Westminster Dog of the Year is organised by the Dogs Trust and the Kennel Club and has been running since 1992. The event takes place in Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster each year in October.

The competition celebrates the unique bond between man and dog – and aims to promote responsible dog ownership.  The competition is open to all parliamentarians’ dogs, regardless of breed, creed or pawlitical persuasion.

Since 2005 political journalists have also been invited to enter their dogs into the competition to go head to head with the parliamentarians, those that have taken up the challenge include George Pascoe-Watson, Jason Beattie and Marie Woolf.

Clarissa Baldwin, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust, explains: “The Westminster Dog of the Year competition is so much more than a canine beauty pageant.  The competition is strictly apolitical; judges will be looking for the dogs’ good deeds and devotion to their owner – rather than policies, opinions or ‘bottle’.” 

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, continued; "The serious side of this competition is about MPs getting together with the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust to promote responsible dog ownership and develop a partnership on dog welfare issues. The competition itself is light-hearted and an entertaining day out - not least because of the unusual criteria on which the dogs are judged!"

Past winners of the competition include:

Related Articles:

Conservative 'paw slide' at Westminster Dog of the Year - 14 October 2011

New Westminster Dog of the Year is appointed - 2 November 2010

The Rex Factor Hits Westminster - 29 Oct 09

MP’s Greyhounds Race to Become Westminster Dog of the Year 2008 - 16 Oct 08

Gorgeous George Sets Sights On Becoming Canine “First Among Equals” - 16 Oct 07

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