For one electric night at Madison Square Garden, Penny the Doberman Pinscher stood alone at the center of the dog world. Crowned Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show’s historic 150th anniversary on Feb. 3, 2026, the four-year-old delivered a performance that sealed her place in canine history and opened the door to a very different kind of future.
Handled by veteran showman Andy Linton, Penny outpaced more than 2,500 champion dogs representing over 200 breeds. For Linton, the win carried special weight. “I had some goals, and this was one of them,” he said afterward, according to The Associated Press, calling the milestone victory “extra-special” as he winds down a career spanning nearly four decades.
© Bryan BedderLinton had high praise for his partner in the ring. Penny “is as great a Doberman as I have ever seen,” he told the crowd after guiding her through an impeccably composed final round.
But as the purple ribbon was secured and the cameras flashed, Penny’s competitive chapter quietly closed. Her win at Westminster marked not just a peak, but a graceful exit.
© TIMOTHY A. CLARYFollowing her triumph, Penny made a celebratory visit to the Empire State Building before turning her attention to what comes next. According to her co-owner Theresa Connors-Chan, the Doberman’s post-show life will center on connection rather than competition.
© Roy Rochlin“Penny's going to retire from showing and become a certified therapy dog, because she loves to be pet so much,” Connors-Chan told Entertainment Tonight. “And hopefully she'll be a mama.”
Those who know Penny say the transition fits her personality perfectly. Ringside at Westminster, she was known to gently nudge admirers for attention, a quiet reminder that beneath her polished exterior is a dog who thrives on human affection.
© TIMOTHY A. CLARYVeteran observers described her as focused yet approachable, a balance that helped make her such a standout in the ring. While many champions continue chasing titles, Penny’s future points toward service and companionship.
Therapy work will place her in hospitals, schools, and care facilities, where calm presence matters more than perfect footwork. Motherhood may follow, extending her legacy beyond trophies and into the next generation of Dobermans.
© John NacionIn the end, Penny leaves the spotlight exactly as she entered it, composed, confident, and quietly magnetic. Westminster may have been her grand finale, but the next chapter promises something just as meaningful.
Founded in 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show remains the nation’s oldest continuously held dog show and the second-longest continuous sporting event in the United States.
© Bryan BedderThis year’s sesquicentennial celebration leaned heavily into that legacy, lighting the Empire State Building in Westminster’s signature purple and gold and emphasizing education, youth involvement, and responsible dog ownership.
While only champion-level dogs compete, Westminster’s broader mission extends far beyond ribbons, preserving breeds, supporting sportsmanship, and celebrating the human-canine bond.
Throughout the semifinals, that spirit was on full display. Crowds cheered for everything from Calaco, a Xoloitzcuintli with effortless confidence, to Storm, a Newfoundland who stood as tall as his handler, and Lumpy, a Pekingese whose name inspired arena-wide chants.
