A small dog won big at the 2024 National Dog Show.
A pugnamed Vito was crowned the winner of the annual canine competition, which aired after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 28.
Vito, a veteran of the dog show circuit who was already ranked the No. 2 toy dog in America, impressed the National Dog Show judges.
“Compact, features, movement — everything a pug should be,” judge George Milutinovich said. “Wow. Just wow. Lots of dog in a small package.”
“To look at a pug is to put a smile on your face,” he added.
Vito is owned by Carolyn Koch of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and his handler at the show was Michael Scott of Chesapeake City, Maryland.
Scott said he was “optimistic” about Vito’s chances.
“Vito has a beautiful head and expression. Great outline,” he said.
The competition was hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and took place at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania. This year, there were about 2,000 dogs representing 205 breeds and varieties at the National Dog Show, according to the Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s website.
During the annual dog show, judges select a first in group winner from each of seven groups: sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting and herding. From there, the seven dogs go against one another to determine who will win the National Dog Show’s best in show title.
The winning dog takes home the coveted red, white and blue “Best in Show” ribbon and $20,000.
This year, Reserve Best in Show, or second place, went to Verde, a Welsh Terrier.
The other 2024 National Dog Show Group winners are:
- Sporting: A Clumber Spaniel named Houston
- Working: A Giant Schnauzer named Monty
- Hound: An Ibizan Hound name The Zit
- Herding: a Berger Picard named Rupert
- Non-Sporting: A Lhasa Apso named JJ
The 2023 National Dog Show winner came from the terrier group. Stache, the Sealyham terrier, became the first of its breed to win the best in show title at the National Dog Show. It was the first time in eight years that a winner came from the terrier group, the last terrier winner being a Skye terrier named Charlie in 2015.
