Exclusive | Pug named Vito makes history winning Best in Show at National Dog Show 2024: Everybody loves him
He’s the new top dog.Vito, a competition-squishing stud-muffin pug from North Carolina, took home the Best in Show title at the 23rd annual National Dog Show, which aired on Thanksgiving, making history as the first pug to do so.The 2-year-old Vito sashayed away with the top title, beating out as many as 2,000 other pups at the beloved annual event hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and presented by Purina.Not only did Vito win the whole kit and caboodle, but he was also ranked as the No.2 toy dog in America and the No.
1 ranked pug in all systems.“I’ve been doing this for almost 30 years and this is my first Best in Show at the National Dog Show in Philadelphia. Just thrilled to be on that Thanksgiving Day broadcast,” his owner, Carolyn Koch of Chapel Hill, told The Post.The 18-pound little bruiser, who is “happiest when he’s with his humans” but “loves the attention,” drew plenty of cheers from the audience at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center as his handler, Michael Scott, paraded him around on Nov.16 and 17.“It was a wonderful feeling,” Scott, who has been a handler with his wife, Michelle, for a little over 20 years, told The Post.
“It’s a big dog show, it’s very prestigious.”But Vito, whose “favorite thing to do is playing with his toys,” is no stranger to fetching the top title.After competing in over 75 dog shows, this marks Vito’s 25th Best in Show win.Earlier this year he won Best of Breed at the Westminster Dog Show and placed fourth in the Toy Group.
The pug also snagged the Best of Breed title at the American Kennel Club National Show in 2023.“He’s got a great career ahead of him,” Michelle added.“That was his 25th Best in Show! I am blessed to have Michael and Michelle Scott as handlers.They love their dogs and their dogs love them.
They have a great bond with Vito,” Koch shared.“Everybody loves the dog,” host John O’Hurley, best known as J.Peterman on “Seinfeld,” told The Post.
H...