The 2026 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is off to the races!
Group judging for Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding dogs is taking place Monday evening at Madison Square Garden, with the remaining three groups — Sporting, Working and Terrier — being judged on Tuesday night.
[DOG SHOW: 2026 WKC Dog Show: Everything To Know About This Year’s Competition]
Dogs competed against others in their designated groups on Monday, being evaluated based on a detailed standard which outlines the ideal characteristics in various areas (height, weight, coat type, colors, eye shape and color, ear shape, feet, tail and more). The top 202 dogs, recognized as Best of Breed, from two days of competition advance to Best in Group. From there, the seven top dogs competed against one another for the prestigious Best in Show title.
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Here are the results:
Hound Group — Afghan Hound
Zaida the Afghan Hound, officially known as GCHG CH Zaida Bint Muti Von Haussman, was the first dog to punch its ticket to Tuesday’s Best in Show competition. This year’s Hound Group had 356 total entries and 12 total Afghan Hounds in the mix, including Zaida. The most-entered breed in the Hound Group was the Rhodesian Ridgeback (34).
Afghan Hounds are known for their energetic, friendly and sociable demeanor. They were discovered in Afghanistan during the 19th century and brought to England to be hunting dogs for the royal family.
Toy Group — Maltese
Cookie the Maltese, officially known as GCHB CH Ta-Jon’s Made From Scratch, was the second dog to join the Best in Show field. This year’s Toy Group had 360 total entries and 10 total Maltese, including Cookie. The most-entered breed in the Toy Group was the Pomeranian (33).
Maltese are known for their courageous, friendly and sociable demeanor. They were once known to have healing qualities by the aristocracy, which would put the small dogs at the end of their beds when they were ill.
Non-Sporting Group
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Herding Group
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Terrier Group
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Working Group
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Sporting Group
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Reserve Best in Show (Runner-up)
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Best in Show
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