A giant schnauzer won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for the first time in history on Tuesday (February 11).

Five-year-old Monty beat his fellow six group winners to be awarded the overall accolade, beating out a whippet, Bourbon, who became Reserve Best in Show for a second time, German Shepherd Mercedes, English springer spaniel Freddie, bichon frisé Neal, Skye terrier Archer, and shih tzu Comet.

Katie Bernardin, Monty’s handler and co-owner, said, “Winning Best in Show is a dream come true. I won Best Junior Handler at this dog show when I was 18 and I always used to sit up in the rafters and watch and just want to be them. All those people were my idols and then I got to be them and be down there and get to win the big ribbon.”

Of Monty, she said, “He thrives off this environment and he’s just so much fun to show in these situations because he just knows it’s important.”

Monty won Best in Group, reaching the final seven, in both 2023 and 2024, and based on points from previous shows he entered the Dog Show this year as the highest-ranked canine in the country.

His work has certainly paid off, too, as he becomes the first dog from the working group to win Best in Show at the WKC Dog Show since Josh, a Newfoundland, in 2004.

Bernardin added, “Monty is special. I saw him when he was a puppy and I knew he was special. When I saw him as a baby, I don’t know. He slept on my stomach when I was pregnant. He slept under [my daughter’s] bassinet when she slept in a bassinet. He’s just our dog.

“We all love him. He’s our family dog, whether it’s me, my husband, the kids that work for us, my best friends. He gets excited when anyone comes and sees him. They go, ‘Hey, Monty,’ and Monty explodes because Monty loves his family. And I think that’s so special about Monty. And he’s just through the years, he is just so loyal to his people.”

The process to find the top dog in the US ended with Monty becoming the first giant schnauzer to win since the breed was first entered in 1930, but began on Monday morning with over 2,500 pups spanning over 200 breeds and varieties. While there were 52 dachshunds, 44 poodles, 40 French Bulldogs, 39 Chihuahuas, 38 golden retrievers, 34 Rhodesian Ridgebacks and 33 Labrador Retrievers; bluetick coonhounds, Dandie Dinmont terriers and Belgian Laekenois all had just one representative.

If you want to learn more about show dogs, check out our list of popular show breeds

The 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show began on Saturday (February 8), and there’s been more Border Collie domination in the Masters Agility Championship Finals.

Vanish won the 12th Finals, the ninth time a Border Collie has won the Agility Championship, with the talented pup barely putting a foot wrong. She represented the 16-inch division and completed the course in just 26.49 seconds.

Swindle Celebration ran her close, however. The Shetland Sheepdog completed the course in 26.91 seconds, just 0.42 seconds slower.

Both dogs finished the course faster than last year’s winner as well as 2023’s. Nimble, an All-American (mixed) dog, completed it in 28.76 seconds last year, while Border Collie Truant finished in 28.68 the year before. Truant’s result was the fastest winning time since the event began in 2014, but their score was smashed by both Vanish and Swindle Celebration.

Emily Klarman, Vanish’s handler, told FOX Sports after her victory that she was “completely speechless.”

Klarman, who’s from Doylestown in eastern Pennsylvania, shared a photo of herself and Vanish with their award on Instagram, and wrote, “I guess we are staying an extra couple nights in New York City… Presentations will be under the lights at Madison Square Garden on Monday. I am beyond proud of this special dog.”

The Masters Agility Championship Finals was the main event of Saturday’s Canine Celebration Day. As part of the Agility Championship at the Dog Show, canines are rested by tunnels, seesaws, bar and wall jumps, and weave poles, among other obstacles, as they follow their handlers’ commands. They aren’t given a map of the course in advance, and they’re judged on their time and completion of the course, minus any faults they make.

The WKC donates $5,000 to the American Kennel Club training club of the winner’s choice or the AKC Humane Fund, while they also donate $1,000 in the names of the four remaining first-place dogs in their height classes and the highest-scoring All-American dog.

You can find the rest of the Masters Agility Championship Finals results on the AKC website, and find out more about how to watch Westminster Dog Show here. If you’d like to find out more about agility, and whether it might be a good activity for your dog, you might find this article useful, too: I gave my working dog a job and it transformed our relationship.

The 149th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is over for another year, but there’s still plenty to know about it. In 2025 it ran on February 8th, 10th, and 11th and made its returning to the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Nearly 2,500 champion breed dogs compete at this show each year in agility and breed competitions, group judging and of course, the Best in Show.

The dates for the 150th Annual Westminster Dog Show are yet to be announced.

Below we've rounded up everything you need to know about one of the biggest events of the year and the US answer to Crufts.

What is the Westminster Dog Show?

Every year, thousands of dogs and their owners come together to compete for a Westminster title. The competition is officially known as Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and is the second-longest, continuously held sporting event in the US, second only to the Kentucky Derby.

Since 1948, it’s also been the longest nationally televised live dog show. There are now over 200 breed competitions in addition to seven different group competitions. These include the Masters Agility Championship, Flyball Tournament and a human agility course among others.

When is the Westminster Dog Show?

This event will start on February 8th, 2025 with doors opening bright and early at 7am. This day will include the Demonstration Ring, Master's Agility Championship, Flyball Tournament, and Human Agility course.

February 10-11, will hold breed and group judging, as well as the Junior Showmanship competitions. The final round on February 11th will reveal the Best in Show.

Check out the Westminster Kennel Club official website for the most up-to-date schedule.

