2025 National Dog Show Awards Belgian Sheepdog Soleil Best in Show
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2025 National Dog Show Awards Belgian Sheepdog Soleil Best in Show
Here's how Belgian Sheepdog Soleil was able to walk away with Best in Show during today's 24th National Dog Show Presented by Purina.
Published Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:14:04 -0600
by Ray Flook
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Last updated Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:14:13 -0600
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Article Summary
- Belgian Sheepdog Soleil wins Best in Show at the 2025 National Dog Show Presented by Purina.
- Soleil wowed the judges with flawless presentation and charisma, beating tough competition for the title.
- Group winners included breeds like English Setter, Giant Schnauzer, American Foxhound, and Shih Tzu.
- The prestigious dog show aired on NBC and Peacock, drawing pet lovers nationwide following the parade.
Congratulations and all of the flowers go to Soleil, the regal and striking black Belgian Sheepdog, who was crowned Best in Show earlier today during the 24th National Dog Show Presented by Purina. Hosted by John O'Hurley, David Frei, and Mary Carillo, the holiday tradition aired on NBC and streamed on Peacock after the 99th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Reserve Best in Show (second place) went to an American Foxhound named George (winner of the Hound Group). "Today, that dog was 'on.' Didn't put its foot down wrong. Didn't miss a beat," shared Best in Show judge Charlie Olvis of Lake Wales, Fla. "She is in drop-dead gorgeous condition." Soleil's handler, Daniel Martin of Princeton (Raleigh), N.C., added, "I knew that this would be a fierce, intense competition. Soleil loves the energy, and she feels it. That's her magic. She'll do whatever we ask of her. She's a winner."
Here's a look back at the complete judging for the seven groups and their respective winners: Sporting – an English Setter named Tyler of Canton, Ga; Working – a Giant Schnauzer named Dino of Miami, Fla.; Hound – an American Foxhound named George of Mechanicsville, Md.; Herding – Belgian Sheepdog Soleil of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; Non-Sporting – a Bichon Frise named Neal of Washington, D.C.; Terrier – a Miniature Schnauzer named Baby Joe of Mesa, Ariz.; Toy – a Shih Tzu named Comet of Toledo, Ohio. In addition, you can check out the Best in Show judging in full above.
Herding Group – Herding is a natural instinct in dogs that is seen in the wild. Humans have used that instinct to their advantage on farms and ranches with herding dogs who have the sole purpose of gathering and moving livestock from one place to another.
Hound Group – Originally classified as sporting dogs because of their function as hunters, breeds in the Hound Group are of a great variety of size, shape, and coat. Most of these breeds were developed to hunt somewhat independently for their humans, who usually followed on foot or on horseback as the hounds chased down the prey. This group informally consists of scent hounds, dogs that hunt by tracking a scent, and sight hounds, who spot their game and run it down.
Non-Sporting Group – The AKC originally registered dogs as either Sporting or Non-Sporting. Eventually, hounds and terriers were split from the Sporting Group, and the Toys and Working dogs were split off from Non-Sporting, with the Herding Group eventually splitting from Working. Today, the Non-Sporting Group is literally every breed that is left, resulting in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, hair, function, and history.
Sporting Group – The invention of the gun led to the development of the sporting, or gun dogs, to aid in hunting upland game birds or waterfowl, performing at the direction of the hunter. While a number of these breeds perform more than one task, it is generally the duty of pointers and setters to point and mark game; for spaniels to flush game; and for retrievers to recover dead and wounded game.
Terrier Group – All but two of the terriers evolved in the British Isles. The geography of the specific area (water, rocky terrain) helped to determine the exact duties of each breed, but it usually involved hunting vermin and varmints ranging from rats to badgers to otters and more. These are dogs of great determination, courage, and self-confidence, with a great willingness to go to ground in search of its quarry.
Toy Group – Toy dogs have been around for centuries, and are bred for one purpose: to be companions for their humans. Many have been bred down from and still resemble their larger cousins. Their small size and portability make them ideal for city dwellers and those with limited space.
Working Group – While the uses and appearances of the dogs in the Working Group vary, most are powerfully built and intelligent, performing various tasks for their people. These dogs are working farm and draft animals. They guard homes and livestock, serve heroically as police and military dogs, security dogs, guide and service dogs, and hunters.
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