How does the Best in Show judging work at the National Dog Show?

Competition moves from class wins within each breed, to Best of Breed, to Group judging (seven AKC groups), to Best in Show. The Best in Show judge selects from the seven Group First-place winners. The winning dog has defeated the best representative of every other competing breed.

National Dog Show: AKC Breed Groups, How Conformation Judging Works, Breed Standards vs. Health Testing, Health Considerations for Featured Show Breeds, and What Best in Show Means

Q: When is the National Dog Show and where can I watch it?

The National Dog Show is broadcast on NBC every Thanksgiving Day, airing after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The competition is held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It typically draws over 20 million viewers. Full broadcast and streaming information is available through NBC and Peacock.

Q: What is the difference between the National Dog Show and Westminster?

Both are prestigious AKC all-breed conformation shows. Westminster is held in February in New York City and dates to 1877, making it the older event. The National Dog Show is held in Philadelphia and broadcast on Thanksgiving Day. Westminster has slightly stricter entry requirements for Specials. Both are considered among the most prestigious American conformation competitions.

Q: What does a judge look for at a dog show?

Conformation judges evaluate how closely each dog matches its breed's written standard: structure and proportions, movement (gait), coat, and temperament. Judges go over each dog with their hands to feel structure under the coat, and assess gait from multiple angles. The dog is compared to the breed standard ideal, not directly to other dogs.

Q: Can mixed breed dogs compete at the National Dog Show?

Mixed breed dogs cannot compete in AKC conformation, which requires AKC registration. However, mixed breed dogs can participate in AKC performance events (agility, obedience, rally, scent work) through the AKC Canine Partners program. The National Dog Show itself is a conformation event only.

Q: Is winning Best in Show good for a breed's health?

High-profile wins can raise interest in health-tested breeders but can also trigger demand spikes that outpace responsible breeding, leading to puppy mill overproduction. Responsible breed clubs respond to major wins with messaging about health testing requirements to discourage impulse acquisitions.

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Reviewed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Canine Breed Health & Conformation
The National Dog Show presented by Purina is one of the most watched dog-related events in the United States, broadcast nationally on Thanksgiving Day and drawing tens of millions of viewers each year. For many Americans, it is their primary exposure to the breadth and diversity of recognized dog breeds – and for dog owners watching at home, it frequently sparks questions about their own breed’s place in the sporting world, about how conformation judging actually works, about what “breed standard” means from a health perspective, and about the relationship between the physical traits selected for in the show ring and the health outcomes of companion dogs. This guide provides a comprehensive look at the National Dog Show: its history and structure, the AKC breed groups and how judging progresses from individual dogs to Best in Show, what judges actually evaluate and how breed standards are written and applied, the important distinction between conformation traits selected for appearance and the health-tested traits that responsible breeders prioritize independently of show success, breed-specific health considerations for the most commonly featured show breeds, and what owning a show-quality or show-lineage dog means in practical terms for everyday pet owners. Whether you are watching the Thanksgiving broadcast for the first time or considering a breed you saw in the ring, this guide connects the spectacle of the dog show to the practical veterinary and ownership reality behind it.

