The biggest weekend on the American dog show calendar is heading back to Florida, and this year the top dog gets something brand new. The 26th AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin runs Dec. 12-13 at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, and the Best in Show winner will become the first dog to earn the AKC National Champion, or ANC, title at the event.
Orlando hosts the AKC National Championship Dec. 12-13
According to the American Kennel Club’s entry announcement, the main conformation show fills the convention center’s North/South Concourse on Saturday and Sunday, with the AKC/Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes held the day before, on Friday, Dec. 11. The AKC National Owner-Handled Series Finals share the same two days as the championship.
The schedule splits the breeds across the weekend. The AKC’s event page lists the Sporting, Hound, Toy and Non-Sporting breeds plus Junior Showmanship on Saturday, then the Working, Terrier, Herding and Miscellaneous breeds on Sunday, ending with Best in Show. Fans who like to know a breed before they cheer for it can brush up on America’s most popular dog breeds, and anyone driving to Florida with a four-legged passenger may find these tips for road trips with a dog handy.
Entries are open now, but not for long. The official premium list says entries close at 3 p.m. Central time on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. It also sets the stakes: the owner of the Best in Show winner takes home $50,000 in cash, a year’s supply of dog food and an engraved crystal award from Royal Canin.
What the first-ever ANC title means
The big change this year is the title itself. In July, the AKC introduced the AKC National Champion (ANC) title, which it calls its highest conformation title. It goes to the dog that wins Best in Show at the National Championship, and the letters will appear as a prefix on the winning dog’s official AKC record.
The first ANC will be awarded to the 2026 Best in Show winner in Orlando. Past Best in Show winners are not left out, though. The AKC says every previous champion will receive the title retroactively, with certificates issued.
“Winning Best in Show at the AKC National Championship is a defining achievement in AKC conformation competition,” said AKC President and CEO Gina M. DiNardo, adding that the new title formally recognizes that accomplishment and honors the dogs, breeders, owners, handlers and judges behind it.
For a sense of who might be in the running, gentle giants and snow-loving breeds often turn heads in the ring, and this roundup of large dog breeds known for their gentle nature covers several regulars.
Who judges Best in Show
The person picking the very first ANC winner is already known. According to the AKC’s judging panel announcement, AKC Chairman Dr. Thomas M. Davies of Brimfield, Massachusetts, will judge Best in Show, while David J. Kirkland of Sanford, North Carolina, will judge Best Bred-by-Exhibitor in Show.
The group judges include Frank Kane for Sporting, Dennis Sprung for Hound, Robin Stansell for Working and Kathleen Ferris for Terrier. DiNardo, who also serves as show chair, said when the panel was released that the club is honored to have Davies and Kirkland leading the 26th show.
The field is usually huge. Last December, WBOC reported that 5,557 dogs from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and other countries competed at the 25th edition. The AKC describes the event as the largest dog show in North America, and it has been held since 2001.
How to watch Championship Week from home
Not everyone can make it to Orlando, and the AKC has that covered. Coverage streams on AKC.tv, the club’s digital network for dog programming, and on the AKC YouTube channel. AKC.tv runs around the clock on the web and on devices such as Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.
The championship is only part of the show. Championship Week also brings the AKC Agility Invitational, the AKC Obedience Classic, the AKC RACH Invitational, junior competitions in conformation, agility, obedience and rally, and a diving dogs attraction that tends to soak the front row.
Families turning the trip into a vacation can find plenty of things to do in Orlando with kids between sessions, including the holiday season at Universal Orlando. Dog owners planning more sunny outings later in the winter can look ahead to these dog-friendly beaches across the country.
When Best in Show is called on Sunday night, Dec. 13, one dog will make history as the first to win the ANC title on the spot, and every champion before it will finally get the letters to match.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Rudolph.A.Furtado – CC BY 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
