Who’s the best puppy? More than 1,300 puppies later, we have an answer. Hundreds of puppies and junior dogs ages six months to 18 months competed for AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy of the Year on Friday, December 13. Only one came out on top: “Pierce” the Wire Fox Terrier.
Fleet St Forged At Hampton Court “Pierce” was crowned “Junior of the Year” by a panel of judges, consisting of Mrs. Dorothy Collier, Dr. Thomas Davies, and Patricia M. Cruz.
What’s even better? Pierce is owned, bred, and handled by Robert Carusi and Hailey Griffit of Oxford, Massachusetts.
Group Winners
Seven puppies competed in Best in Show for Puppy/Junior of the year. After winning Best of Breed competitions, the following top dogs went on to win in their respective groups:
Sporting:
CH Silhouette Cuttingedge Never Go Back, a Parti-Color Cocker Spaniel known as “Shelby,” owned and bred by Linda Pitts & Brandon Edge of Knoxville, TN.
Hound:
Stackem Up Lutra Redneck Barbie, a Treeing Walker Coonhound known as “Barbie,” owned by Tracy Szaras and Tricia Snedegar of Starr, SC and bred by Tiffany Schmersal and Scott Kieffer.
Working:
CH Pouch Cove Live Wire, a Portuguese Water Dog known as “Livi,” owned and bred by Peggy Helming & Milan Lint of Brooklyn, NY.
Terrier:
Fleet St Forged At Hampton Court, a Wire Fox Terrier known as “Pierce,” owned and bred by Robert Carusi & Hailey Griffit of Oxford, MA.
Toy:
Cottage Lake’s Oedipal Love, a Toy Manchester Terrier known as “Buddah,” owned by Marcelo Chagas, Dr. Roger Travis Chagas and Lydia Frey of South Boston, VA and bred by Marcelo Chagas and Dr. Roger Travis-Chagas.
Non-Sporting:
Bouffant Hightide For Cotian, a Standard Poodle known as “Maven,” owned by Missy Ann Galloway of Ponte Vedra, FL and bred by Gary Russell and Melanie Van Hoe.
Herding:
Kenlyn Marquis’ Little Miss Dynamite V Seven Hills, a German Shepherd Dog known as “Mighty,” owned and bred by Kent Boyles Naomi Swanson & Liz Oster of Edgerton, WI.
Rewatch the Entire Puppy & Junior Stakes
Want to Watch More?
The 2019 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin takes place on December 14 and 15, 2019, in Orlando, Florida. Tune in to AKC.tv to watch live and see the Conformation competition, Agility Invitational, Obedience Classic, Juniors Classic, NADD/AKC Dock Diving National Championship, and much more.