Key Takeaways

The National Dog Show is a United Kennel Club-sanctioned all-breed conformation show held annually in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of the largest dog shows in the United States by entry count, with several thousand dogs competing across all AKC-recognized breeds and varieties. The show is taped over two days and broadcast in a condensed television format on NBC on Thanksgiving Day, making it one of the most watched dog show broadcasts in television history. The winner of Best in Show receives the title but no monetary prize – the award is entirely one of prestige and recognition within the dog fancy community.
Conformation judging evaluates how closely a dog conforms to its breed’s written standard – a document that describes the ideal representative of the breed in terms of structure, movement, coat, color, size, and temperament. Judges award points toward championship titles based on wins at individual shows. The progression at a major show moves from individual class competition within each breed (Open, Bred-By-Exhibitor, American-Bred, Puppy classes) to Winners Dog and Winners Bitch, to Best of Breed, to Group competition (one of seven AKC groups), to Best in Show. The dog that wins Best in Show has beaten the Best of Breed winner from every other competing breed.
Conformation show success and health testing are separate and independent dimensions of a dog’s quality. A dog can be a Best in Show winner with no health clearances, and a dog can carry every relevant health clearance for its breed while having conformation faults that prevent it from competing. Responsible breeding practices, as recommended by the AKC Canine Health Foundation and individual breed health organizations, require health testing specific to the breed’s known heritable conditions – OFA hip and elbow evaluations, cardiac exams by a cardiologist, eye exams (CAER exams), DNA tests for breed-specific mutations, and others – before breeding, regardless of show record. Buyers seeking a healthy companion should ask specifically about health clearances documented at the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) database, not just about show titles.
Several breeds that frequently perform well at the National Dog Show carry well-documented breed-specific health concerns that potential owners should understand before acquiring one. Brachycephalic breeds (Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Shih Tzus, Pekingese) that appear in the Non-Sporting and Toy groups have airway anatomy – stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, hypoplastic trachea – that causes brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) at varying degrees of severity. Giant breeds (Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds, Saint Bernards) have short average lifespans relative to their size and high rates of dilated cardiomyopathy and orthopedic disease. Herding and sporting breeds prone to MDR1/ABCB1 gene mutations (Collies, Australian Shepherds, Shetland Sheepdogs) have drug sensitivities that require awareness from all veterinarians treating them.
The seven AKC breed groups featured at the National Dog Show – Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding – reflect historical function rather than purely contemporary utility, but they remain useful frames for understanding the behavioral and physical needs of the breeds within them. Sporting dogs (Retrievers, Spaniels, Pointers, Setters) require significant daily exercise and mental engagement. Working dogs (Mastiffs, Rottweilers, Great Pyrenees, Bernese Mountain Dogs) were bred for guarding, drafting, and rescue and often have strong territorial instincts. Herding dogs (Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Belgian Malinois) have exceptional exercise and mental stimulation requirements that make them challenging pets without appropriate outlets. Understanding a breed’s group history is relevant to predicting its behavioral needs as a companion.

History and Structure of the National Dog Show

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia, one of the oldest dog clubs in the United States founded in 1879, has hosted an annual all-breed dog show for over a century. The modern National Dog Show as a nationally televised event dates to its NBC broadcast partnership, which brought the Thanksgiving Day broadcast format to millions of American living rooms and established it as a holiday viewing tradition alongside the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which immediately precedes the dog show broadcast.

The show is an AKC-licensed all-breed conformation event. Entry is open to any AKC-registered dog of an AKC-recognized breed that meets the entry requirements. Several thousand dogs from across the country and internationally compete each year. The television broadcast presents a curated highlights version of the competition, focusing on Group judging and the Best in Show finale rather than the full breed-by-breed class competition that takes place over the two competition days.

How Conformation Judging Works

Conformation judging is not a performance or obedience competition – it is a comparison of each dog’s physical structure against the written ideal described in that breed’s official standard. Judges are licensed by the AKC for specific breeds or breed groups and have typically spent decades studying and exhibiting dogs within their approved breeds before earning judging approval.

The competition structure at an all-breed show proceeds as follows:

Class competition within each breed: Dogs compete within their class (Puppy 6-9 months, Puppy 9-12 months, Novice, Amateur-Owner-Handler, Bred-by-Exhibitor, American-Bred, Open). The class winner in each sex advances.
Winners Dog and Winners Bitch: Class winners in each sex compete for Winners Dog and Winners Bitch, which are the championship-point-earning awards. The point value depends on the number of dogs defeated (major wins require defeating 3+ dogs in most breeds).
Best of Breed: Winners Dog, Winners Bitch, and any dogs that are already AKC Champions (Specials) compete. The judge selects Best of Breed, Best of Winners, and Best of Opposite Sex.
Group judging: Best of Breed winners from every breed within a group compete before a Group judge. The judge selects First through Fourth place in each group.
Best in Show: The seven Group First place winners compete before a Best in Show judge who selects the overall winner.

