AKC National Championship Dog Show 2025 Results, Winners and Top Highlights

The 2025 American Kennel Club (AKC) national championship belongs to JJ the Lhasa Apso.

The Lhasa Apso captured the coveted Best in Show award after winning the Non-Sporting Group at the 25th annual competition at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

The winner stood out in a competition that featured more than 5,000 dogs and more than 200 different breeds on display. While the Best in Show is the most notable award handed out, there were a number of winners determined.

Here is a look at the winners, per the AKC's Instagram page.

2025 AKC National Championship Dog Show Winners

• Best in Show: JJ the Lhasa Apso
• Herding Group: Graham the Old English Sheepdog
• Toy Group: Aslan the Pomeranian
• Terrier Group: Baby Joe the Miniature Schnauzer
• Hound Group: Zaida the Afghan Hound
• Sporting Group: River the Gordon Setter
• Non-Sporting Group: JJ the Lhasa Apso
• Working Group: Penny the Doberman Pinscher

Kennedy Scales of WHSV explained dogs were judged against their breed standard during the competition.

Essentially, that standard "is a written blueprint that describes what each breed was originally intended to do and outlines the ideal specimen for that breed."

The annual event is one of the most notable dog shows of the year and took on even more meaning in 2025 seeing how it was the 25th anniversary.

"This milestone is really important," Carolyn Manno, co-host for AKC, said, per Scales. "It celebrates 25 years of really rich history, and it's a fun marker to see the growth of the national championship. It's the largest dog show in North America."

And that dog show belonged to JJ the Lhasa Apso on Sunday.