Can a Best of Show Dog Compete Again?

Many owners choose to retire their dogs after winning the prestigious Best in Show title on the national level. That's a personal decision, however, and not an American Kennel Club rule. The winning dog must go back on the show circuit again, in a season running from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31, attempting to repeat previous triumphs when he really has nothing left to prove.

  1. Dog Shows

    • Dogs competing in AKC shows are judged on an ideal for their breed. The dog coming closest to meeting that conformation standard should win. Because these purebred canines are assessed as breeding stock, neutered males and spayed females cannot compete. Dogs begin competing at specialty shows for their particular breed. Awards at these shows consists of winner's dog, for the males, and winner's bitch, for the female. One dog receives Best of Breed, the top placing, while the Best of Opposite Sex goes to the top dog of the other gender. Best of Breed winners can continue their road to best in show by competing in group shows.

    Group and All-Breed Shows

    • The AKC divides dogs into seven groups, based on the type of canine. These groups consist of toy, sporting, terrier, hounds, working, herding and non-sporting. Dogs winning Best of Breed in their specialty shows can go on to compete in regional group shows. For example, while a specialty show for papillons contains only that breed, 20 other toy dog breeds compete in a group show. All-breed shows are just that, winners of group shows competing for that coveted Best in Show award. The AKC's premier show is the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

    Westminster Kennel Club Show

    • New York City in February is generally cold and dreary, but the presence of thousands of top dogs in town for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show brightens the scene. The owners, breeders and handlers of all these champion canines hope their animal takes home the Best in Show trophy. It's a benched show, meaning that the dogs must stay on "benches" when not competing so the public can view them and ask questions of their owners and handlers. Judges award the top honors in the seven groups, with the winners competing against each other in the final class. As of 2012, the AKC also awards a Reserve Best in Show, chosen from among the remaining finalists.

    Mutiple Westminster Winners

    • Several dogs have won top honors at Westminster more than once over the past century, although it doesn't happen often. The smooth fox terrier Champion (Ch.) Warren Remedy won three years straight -- 1907,1908 and 1909. In 1915 and 1916, a wire-haired fox terrier, Ch. Matford Vic, took the honors, followed by another wire-haired fox terrier, Ch. Conejo Wycollar Boy, in 1917 and 1920. In 1930 and 1931, yet another wire-haired fox terrier, Ch. Pendley Calling of Blarney, won the awards. In 1940 and 1941, the cocker spaniel Ch. My Own Brucie was named Best in Show. The Doberman pinscher Ch. Rancho Dobe's Storm won in 1952 and 1953. As of 2013, the last winner of multiple Best in Show titles at Westminster was the English springer spaniel Ch. Chinoe's Adamant James, winning in 1971 and 1972.