The Seven AKC Breed Groups

Group	Historical Function	Example Breeds	Key Behavioral Traits
Sporting	Gun dogs: flushing, pointing, retrieving upland game and waterfowl	Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, English Springer Spaniel, Pointer, Irish Setter, Weimaraner	High energy; biddable; excel at training; need daily vigorous exercise; strong retrieve drive
Hound	Hunting by sight (sighthounds) or scent (scenthounds)	Beagle, Bloodhound, Greyhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Basset Hound, Afghan Hound, Whippet	Sighthounds: explosive speed, independent; Scenthounds: nose-driven, vocal, independent; varied exercise needs
Working	Guarding, drafting, search and rescue, police work	Boxer, Rottweiler, Great Dane, Siberian Husky, Bernese Mountain Dog, Doberman Pinscher, Saint Bernard	Often large to giant; protective instincts; need socialization; some have high exercise needs; several have serious heritable health concerns
Terrier	Hunting and dispatching vermin above and below ground	Airedale Terrier, Bull Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, Welsh Terrier	Feisty; independent; tenacious; high prey drive; strong-willed; often challenging with other small animals
Toy	Companionship; miniaturized versions of working/sporting breeds	Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Maltese, Shih Tzu, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Pug, Yorkshire Terrier	Companion-oriented; adaptable to apartment living; some have significant health concerns (BOAS, cardiac disease); long-lived but need dental care
Non-Sporting	Diverse group that does not fit other categories; historical roles vary widely	Bulldog, Poodle (Standard and Miniature), Dalmatian, Boston Terrier, French Bulldog, Chow Chow, Bichon Frise	Highly variable; includes some of the most popular companion breeds; several brachycephalic breeds with BOAS concerns
Herding	Moving and controlling livestock	Border Collie, German Shepherd Dog, Australian Shepherd, Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Belgian Malinois, Pembroke Welsh Corgi	Exceptional intelligence; high exercise and mental stimulation needs; herding instincts may manifest as nipping/circling children or other animals; excel at dog sports

Breed Standards and Health: An Important Distinction

A breed standard describes the ideal physical appearance and movement of a breed as developed and maintained by the breed’s national parent club (for AKC breeds, this is the parent club affiliated with the AKC). Standards are written documents that describe head shape, body proportions, coat type and color, gait, temperament, and disqualifying faults. They represent the accumulated judgment of breed enthusiasts about what defines the breed’s identity and function.

Health testing is a separate and parallel system driven by veterinary research and breed health organizations. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) maintains a publicly searchable database of health clearances for dogs across dozens of conditions: hip and elbow dysplasia evaluations, cardiac auscultation results (with cardiologist-performed exams for breeds at risk for inherited cardiac disease), CAER eye exams, thyroid panels, and DNA test results for breed-specific mutations. The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) funds research into heritable breed diseases.

What to ask a breeder beyond show titles
Show championships demonstrate a breeder’s commitment to conformation quality but do not speak to health. Before acquiring a dog from a show breeder, ask specifically: Are both parents OFA-evaluated for hips and elbows (for large breeds)? Has cardiac clearance been obtained for breeds with heritable cardiac disease (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Doberman Pinscher, Boxer, Irish Wolfhound)? Have CAER eye exams been performed for breeds with heritable eye disease? Are DNA tests available for breed-specific mutations (degenerative myelopathy, progressive retinal atrophy, MDR1/ABCB1)? Verify clearances independently at the OFA website (ofa.org) using the dog’s registered name or AKC number.