How to watch the Westminster Dog Show

Fox channels, the Westminster Kennel Club website and Youtube will be steaming live coverage of the show. You can also check out our complete guide on how to watch Westminster Dog Show 2025, which also has the full schedule and where you can watch each class to ensure you don't miss out on anything.

Who won the Westminster Dog Show in 2025?

Winner of Westminster’s Best in Show 2025 was Monty, a giant schnauzer, and his owner/handler Katie Bernardin.

Who won the Westminster Dog Show in 2024?

Sage, a miniature poodle won the Best in Show at the 2024 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. A four-year-old German Shepherd, Mercedes, was the runner-up.

Westminster Dog Show tickets

Tickets are available to purchase at ticketmaster.com and tix123.com

The Westminster Kennel Club website also contains helpful information on hotels nearby, transit options and even things to do in the area.

Want more dog action? Find out how to watch Crufts, which is the UK’s equivalent in March and don't miss out on our World Dog Show content!

Edited by Georgia Guerin.

Wondering how to watch Westminster Dog Show 2025? We’ve got you covered. The 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show began on Saturday (February 8th) with the “Canine Celebration”. The main show days and breed competitions are taking place today and tomorrow (February 10–11th) and will conclude with the the crowning of “Best in Show.”

This year the biggest canine event of the year has returned to what’s known as “the world’s most famous arena” in Madison Square Gardens, New York City. Thousands of dogs have headed to the event in the hope of earning a prestigious Westminster title.

For a deeper dive into the show and its history, check out our guide to the Westminster Dog Show. And read on for all the details on how to watch Westminster Dog Show online, on TV, and from anywhere in the world.

How to watch Westminster Dog Show online for free

Live coverage of Westminster Dog Show is split between Fox channels and streaming via the Westminster Kennel Club website and YouTube channel. You’ll be able to tune into the coverage at the times listed below. If you experience problems viewing the livestreams, then using this VPN to access it may help.

Westminster Dog Show 2025 schedule 

There are a lot of events that take place over the two main event days, so to help you keep track of it all, here’s a list of every event, the time it takes place, and the channel you can catch it on to ensure you don’t miss a moment of the action.

How to watch Westminster Dog Show: Saturday

How to watch Westminster Dog Show: Monday

Monday’s coverage will include judging of the hound breeds, toy breeds, non-sporting and herding breed classes.

How to watch Westminster Dog Show: Tuesday

Tuesday’s coverage will include judging of the sporting, working and terrier breed classes.

How to catch up if you’ve missed it

Visit westminsterkennelclub.org to find the the re-air information and schedule for FS1, FS2 and Fox Sports.

How to use a VPN to watch Westminster Dog Show

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. NordVPN is the one the tech experts at our sister title TechRadar recommend and this link will give you 70% off.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For instance, if you’re away from the US and want to view an American service, you’d select US from the list.

3. Then head over to your chosen viewing site on your browser or device and enjoy the coverage.

What is the Westminster Dog Show?

The Westminster Dog Show is the second longest continuously held sporting event in the U.S. and has been televised since 1948. The competition, hosted by the American Kennel Club, brings together thousands of dogs representing hundreds of breeds from around the country to compete in a range of contests from agility to obedience.

With a focus on evaluating breeding stock, the judges pick their winners based on the results of each contest, which reveals each dog's ability to positively contribute and improve the next generation of dogs.

Want more dog action? Find out how to watch Crufts, which is the UK’s equivalent

Three-year-old Pekingese, Wasabi, won Best in Show at the 145th annual Westminster Dog Show on Sunday and in the end, it was his individuality that separated him from the pack and helped him to take the crown.

"He's just a wonderful dog,” says his handler and breeder David Fitzpatrick. “He has showmanship. "He fits the breed standard. He has that little extra something, that little sparkle that sets a dog apart."

The Westminster Dog Show is the second-oldest continuous sporting event in the United States, and while it usually takes place at New York’s Madison Square Gardens, the pandemic forced its relocation this year to a safer site at the Lyndhurst Estate, where it was closed to the public.

Veteran judge Patricia Craige Trotter expressed her gratitude to the dogs, trainers, breeders, and organizers for pulling together during trying times to ensure the popular show could go on in 2021.

"Without a doubt, the entire sport of dogs is grateful to the Westminster Kennel Club members and their staff for persevering through troubled times to bring us out to this gorgeous estate and create this show for the ages. We thank them all for all they've done.”

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Wasabi beat 2,500 champion dogs and a tough pack of finalists, including Matthew the French Bulldog, Connor the Old English Sheepdog, Jade the German Shorthaired Pointer, Striker the Samoyed, and a West Highland Terrier named Boy, but in the end, it was the small but mighty Pekingese who emerged victorious.

And the fun didn’t end on the podium for little Wasabi, who after posing for photographs, went on to celebrate with Fitzpatrick. "He can have a filet mignon. And I'll have Champagne," Fitzpatrick, of East Berlin, Pennsylvania said with a laugh when asked what the duo’s plans were for the evening.

It’s not the first time Fitzpatrick has had success at the Westminster Dog Show, with his other dog Malachy winning Best in Show in 2012, and it wasn’t the first win for little Wasabi either, who also took out the coveted top spot at the American Kennel Club National Championship in 2019.

When asked how much he'll be carrying around Wasabi after Sunday's win, Fitzpatrick replied with a smile, "As much as he needs. He deserves his own chariot."