Soleil the Belgian Sheepdog had something extra to celebrate on Thanksgiving Day.
America’s top-ranked Belgian Sheepdog, Soleil, added to her accomplishments by taking home the Best in Show title at the 2025 National Dog Show Presented by Purina — the adorable win aired on Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day, after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The 24th National Dog Show hosted over 2,000 dogs from more than 200 breeds. Before earning her Best in Show crown, Soleil, a black Belgian Sheepdog, won the show’s Herding Group competition. When she got to the Best in Show round, the contest’s judge, Charlie Olvis of Lake Wales, Florida, said the dog “didn’t put a foot down wrong. Didn’t miss a beat.”
The judge added that the dog was in “drop-dead gorgeous condition. I mean, gorgeous condition.”
Soleil faced some tough competition in the Best in Show round. She went up against six other talented dogs: Neal the Bichon Frise — winner of the Non-Sporting Group, Dino the giant Schnauzer— winner of the Working Group, Baby Joe the miniature Schnauzer — winner of the Terrier Group, Comet the Shih Tzu — winner of the Toy Group, Tyler the English setter — winner of the Sporting Group, and George the American Foxhound — winner of the Hound Group.
George walked away from the final round with the Reserve Best Show title, the National Dog Show’s runner-up prize. Soliel and George left the top dogs despite competing against canines with stronger credentials on paper. Dino came into the competition’s Best in Show round as the number 1-ranked all-breed dog in the country, while Comet the Shih Tzu has 143 Best in Show titles.
“Soleil was just ‘on’ today,” her handler Daniel Martin of Princeton, N.C., said in a statement following the win. “I knew that this would be a fierce, intense competition. Soleil loves the energy, and she feels it. That’s her magic. She’ll do whatever we ask of her. She’s a winner.”
The dog works with Martin but is owned by Connie Jasinski of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Pat Snow of Sapulpa, Okla., and Nancy Maye of Towanda, Kan. Soleil’s registered show name is GCHS Prairiewind’s Sxongs of Summer at La Neige.
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Soleil takes over the Best in Show role from Vito the Pug, who earned the top title at the 2024 National Dog Show.
For those who missed Soleil’s victory when it aired on NBC are the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC will air an encore presentation of the two-hour special on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 4 p.m. ET/PT.