Health Considerations for Frequently Featured Show Breeds

Breed / Group	Common Health Concerns	Recommended Health Tests	Lifespan
Labrador Retriever (Sporting)	Hip and elbow dysplasia; exercise-induced collapse (EIC); progressive retinal atrophy; obesity predisposition	OFA hips/elbows; EIC DNA test; PRA DNA test; CAER eye exam	10-12 years
Golden Retriever (Sporting)	Hip dysplasia; subaortic stenosis; pigmentary uveitis; cancer predisposition (hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, osteosarcoma at higher rates than many breeds)	OFA hips/elbows; cardiac by cardiologist; CAER eye exam; ichthyosis DNA test	10-12 years
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Toy)	Mitral valve disease (affects majority of dogs by age 10); Chiari-like malformation/syringomyelia; hip dysplasia; episodic falling syndrome	Annual cardiac exams per MVD Breeding Protocol; MRI for CM/SM in breeding dogs; OFA hips; CAER	9-14 years
Doberman Pinscher (Working)	Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM); von Willebrand disease type I; cervical vertebral instability (Wobbler syndrome); hypothyroidism	Cardiac Holter monitor + echo; vWD DNA test; thyroid panel; OFA hips	10-12 years
Bulldog (Non-Sporting)	Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS); hip dysplasia; elbow dysplasia; skin fold dermatitis; cardiac defects; heat intolerance	OFA hips/elbows/cardiac; BAER hearing test; tracheal hypoplasia evaluation	8-10 years
German Shepherd Dog (Herding)	Hip and elbow dysplasia; degenerative myelopathy (DM); bloat (GDV); exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI); perianal fistulas	OFA hips/elbows; DM DNA test; CAER	9-13 years
Great Dane (Working)	Dilated cardiomyopathy; bloat/GDV (one of highest-risk breeds); osteosarcoma; Wobbler syndrome; hip dysplasia	Cardiac evaluation; OFA hips; thyroid	7-10 years
Collie (Herding)	MDR1/ABCB1 gene mutation (drug sensitivity); Collie eye anomaly (CEA); dermatomyositis; progressive retinal atrophy	MDR1 DNA test; CAER; CEA DNA test	12-14 years

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the National Dog Show and where can I watch it?

The National Dog Show presented by Purina is broadcast nationally on NBC every Thanksgiving Day, airing immediately following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (typically beginning around noon Eastern time, though the exact time varies by market). The competition itself is held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center over two days prior to Thanksgiving. Full broadcast and streaming information is available through NBC and Peacock. The show typically draws 20 million or more viewers, making it one of the most watched dog events on American television.

What is the difference between the National Dog Show and Westminster?

Both are prestigious AKC-licensed all-breed conformation shows, but they differ in several ways. Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is held annually in February in New York City and is the older of the two major American dog shows, dating to 1877 – making it the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the United States after the Kentucky Derby. The National Dog Show is held in Philadelphia and is broadcast on Thanksgiving Day. Entry requirements, judging format, and eligibility rules are similar for both shows. Westminster has slightly stricter entry requirements (dogs must have earned a certain number of championship points to enter as Specials). Both are considered among the most prestigious conformation competitions in the country, and winning either carries significant status within the dog fancy.

What does a judge look for at a dog show?

Conformation judges evaluate how closely each dog matches the written breed standard for its breed. This includes: structure and proportions (head shape, body length to height ratio, angulation of shoulder and hindquarter, topline); movement (gait should demonstrate the breed’s functional movement pattern – a German Shepherd moves differently than a Basset Hound, each correctly); coat (texture, length, color, and pattern as described in the standard); and temperament (dogs are expected to accept handling by a stranger without aggression or excessive fear). Judges go over each dog with their hands to feel bone structure and muscle development under the coat. The dog is also gaited away from and toward the judge, and around the ring, so movement can be assessed from multiple angles. The judge is not comparing dogs to each other – they are comparing each dog to the ideal described in the standard.

Can mixed breed dogs compete at the National Dog Show?

Mixed breed dogs cannot compete in AKC conformation classes, as conformation is specifically a breed evaluation requiring AKC registration. However, the AKC Canine Partners program allows mixed breed and unregistered dogs to participate in AKC performance events including agility, obedience, rally, and scent work. Some televised dog events – including certain AKC agility competitions and the AKC National Championship’s featured mixed breed showcase – do include mixed breed competitors in non-conformation competition. The National Dog Show itself is a conformation event and does not include mixed breed competition.

Is winning Best in Show good for a breed’s health?

Best in Show wins can have complex effects on breed health. On the positive side, a high-profile win raises public interest in a breed and, ideally, directs buyers toward reputable breeders who practice health testing. On the negative side, dramatic spikes in popularity following a Best in Show win – sometimes called the “Lassie effect” or “Uggie effect” after specific celebrity dogs – can drive demand that outpaces responsible breeding supply, leading to puppy mill overproduction of the breed. Several breeds have experienced population health declines following sudden popularity surges. Responsible breed clubs and breeders typically respond to high-profile wins with public messaging emphasizing the health testing and care requirements of the breed, to discourage impulse acquisitions and direct interested buyers toward health-tested breeding programs.

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