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Vito the Pug made breed history on Thanksgiving Day 2024, winning Best in Show at the 23rd National Dog Show Presented by Purina. The fawn male Pug defeated a field of approximately 1,940 dogs representing 205 breeds and varieties at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania. His victory made him the first Pug to win the televised National Dog Show’s Best in Show title.
Vito’s win was broadcast on NBC on November 28, 2024, following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Watch Vito’s Best in Show win through the official NBC Sports coverage, subject to current video availability.
Who is Vito the Pug?
Vito’s registered show name is MBIS/MBISS GCHG Andi In Cahoots. Purina Pro Club described him as an outgoing, approximately 21⁄2-year-old fawn male Pug when he won the National Dog Show.
His handler was Michael Scott of Chesapeake City, Maryland. The listed co-owners were Carolyn Koch of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Joy Barbieri, and Rebecca Movall. Barbieri and Movall bred Vito, with Eileen Barbieri listed as a co-breeder.
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According to Purina Pro Club’s event coverage, Vito began his Specials campaign with Scott in January 2024 and had accumulated 25 Best in Show wins by the time he reached the National Dog Show. That figure comes from promotional event coverage and is best treated as a reported career statistic rather than an independently audited total.
The National Dog Show’s official website identifies Vito as the 2024 Best in Show winner.
How Vito reached Best in Show
The National Dog Show is not decided by putting every dog into one undifferentiated ranking from the beginning. Competition progresses through several stages:
- Breed judging: Dogs compete against others of their own breed or variety under that breed’s official standard.
- Group judging: Breed winners advance to one of seven groups, where judges select a group winner.
- Best in Show: The seven group winners compete for the overall title.
Vito first won the Toy Group, which NBC Sports reported included 24 breeds. He then faced the other six group winners in the final Best in Show ring.
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The seven group winners
| Group | Dog | Breed |
|---|---|---|
| Herding | Rupert | Berger Picard |
| Hound | The Zit | Ibizan Hound |
| Toy | Vito | Pug |
| Terrier | Verde | Welsh Terrier |
| Non-Sporting | JJ | Lhasa Apso |
| Sporting | Houston | Clumber Spaniel |
| Working | Monty | Giant Schnauzer |
Verde, the Welsh Terrier, won Reserve Best in Show. The remaining finalists were the group winners listed above. The full final-round result is reported by NBC Sports and CBS News.
Why Vito’s victory was historic for Pugs
Pugs had competed at the National Dog Show before, but Vito was the first Pug to win Best in Show during the event’s televised era. That made the result more than another annual competition win: it established a first for the breed at one of the United States’ best-known Thanksgiving dog shows.
The result also continued a run of memorable recent winners from breeds that do not win the event every year. Stache, a Sealyham Terrier, won in 2023, while Winston, a French Bulldog, won in 2022. Vito’s victory gave the 2024 broadcast its own distinctive historical storyline: a Toy Group winner from a familiar companion breed reaching the top of the competition for the first time.
Judge George Milutinovich praised Vito as a Pug who exemplified the breed, according to Purina Pro Club’s account. That is the judge’s assessment, not a measurable score or a claim that one breed is objectively superior to another.
Vito’s food association—and what it does not prove
Purina Pro Club reported that Vito was fed Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula. Purina describes that dry food as a formula for highly active dogs, with 30% protein and 20% fat, and says it is complete and balanced for all life stages under the product’s stated feeding qualification.
This is a documented sponsor-related association, not evidence that the food caused Vito’s win. The AKC Gazette coverage notes the promotional relationship involving Purina ambassadors. A show dog’s diet should not automatically be treated as a recommendation for every Pug: age, activity, health, body condition, allergies, and veterinary guidance all matter.
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Readers researching Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula should check the current label, feeding directions, package size, and seller information. The product’s association with Vito should not be interpreted as veterinary advice or as proof of a performance benefit.
When and where the National Dog Show aired
The 2024 National Dog Show aired on NBC on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024, after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The broadcast is part of the holiday television tradition hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and sanctioned by the American Kennel Club.
NBC’s official video description also referenced streaming on Peacock, and NBC Sports published official Vito-related video coverage. Complete replays and streaming rights can change after the original broadcast, so viewers should verify availability for their country and date rather than assuming that an older link still provides a full replay.
Do not confuse Vito’s win with other 2024 dog-show titles
Vito won the 2024 National Dog Show. He did not win every major American dog-show title that year, and this result should not be merged with two separate events:
- 2024 AKC National Championship: Held in Orlando in December and won by Monty, the Giant Schnauzer. See the AKC’s report.
- 2024 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: Best in Show was won by Sage, a Miniature Poodle. See Westminster’s official result.
These are different competitions, held at different times and under different event identities. The precise title is Best in Show at the 2024 National Dog Show.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was Vito the Pug’s registered name?
Vito’s registered show name was MBIS/MBISS GCHG Andi In Cahoots.
Who handled Vito at the 2024 National Dog Show?
Michael Scott of Chesapeake City, Maryland, handled Vito in the Best in Show competition.
What breed won Reserve Best in Show?
Verde, a Welsh Terrier, won Reserve Best in Show.
Was Vito the winner of the 2024 AKC National Championship?
No. The AKC National Championship was a separate December 2024 event won by Monty, a Giant Schnauzer. Vito won the 2024 National Dog Show.
Was Vito’s food responsible for his victory?
There is no evidence supporting that claim. Purina coverage associated Vito with Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula, but that promotional association does not prove that the food caused his win or that it is appropriate for every dog.
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Vito the Pug’s 2024 National Dog Show victory was a genuine breed first: he became the first Pug to win Best in Show in the televised history of the Thanksgiving competition. He advanced from the Toy Group, defeated six other group winners, and finished ahead of Verde, the Reserve Best in Show Welsh Terrier.
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