Competing at the 2024 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show involves much more than just grooming and posing a dog. With over 2,500 dogs from 200 different breeds and varieties, the competition is intense. The lineup includes familiar breeds such as French Bulldogs and Labrador Retrievers, as well as rarities like Azawakhs and Norwegian Lundehunds. Chihuahuas are the most represented breed this year, with 49 entered. Two of last year’s semifinalists, Trouble and Monty, are expected back, along with other top-ranked dogs such as Zaida, Comet, and Stache.
All the dogs at Westminster are champions, having earned a certain number of points in the sport’s system. The process of becoming a show dog starts when breeders determine if a puppy is suited for conformation competition. Some owners show their own dogs, while others hire professional handlers who compete regularly. Dogs first compete against others of their breed, with the winners moving on to semifinal and final rounds. Judges decide which dog best matches the ideal standard for their breed through hands-on examinations and watching dogs in motion.
At Westminster, there are no cash prizes, but winners receive bragging rights and trophies. The agility and obedience winners get to direct a $5,000 donation to a training club or the American Kennel Club Humane Fund. Wire Fox Terriers have won the top prize 15 times, with Poodles winning 10 times. Many breeds have yet to win, including Labrador Retrievers, but recent winners include a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen and a Bloodhound. All winners in the agility and obedience contests have been purebreds, but there is a special agility prize for the top mix, known as an “all American dog.”
The Westminster Dog Show involves agility and obedience contests, with a few hundred additional dogs competing in these events. Some mixed-breed dogs are also entered in these contests. The dog showing process begins when breeders determine which puppies are suited for conformation competition. Some owners show their own dogs, while others hire professional handlers who compete regularly. Judges at Westminster decide which dog best matches the ideal standard for their breed through hands-on examinations and watching them in motion.
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show does not offer any cash prizes, but winners receive bragging rights and trophies. The agility and obedience winners get to direct a $5,000 donation to a training club or the American Kennel Club Humane Fund. Wire Fox Terriers and Poodles are among the breeds that have won multiple times, with many breeds yet to win the top prize. Winners of the agility and obedience contests have all been purebreds, but there is a special agility prize for the top mixed-breed dog. The competition is intense, with top-ranking dogs from across the country and around the world vying for the coveted best in show title.
