Whippet Good - Meet the Champion of Crufts Dog Show

What an exciting time to be a Whippet. Just last month, at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, 9-year-old female Whippet GCHP CH Pinnacle Kentucky Bourbon, better known simply as ‘Bourbon’, took top honors among the 35 dogs entered in the Hound Group.1 Following this achievement, she went on to be awarded Reserve Best in Show, just missing out on the top spot that went to a Giant Schnauzer named Monty.

Less than one month later, another Whippet named Miuccia has beaten over 18,000 canine entrants to take home the crown – and a very impressive trophy – after winning Best in Show at the prestigious UK’s Kennel Club Dog Show, Crufts, on March 9th, 2025.

Miuccia (Ch/Int/Multi Ch Una Donna Che Conta), the 4-year-old female Whippet from Venice, Italy, is the fourth of her breed to take out the top prize at Crufts since the very first Best in Show champion, a Greyhound named Primley Sceptre, was crowned in 1928. Judges were not only impressed by Miuccia’s form and temperament, but by the strong relationship between her and her handler, Giovanni Liguori.

Why Is This Wonderful?

In recent times, breeds like the Pug, French Bulldog, Dachshund, Chihuahua, and Bulldog have experienced a steady rise in popularity, and although these dogs are undeniably adorable, loving, and fun to be around, their anatomy puts them low on the list of healthy breeds. By contrast, the Whippet may be of middling popularity but boasts good conformation, a fit and healthy disposition, and a quiet, friendly temperament. It is refreshing, therefore, to see judges looking beyond the weird and wonderful features that so many dog owners find appealing and recognize a breed that is well-proportioned, functional, and still represents the traditional canine form.

Crufts Are Becoming More Health- and Welfare-Conscious

Much like dog breeding practises themselves, the breed standards and judging criteria of kennel clubs have not always been based on the health and welfare of the dogs in question, with many critics of competitions like Crufts opposed to their encouragement of dogs with anatomical features that were not consistent with good health. In more recent years, Crufts have introduced more rigid guidelines with regard to features like muzzle length and nostril size, with dogs showing more extreme forms of brachycephaly (squashed faces) being eliminated from competition. Coupled with the banning of ear cropping and tail docking (in most breeds), Crufts is slowly becoming a show that encourages healthier breeding practices, but there is still a long way to go.

Crufts isn’t just about judging’ there are lots of different ways that dogs and their amazing abilities are showcased over the four days. There are agility displays, police dog displays, heelwork to music (aka dog dancing!), flyball, hero awards, and ‘Scruffts’ – an opportunity for crossbreeds to also get their moment in the spotlight! These displays and programs are aimed at demonstrating and encouraging the various aspects of responsible dog ownership.

And who could forget Kratu, the Romanian rescue dog who stole the show – and sometimes the poles – during his hilarious navigation of the rescue dog agility course? His performance was so popular that he was invited back and performed four years running, further proof that Crufts isn’t just about perfection!

(For a highly amusing but rather profane commentary of Kratu’s antics, check out the Ozzy Man Reviews version – contains swearing)

Evolving Standards

Cropped ears and docked tails are not just accepted in the US dog show arena, they are part of the breed standard for many dogs, including this year's winner of the Westminster Show, the Giant Schnauzer. When tail docking and ear cropping were banned and removed from the breed standards of dogs like the Doberman, Schnauzer, and Great Dane in the UK, Australia, and many European countries, it was met with a lot of pushback from breeders and breed fanciers. Two decades on, and it is now the image of a dog with cropped ears or a docked tail that angers a crowd. We are hopeful that the American Kennel Club and other organizations will soon follow suit and update breed standards to be in line with the natural anatomy of dogs rather than a ‘preferred’ image.

By recognizing and exemplifying dogs of good health and conformation, shows like Crufts have the power to normalize natural, healthy features, and it’s great to see a Whippet like Miuccia coming out on top.

Did You Know? 

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