What the Westminster Kennel Club show is
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the United States, after the Kentucky Derby. It takes place once a year in New York City and is broadcast on television. The show has been held since 1877, making it one of the oldest continuously held sporting events in the country.
Westminster is not a competition you enter your own dog into through an online form. Dogs are invited to compete based on their record in other American Kennel Club (AKC) sanctioned shows held throughout the year. To get your dog to Westminster, it must first win or place highly in regional and national AKC shows, which requires entering those shows separately and paying entry fees for each one.
The show judges dogs in two main competitions: the breed judging, where dogs compete within their breed group, and the Best in Show final, where the top winners from each group compete for the highest award. Dogs are evaluated on how closely they match the official breed standard — a written description of what the ideal dog of that breed should look like and how it should move and behave.
Key Takeaways
- Westminster is held once a year in New York City and dogs must be invited based on their wins in other AKC shows throughout the year.
- To get your dog to Westminster, you enter it in regional AKC shows first, which requires separate entry fees and advance registration for each show.
- Dogs compete within their breed group first, then the top winners advance to Best in Show judging.
- The show is judged on breed standards — official written descriptions of what each breed should look like and how it should move.
- Watching Westminster is free on television, but competing requires your dog to be registered with the AKC and to have competed successfully in other shows first.
How dogs get invited to Westminster
Westminster does not hold open registration. Instead, the show invites dogs that have earned points or wins in AKC shows during the year leading up to Westminster. The exact qualification rules change from year to year, but generally a dog must have competed in and won or placed in AKC sanctioned shows to be considered.
If you want your dog to have a chance at Westminster, you start by entering it in AKC shows in your region. These are held throughout the year at different locations. You find upcoming shows through the AKC website, register your dog for each show you want to enter, and pay the entry fee (which varies by show but typically ranges from $25 to $50 per show). Your dog then competes against other dogs of the same breed, and the winners accumulate points or records that make them may be able to access for larger shows.
The path to Westminster usually takes years of competing in smaller shows, winning consistently, and building a record that catches the attention of Westminster's selection committee. Many dogs never make it to Westminster even after years of showing. It is not a may provide outcome of entering shows — it is the result of sustained success at the highest levels of AKC competition.
What happens at the show itself
Westminster takes place over two days. On the first day, dogs compete in their breed groups — there are seven groups: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding. Each breed has a judge who examines the dogs in that breed and selects a winner. The breed winners then advance to the group judging, where they compete against the winners from other breeds in the same group.
On the second day, the seven group winners compete in the Best in Show final. A single judge evaluates all seven dogs and selects the overall winner. The judging is based entirely on how well each dog matches its breed standard — judges look at the dog's structure, movement, coat, and temperament as defined by that breed's official standard.
The show is held at a large venue in New York City, and spectators can watch the judging in person by purchasing tickets. The event is also broadcast on television, so you can watch from home. Handlers (professional or owner-handlers) present the dogs to the judges, and the dogs must stand still for examination and move around the ring so judges can see how they move.
The difference between Westminster and other dog shows
Westminster is the most prestigious dog show in the United States, but it is not the only one. The AKC holds thousands of shows every year across the country. The main differences are the level of competition, the history, and the media attention.
Most AKC shows are open to any registered dog in good standing with the AKC. You can enter your dog in a local show without any prior wins or record. Westminster, by contrast, only invites dogs that have already proven themselves in other shows. This makes Westminster a championship-level event rather than an open competition.
Other major shows include the AKC National Championship, which is held annually and is also invitation-only, and various regional specialty shows that focus on a single breed. These shows operate the same way Westminster does — judges evaluate dogs against breed standards — but they have smaller fields and less national attention.
Costs and requirements for competing
If you want to pursue Westminster with your dog, you need to budget for multiple years of AKC show entries. Each show entry costs $25 to $50, and you may enter your dog in multiple shows per year. You also need to register your dog with the AKC, which costs a one-time fee of around $10 to $25 depending on whether your dog is already registered.
Many people who show dogs at the Westminster level hire professional handlers — people who specialize in presenting dogs to judges. A professional handler typically charges $500 to $2,000 per show, plus travel expenses. This is not required, but it is common at the highest levels of competition because handlers have experience and informed in how to present a dog to judges.
You also need to maintain your dog's health and appearance. This includes regular grooming, veterinary care, and sometimes special training to prepare your dog for the show ring. These costs vary widely depending on the breed and your location, but they add up over the years of showing required to reach Westminster.
How breed standards work
Every dog breed recognized by the AKC has an official breed standard — a written document that describes what the ideal dog of that breed should look like, how it should move, and what its temperament should be. Judges use these standards to evaluate dogs at shows.
For example, the breed standard for a Golden Retriever describes the ideal height (males 23 to 24 inches at the shoulder), weight (males 65 to 75 pounds), coat color (various shades of gold), and temperament (friendly, intelligent, devoted). A judge compares each Golden Retriever in the ring to this standard and selects the dog that comes closest to the ideal description.
Breed standards are written by breed clubs — organizations of people who specialize in that breed — and are approved by the AKC. They change occasionally as breed clubs update them, but they remain relatively stable over time. This is why a dog that wins at Westminster in one year might not win in another year — judges may interpret the standard slightly differently, or the dogs competing may vary in how closely they match the standard.
Watching Westminster as a spectator
You do not need to own a show dog to watch Westminster. The show is broadcast on television, usually on a cable sports network, and the broadcast is free to watch if you have cable access. The exact channel and broadcast dates vary from year to year, so you can find the current year's information on the Westminster Kennel Club website or by searching for "Westminster dog show" and the current year.
If you want to watch in person, you can purchase tickets to the show. Tickets are sold through the Westminster website and typically range from $25 to $200 depending on the day and seating location. The show sells out, so tickets may not be available for all sessions, especially the Best in Show final on the second day.
The broadcast usually includes commentary from announcers who explain what judges are looking for, describe the breed standards, and provide background on the competing dogs. This makes it easier to understand what is happening if you are not familiar with dog shows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enter my dog in Westminster if it has never been shown before?
No. Westminster only invites dogs that have already competed in and won or placed in AKC shows. You would need to enter your dog in regional AKC shows first, win consistently over a period of time, and then your dog might be considered for an invitation to Westminster. This process typically takes years.
How much does it cost to show a dog at Westminster?
The entry fee for Westminster itself is around $150 to $200, but the real cost is in the years of showing required to get there. You will spend thousands of dollars entering regional shows, hiring handlers, and maintaining your dog's health and appearance before you ever reach Westminster.
What happens if my dog wins Best in Show at Westminster?
Your dog becomes the Westminster champion for that year and receives a trophy. The win is recorded in the dog's official AKC record and adds significant prestige to the dog's breeding record if you plan to breed from it. The winner is also featured in media coverage and may appear at other events, but there is no cash prize for winning Westminster.
Do mixed-breed dogs compete at Westminster?
No. Westminster is exclusively for purebred dogs registered with the AKC. Mixed-breed dogs can compete in other AKC events, such as agility or obedience competitions, but not in the breed judging at Westminster.
How are judges selected for Westminster?
Judges are selected by the Westminster Kennel Club from among experienced AKC judges who have proven informed in evaluating dogs against breed standards. Judges are typically people who have spent years showing dogs, breeding dogs, or both, and have earned their judging credentials through the AKC.