National Dog Show 2025: Belgian Sheepdog Soleil Wins Best in Show

News Updates: On Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27, 2025) NBC aired the 24th annual National Dog Show live from Philadelphia, immediately following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Paradenbcsports.comnbcphiladelphia.com. Veteran hosts John O’Hurley (the actor) and David Frei (AKC judge) led the broadcast, reprising the roles they have held since the show’s 2002 debutnbcsports.com. The two-hour special ran from noon to 2:00 p.m. local time (12–2 p.m. ET) on NBC (simulcast on Peacock)nbcsports.comnbcphiladelphia.com. (Peacock and the NBC Sports app offered simultaneous streaming nationwidenbcphiladelphia.comnbcsports.com.) NBC Philadelphia noted that the event, presented by Purina Pro Plan, is a Thanksgiving tradition born from the film Best in Show, and each year attracts top handlers and judges from around the worldnbcphiladelphia.compurina.com.

Competition Highlights and Winners-(National Dog Show 2025)

The 2025 show featured 1,994 dogs representing 201 breeds — the largest entry list since 2019nbcsports.comnbcsports.com. Each dog competed in one of seven groups (Herding, Hound, Non-Sporting, Sporting, Terrier, Toy, Working), first vying for Best of Breed and then Best in Group. In the final “Best in Show” round, every remaining dog was a No. 1-ranked dog in its breednbcsports.com, making for an exceptionally strong lineup.

• Best in Show: Soleil, a black Belgian Sheepdog (Herding Group)nbcsports.com.
• Reserve Best in Show: George, an American Foxhound (Hound Group)nbcsports.com.
• Non-Sporting Group: Neal, a Bichon Frisenbcsports.com.
• Working Group: Dino, a Giant Schnauzernbcsports.com.
• Terrier Group: Baby Joe, a Miniature Schnauzernbcsports.com.
• Toy Group: Comet, a Shih Tzunbcsports.com.
• Sporting Group: Tyler, an English Setternbcsports.com.

In an expert field, 5-year-old Soleil distinguished herself with what hosts praised as “stunning grace, perfection and poise”nbcsports.com. Analyst David Frei quoted a veteran judge: “It’s a dog show, and you’ve got to show!” — and he said that “that’s what Soleil did,” moving at the “totally right speed” and looking confident in the ringnbcsports.com. Judge Charlie Olvis, who ultimately picked Soleil for Best in Show, agreed: “Today, that dog was on…in drop‑dead gorgeous condition”nbcsports.com. Handler Daniel Martin added that “she’s the professional…She loves the crowd. She loves this big arena”nbcsports.com. Frei noted it was noteworthy that a female dog won in a field often dominated by malesnbcsports.com.

Several of the finalist dogs had storied resumes: Comet the Shih Tzu entered the ring with 143 Best in Show titles (including Westminster group wins), Neal the Bichon had 42 BIS awards, and Baby Joe was the #1 all-breed dog in the U.S.nbcsports.com. Yet Frei observed that with all “great specimens” present, the deciding factors tend to be “showmanship, charisma, attitude or personality”nbcsports.com. In this case, Soleil’s ring presence proved decisive.

Entries and Records-(National Dog Show 2025)

The 1,994 entries spanned 201 breeds, the second year in a row with over 200 breeds judgednbcsports.com. The Golden Retriever was the single most entered breed (46 dogs)nbcsports.com. Frei predicts the field will only grow, anticipating “more than 2,000 entries” next year. By comparison, last year’s show featured 1,941 dogs (205 breeds)nbcsports.com. In 2024 the Best in Show was Vito, a Pug who beat 1,940 rivals to become the first of his breed to take the titlenbcsports.com; the 2024 Reserve BIS was Verde the Welsh Terriernbcsports.com.

Historically, only two breeds have ever won Best in Show at the NDS twice: a Wire Fox Terrier (2011-2012) and Claire, a Scottish Deerhound (2020-2021)nbcsports.com. The sport’s subjective nature means different champions each year, but traditions endure. NBC notes that all seven group winners in 2025 “got on TV” because of their singular excellencenbcsports.com. Indeed, Frei said the show — viewed by about 25 million people each Thanksgiving — gives exposure to breeds and handlers that fans nationwide then watch for in future competitionsnbcsports.com.

Broadcast and How to Watch-(National Dog Show 2025)

The National Dog Show (presented by Purina Pro Plan) aired on NBC on Thanksgiving Day, immediately after the Macy’s Paradenbcsports.comnbcsports.com. It was televised from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (local time) in all U.S. time zones (noon to 2 p.m. ET)nbcsports.comnbcphiladelphia.com. Local NBC stations carried the two-hour special, and it was also simulcast on Peacock streamingnbcphiladelphia.com. (Previous years’ National Dog Shows are available on-demand via Peacock as well.) NBC Sports confirms that viewers can watch live on the NBC app and NBCSports.com by logging in with a TV providernbcsports.comnbcphiladelphia.com.

Co-hosts John O’Hurley and David Frei returned behind the anchor desk as they have every year since 2002nbcsports.com. On-site for sideline and features were dog expert Mary Carillo and NBC reporter Britney Eurtonnbcsports.com. This national event is one of only three “majors” in American dog showing (along with the AKC National Championship and the Westminster Dog Show)nbcphiladelphia.com. In fact, NBC’s Jon Miller (former programming head) was inspired by Best in Show to bring in Purina sponsorship and launch the televised NDS in 2002nbcphiladelphia.com. The Philadelphia Kennel Club has hosted the show since 1879, and 2025 marks the 24th consecutive Macy’s Parade broadcast on NBCnbcphiladelphia.comnbcsports.com.

Looking ahead, champion Soleil may next appear at December’s AKC National Championship in Orlando and at the 2026 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. (Notably, the 2025 Westminster Best in Show winner was Monty, a Giant Schnauzerwestminsterkennelclub.org.) Fans can follow these events on NBC and streaming platforms as well.

Sources: Official NBC Sports coverage and local NBC reports of the 2025 National Dog Shownbcsports.comnbcsports.comnbcsports.comnbcphiladelphia.com, as well as historical records and press releasesnbcsports.comwestminsterkennelclub.org. Each fact above is backed by the cited sources.