Vito the Pug wins Best in Show at 2024 National Dog Show

For the archetypal clip since the yearly National Dog Show began airing connected Thanksgiving successful 2002, a pug has been crowned Best successful Show.

Vito the Pug took location the competition’s apical prize successful Philadelphia connected Thursday, beating much than 1,900 dogs representing implicit 200 breeds and varieties.

“Compact, features, question — everything a pug should be,” justice George Milutinovich told NBC, which broadcasts the canine lawsuit each year. “Lots of canine successful a tiny package. To look astatine a pug is to enactment a grin connected your face.”

Verde the Welsh Terrier. (Bill McCay/NBC)

Vito, from Chapel Hill, N.C., bushed retired 2nd spot Verde, a Welsh Terrier, to assertion the rubric of Best successful Show. The different finalists included a Berger Picard, Ibizan Hound, Lhasa Apso, Clumber Spaniel and a Giant Schnauzer.

Houston the Clumber Spaniel. (Bill McCay/NBC)

Vito, who besides won the artifact group astatine Thursday’s event, has a past of occurrence successful large canine shows. Earlier this year, helium won Best successful Breed astatine the Westminster Dog Show successful New York City, and the aforesaid grant astatine past year’s National Dog Show.

In all, he’s racked up 25 Best-in-Shows implicit the people of his life, contempt lone being 2-and-a-half years old.

“I ever anticipation to get a truly bully look [from the judge],” Vito’s handler, Michael Scott, told NBC News. “Vito has a beauteous caput and expression. Great outline.”

A Bichon Frisé astatine the National Dog Show. (Bill McCay/NBC)

The National Dog Show was not a large showcase until the aboriginal 2000s, erstwhile NBC purchased the rights to broadcast the contention and began airing it live aft the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Over the past 22 years, nary pug had claimed the event’s Best successful Show rubric until Vito’s triumph connected Thursday.

Vito’s co-owners — Carolyn Koch, Joy Barbieri and Rebecca Movall — took location a $20,000 prize.

Originally Published: November 28, 2024 astatine 6:17 PM EST