Every dog at this week’s Westminster Kennel Club show is a champion
🐾 Agility Dogs Steal the Spotlight at Westminster
They run.
They weave.
They soar.
But they aren’t football stars — they’re agility dogs at the Westminster Kennel Club Show.
This year, the event opened on the same weekend as the Super Bowl.
That timing earned Westminster its famous nickname: “the Super Bowl of dog shows.”
A Championship Weekend for Canines
Dog expert David Frei joked that football should be called “the Westminster of sports,” noting the dog show is nearly 90 years older.
More than 300 champion dogs competed.
They raced through jumps, tunnels, and ramps as handlers gave hand and voice cues.
Vanish Takes the Crown
A border collie named Vanish claimed the top agility title.
Her handler, Emily Klarman, called her “very intuitive and natural.”
Vanish celebrated with nonstop barking.
Mixed Breeds Make History
A special mixed-breed award went to Gable.
A rescue pug named Guster also won hearts after his owner entered him because he loved watching agility on TV.
Westminster added agility in 2014.
It became the first event in over a century to welcome mixed-breed dogs.
Since then, rescues and designer mixes have become fan favorites.
Big Dogs, Small Dogs, Big Energy
Every size competed — from Great Danes to tiny papillons.
Some sprinted.
Some strutted.
Others redid obstacles — and still earned cheers.
More Than Just Trophies
While Best in Show remains for purebreds, mixed breeds also shine in agility and obedience.
This year’s obedience champion was Willie, an Australian shepherd.
There are no cash prizes.
Winners instead direct $5,000 to a training club or animal charity.