ride on a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and visit veterans as a certified therapy dog. The first of his breed to win Best in Show at Madison Square Garden — accompanied by the roar of the New York City crowd, which delighted at his impromptu howls — Uno died this September at 13 years old, prompting obituaries in some of the nation’s largest newspapers.
Basset Hounds | Breed Judging 2022
Steuben County (WETM) – A Steuben County owner handler won big at the Westminster dog show.
Novia Staviski competed in last weekend’s Westminster dog show for the first time and took home a prize. Staviski’s basset hound, Odin, took home the award of merit in best of breed competition for basset hounds during the nationally televised event.
She says she fell in love with dog shows after learning about them from Odin’s obedience trainer. It started with just trying to socialize Odin and now they are taking home national prizes.
“I got my first Odin puppy when I was in college and I figured, oh maybe I will just do some obedience with him. Everyone reccomends socializing a little puppy, so I really started working obedience with him. I went to my first dog show in Syracuse, New York where we did obedience and I kind of got hooked from there and gone from there”
Staviski says she plans to keep doing dog shows and even has one this upcoming weekend.