In the annual National Dog Show, a pug by the name of Vito won first place.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) held the event on Thanksgiving Day, and Vito won the title of “Best In Show” and a $20,000 reward. His victory followed his first-place finish in a competition for the “Toy Group.”
Michael Scott of Chesapeake City, Maryland, handled Vito at the competition. Vito is owned by Carolyn Koch of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Scott claimed that he had a hunch Vito would win the championship the entire time.
“I was optimistic,” he stated. “I always hope to get a really good look [from the judge]. … Vito has a beautiful head and expression. Great outline.”
Koch said, “I’m so proud of him,” expressing her joy at the two-year-old dog’s victory. Having won Best of Breed at the 2024 Westminster Dog Show in New York City, Vito is a seasoned dog show competitor.
At the 2023 AKC National Show, he won Best of Breed. In addition, he is the top-ranked pug across all show systems and the second-ranked toy dog in the United States. He has just received his 25th Best in Show title after competing in over 75 dog shows.
Vito competed against six other canines who took home the “First In Group” title before winning the gold on Thursday.
The American Kennel Club states that each of those dogs originally belonged to one of seven categories, “representing characteristics and functions the breeds were originally bred for.” The tournament was divided into seven groups: herding, terrier, toy, sporting, working, hound, and non-sporting.
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In addition to cute puppies, there were several well-known faces at the event. Seinfeld star John O’Hurley, Mary Carillo, and David Frei—who has co-hosted the National Dog Show on NBC since 2002—hosted the dog show, which was held in Philadelphia.
The event was broadcast on television immediately following the yearly Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, as is customary.
