New York–The dog was Penny. The victory was priceless.
A Doberman Pinscher named Penny won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Tuesday night, winning the most prestigious award for US show dogs – and giving veteran Andy Linton another win after almost four decades. Linton received Best in Show in 1989 with another Doberman named Indie.
Penny “is as great a Doberman as I have ever seen,” Linton told a supportive crowd. Despite ongoing health issues, he guided the 4-year-old dog through a stellar performance.
“I had some goals and this was one of them,” Linton said.
The runner-up – and equally loud cheer – went to a Chesapeake Bay retriever named Kota. Although Dobermans have won five times, including Tuesday, no retriever has ever won, and their fans appreciate every encouraging sign.
Kota also seemed to be enjoying the moment, especially when his handler let him play with the ribbon.
Other finalists included an Afghan hound named Zaida, a Lhasa Apso named JJ, a Maltese named Cookie, an Old English sheepdog named Graham and a smooth fox terrier named Wager.
Each dog is evaluated based on how closely it matches its breed ideal. The winner receives a trophy, ribbon, bragging rights and the honor of winning the milestone 150th annual Westminster Show.
A crowd favorite at the 2025 Westminster Show, Penny has since taken the show rings by storm. A crowd of handlers and other dog people cheered for him and the popular Linton in action Tuesday afternoon.
Then at ringside, Penny politely but obviously pushed her nose into a visitor’s leg, looking for something – pets, as it turned out.
Toronto co-owner Greg Chan said Penny is “very demanding and very smart,” but she is also “happy-go-lucky – she’ll do anything for a meal.” (Her favorite snack? “Everything.”)
Penny came out on top after two days, ahead of the 2,500 dogs and more than 200 breed dogs who strutted their stuff at Westminster Kennel Club.
Many others created memorable moments or wowed the crowd, even if they did not reach the final.
On night two of the semifinals, the audience cheered extra loudly for a Xoloitzcuintli named Calaco, a hairless dog who strutted around the ring as if he had nothing to prove. A Vizsla named Beamer charmed the crowd by jumping into a box held for his handler’s tools, and Storm the Newfoundland got laughs when he jumped over his handler, standing almost as tall as him. The audience cheered so loudly for a golden retriever named Oliver that they overheard the arena announcer shouting “Lumpy! Lumpy!” It echoed when Lumpy the Pekingese was walking in front of a judge.
One dog that made history in the semi-finals was Millie, a Danish-Swedish farmdog. The small, playful breed became eligible for the Westminster Show this year, and Millie bested about 10 other farmdogs on Tuesday afternoon to move on to the evening rounds.
“It’s been a very exciting journey to establish the breed in America,” said Britta Lemon, who got her first farmdog in 2000 and competed Tuesday with a farmdog named Coyote.
Westminster wins often go to professional handlers or owners who have decades or generations of experience. But reaching the elite, champions-only show is a major accomplishment in dogfighting, especially for first-timers like Joseph Carrero and his Neapolitan Mastiff, Daisy.
Having yearned for a Neo since his teenage years, Carrero finally got a Neo when he was 35. A heavy equipment operator from Indian Springs, Nevada, he started showing dogs simply because the breeder wanted him to. Now Carrero raises and handles his own Neos in the ring, working full-time and then part-time jobs as well.
“It’s really hard for us to do this, but we enjoy it, and he enjoys it,” Carrero said among visitors gathered to welcome the 190-pound dog.
Boerboels, formidable guard dogs originally from South Africa, played a major role in how Natalie Ridenhour met her late husband and why they ultimately left metropolitan life for a farm in Royse City, Texas.
On Tuesday, Ridenhour and a Boerboel named Invictus did something else she may never have seen: compete in the Westminster Show.
The dog did not advance beyond the first round. But when a visitor happily pet the 170-pound animal, Ridenhour said, “Honestly, the big win is this: You’re about the 50th person to get down on his face and pet him.”
