The Dog Breeds with the Most Wins at the Westminster Dog Show
Dog held by person, receiving a large, decorative purple and yellow ribbon, likely in a competition setting.
Wire fox terrier
In general, terriers have done extraordinarily well at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. In fact, they’ve taken home a whopping 47 wins over the show’s history, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). Of all the terrier variations, wire fox terriers have won the most, with a total of 15 wins as of 2025. Their first win came in 1915, and the latest was in 2019, with Kingarthur Van Foliny Home.
Gail Miller Bisher, former director of communications for the Westminster Kennel Club, tells us that terriers have tons of wins for a few reasons. To start, it’s a bit of a numbers game in regard to how many different breeds are entered into the competition in the first place.
“There were fewer breeds in the 1800s, and some were more competitive than others. In the early 1900s, terriers were very popular, as they were used for vermin control and watchdogs. Therefore there were more terriers being bred and entered at the show, producing several winners,” says Bisher.
Scottish Terrier stands on a table, groomed by handlers wearing blue outfits, in a crowded indoor setting.
Scottish terrier
Scottish terriers come in second, with their earliest win in 1911 and the most recent in 2010. Since the show’s inception, the beloved “Scottie” has taken home the crown eight times, largely because it was (and still remains) such a popular breed. On that note, Bisher says the Westminster Dog Show isn’t a competition between breeds. Rather, dogs are judged according to a blueprint of standards outlined by the breed’s national club.
“They aren’t judging if the poodle is better than the Pekingese; they are judging which dog best conforms to that breed’s written standard,” she explains. “The winner is deemed as the best representative and thereby best dog for producing the next generation. The judges study the standards and judge accordingly.”
Dog sits proudly with handler; man holds "Best in Show" ribbon. Photographers capture the moment at Westminster Kennel Club event.
English springer spaniel
Right on the heels (or should we say paws?) of the wire fox and Scottish terriers comes the English springer spaniel, with six Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show wins. Interestingly, this breed’s first win didn’t come until 1963, and its latest was in 2007. In terms of notable dogs, an English springer spaniel by the name of D.J. actually won two years in a row—in 1971 and 1972.
According to Bisher, “Dogs that were able to repeat Best in Show wins are very rare, and it’s even less likely to happen these days, as there are even more dog breeds recognized by the AKC [American Kennel Club].” In fact, that was the last time there was a multi-year winning streak.
Woman in black suit leads a white poodle, walking briskly in a crowded indoor dog show with green carpet and spectators.
Standard poodle
With an average weight of 60 pounds, the standard poodle is the second-largest dog breed to make the “most frequent wins” list at Westminster. Its five first-place crownings are pretty spread out—1935, 1958, 1973, 1991 and most recently 2020—though its miniature and toy brethren have filled in the gaps for this super smart dog breed throughout the years.
Dog sits beside a large purple-and-yellow award ribbon held by a suited man, with a city observation deck viewfinder in the background.
Pekingese
The Pekingese—often mistaken for a giant ball of fluff rolling across the Westminster judging grounds—has also won Westminster’s Best in Show five times. Its wins are spread out, as well, with championship titles earned in 1960, 1982, 1990, 2012 and 2021. Winner or not, the Pekingese is always a crowd pleaser!
Dog struts confidently beside a person on a green indoor floor, possibly at a dog show.
Airedale terrier
The largest of all the terrier breeds—and appropriately nicknamed the “King of Terriers”—Airedales have won Westminster’s Best in Show four times in the competition’s 113-year history. Like its smaller terrier brethren, this wire-haired dog breed had a very early win in 1912, and it hasn’t strutted home with the big ribbon since 1933. As Bisher mentioned, terriers, in general, were a very popular breed in the early 1900s, which upped their chances of winning in general during that time.
Dogs stand on their hind legs as handlers line them up for a competition on a green indoor floor, with an audience watching.
American cocker spaniel
Also with four total wins, the American cocker spaniel ranks as a top-winning dog breed at Westminster. In general, spaniels—including the English springer, American cocker, Clumber, Irish water and Sussex—have earned 13 wins. In addition to being a great showman, the American cocker spaniel makes a great pet, as it’s a breed that gets along well with children.
Dog walking confidently in a show ring, handler in pink suit guiding, yellow signs displaying "BEST OF WINNERS" and "BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX."
Boxer
It’s not so often we see a household favorite earn Westminster’s Best in Show, but boxers have earned the first-place prize four times in the show’s history. The breed won in 1947, 1949, 1951 and 1970.
There was another notable boxer that competed at the Westminster Dog Show as well. Though she didn’t win in the 2016 competition, “Wilma” the boxer—one of the funniest names at the Westminster Dog Show—elicited a great “yabba dabba do” from the crowd when she strutted the stage.
A dog stands beside a man holding its leash, in a crowd. Two men in suits hold large trophies in an indoor event.
Doberman Pinscher
The German breed Doberman Pinscher has also won the Westminster competition four times, in 1939, 1952, 1953 and 1989. This large dog breed is notably bigger than other frequent winning breeds, including all those on this list, with an average weight of 70 to 90 pounds.
Dog walks beside person in blue dress on green carpeted show floor, with "RAT TERRIER" signs and flowers in the background.
Smooth fox terrier
We have another terrier winner, this time the smooth fox terrier, which has had four wins. Interestingly, all four took place in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show’s first four years, from 1907 through 1910. The first three wins went to the same pup, Ch. Warren Remedy, who must have been something really special!
A white dog walks on a leash led by a man, surrounded by an audience and photographers at a dog show event.
Sealyham terrier
A rare breed, the Sealyham terrier has won Westminster’s first-place prize four times. As it’s considered an endangered native breed by the Kennel Club, it makes sense that this breed’s wins occurred relatively early in the competition, in 1924, 1927, 1396 and most recently in 1977. In 2018, there were only 107 known Sealyhams, and as of 2024, that number is only 100 (after a notable bump and then decline again).
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Sources:
- American Kennel Club: “By the Numbers: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Best in Show Winners”
- Wire Fox Terrier Breed Archive: “King Arthur Van Foliny Home”
- The Kennel Club: “Vulnerable native breeds”
- Gail Miller Bisher, former director of communications for the Westminster Kennel Club
