The 150th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is here!
As one of the most prestigious and long-standing events in the canine world, it continues to captivate dog lovers everywhere. With a rich history dating back to 1877, the show has been televised annually since 1948.
Tune in to FOXSports.com for live coverage beginning Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET.
Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s event:
What is the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show?
The WKC Dog Show brings together thousands of elite dogs for a series of events, showcasing not only the renowned dog show but also exciting competitions like agility, obedience, and dock diving. In the dog show, judges focus on evaluating breeding quality, awarding breeders whose dogs exemplify the ideal traits outlined in the breed standards.
Participating dogs are divided into seven categories: sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding.
Monty the Giant Schnauzer wins Best in Show at Westminster Kennel Club
Monty the Giant Schnauzer won Best in Show at Westminster Kennel Club
When is the Westminster Dog Show?
The 2026 WKC Dog Show will occur on January 31 and February 2-3, 2026. The show includes seven competitions.
How to watch the 2026 Westminster Dog Show
The 2026 WKC Dog Show will be aired on FOX, FS1, FS2 and FOX One.
How can I stream the 2026 Westminster Dog Show?
You can also stream the whole event on FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App.
Below is the detailed TV viewing schedule for the event:
Saturday, January 31
- Masters Agility Championship Finals: 4:30-7 p.m. ET (FOX)
Monday, February 2
- Breed Judging and Junior Showmanship Preliminaries: 1-4 p.m. ET (FS2)
- Group Judging (Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding Groups): 7:30-11 p.m. ET (FS1)
Tuesday, February 3
- Breed Judging and Junior Showmanship Preliminaries: 1-4 p.m. ET (FS2)
- Group Judging (Sporting, Working, Terrier, Best in Show): 7:30-11 p.m. ET (FS1)
Where is the 2026 Westminster Dog Show?
The 2026 WKC Dog Show will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center & Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The Best in Show will be crowned in Madison Square Garden.
It was previously hosted in New York City from its creation in 1877 through 2020 but moved to the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, New York for 2021 and 2022. In 2023, it was then moved to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. Starting in 2024, the competition is back to being held in New York City, with events at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center & Madison Square Garden.
Pictured here is Bouvier des Flandres, a working-group dog. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Westminster Kennel Club)
How does the Westminster Dog Show work?
Each dog will compete against others in its designated group, earning points for each dog it defeats. The more dogs in the event, the higher the points awarded to the winner. Dogs will be evaluated based on a detailed standard which outlines the ideal characteristics in various areas such as height, weight, coat type, colors, eye shape and color, ear shape, feet, tail and more. The top 210 dogs, recognized as Best of Breed, will advance to the Best in Group competitions. From there, the top dogs will compete for the prestigious Best in Show title.
2026 Westminster Dog Show Schedule
January 31 – Canine Celebration Day
7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
- Masters Agility Championship Preliminaries
- Demonstration Ring
- Flyball Tournament
- Human Agility Course
4:30-7 p.m. ET, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
- Masters Agility Championship Finals
February 2 – Dog Show Day 1
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
- Breed Judging (Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding)
- Junior Showmanship Preliminaries
7:30-11 p.m. ET, Madison Square Garden
- Group Judging (Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding)
February 3 – Dog Show Day 2
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
- Breed Judging (Sporting, Working, Terrier)
- Junior Showmanship Preliminaries
7-11 p.m. ET, Madison Square Garden
- Group Judging (Sporting, Working, Terrier)
- Junior Showmanship Finals
- Best In Show
Who won Best in Show in 2025?
Monty the Giant Schnauzer won Best in Show in 2025. Check out the complete list of winners.
Dog handler Katherine Bernardin, Adam Bernardin, and Monty, a Giant Schnauzer, who was the best in Show winner. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Westminster Kennel Club)
