Who won the 2019 National Dog Show presented by Purina?
Who won the 2019 National Dog Show presented by Purina? It was another banner year for the annual Thanksgiving tradition of competition, with nearly two hundred American Kennel Club breeds and varieties competing for the title of Best in Show and a huge points payout.
(For more on how dog shows work, see our explanatory guide here. Officially, 196 breeds competed, which was a grand total of 2,080 dogs across the seven groups.)
As we do for all major dog shows, the Dog O’Day staff predicted the group winners, with the usual level of success.
The event took place on Saturday, November 16 in the Philadelphia area, part of many events that made up the “National Dog Show Month” celebration, which included a visit to the Stock Exchange and the first-ever National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium.
The 2019 National Dog Show was hosted on NBC, as always, by AKC judge David Frei and actor John O’Hurley, with backstage commentary by longtime sports broadcaster Mary Carillo.
Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir were also backstage giving out awards for things like “Fluffiest Paws” and “Smallest Dog” as well.
Herding Group
The Herding Group was claimed by an Old English Sheepdog called Sophia from Chatham, New Jersey, which seems very appropriate and fitting.
Hound Group
The Hound Group was captured and ruled over by the Pharaoh Hound called Maddie, who comes from Selkirk, New York.
Non-Sporting Group
In the Non-Sporting Group, the No. 1 Bulldog, Thor (whose registered name is GCHG Diamond Sold Majesu Pisko Bulls), claimed this category, which doesn’t usually happen for his breed.
Thor is handled by Eduardo Paris of Peru, and owned by Kara Gordon of Houston, Texas.
Sporting Group
The Sporting Group was won by a Golden Retriever named Daniel from Ligonier, Pennsylvania.
Terrier Group
A Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier from Ottawa, Ontario, named Blaine won the Terrier Group.
Toy Group
The Toy Group, like it has been all year long, was taken by a Havanese from Menlo Park, California, called Bono (officially GCHP Oestes In the Name of Love), handled by Taffe McFadden.
Bono, named after the U2 frontman and one of the band’s biggest hits, had also claimed, among other victories this season, the WKC Dog Show in February, the Beverly Hills Dog Show presented by Purina in March, and the Lawton Dog Fanciers Association in June.
Working Group
The Working Group was won by a Siberian Husky named Nick from Shanghai, China.
Best in Show
The Best in Show category was judged by Charlotte Patterson this year,
Our friend Ovie the Bulldog can rejoice, because his wish finally came true – the Best in Show prize for the 2019 National Dog Show presented by Purina went to Thor, as a king rightfully deserves a crown, should he be worthy enough. (Our sister site Bam Smack Pow would heartily concur with this sentiment.)
“He is beautifully made,” Judge Patterson told NBC, talking of Thor. “And he performed well under the hot lights. That is not easy for this breed.”
An encore re-airing of the 2019 National Dog Show presented by Purina will air on NBC at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, November 29.
All eyes, ears and snouts in dog sports now turn to Orlando (which has many pet-friendly places to visit and a really cool rescue organization), where the 2019 AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin will be held December 14-15, crowning the very best of the conformation world this season.
This will likely be shown on Animal Planet in early January 2020, possibly as counterprogramming against the New Year’s Day college football bowl games.
In dock diving, the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships will also be held at the same time, which will be streamed live on AKC.TV.