Doberman pinscher named Penny wins best in show at the 150th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

NEW YORK (AP) — The dog was Penny. The win was priceless.

A Doberman pinscher named Penny won best in show Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, netting U.S. show dogs’ most coveted prize — and giving veteran Andy Linton another win after nearly four decades. Linton got best in show in 1989 with another Doberman, named Indy.

Penny “is as great a Doberman as I have ever seen,” Linton told a supportive crowd. Despite ongoing health problems, he had guided the 4-year-old dog through a razor-crisp performance.

“I had some goals, and this was one of them,” Linton said.

Runner-up — and cheers just as loud — went to a Chesapeake Bay retriever named Cota. While Dobermans have won five times including Tuesday, no retriever has ever won, and their fans applaud every encouraging sign.

Cota also seemed to enjoy the moment, particularly when his handler let him play with the ribbon.

Other finalists included an Afghan hound named Zaida, a Lhasa apso called JJ, a Maltese named Cookie, an old English sheepdog dubbed Graham and a smooth fox terrier called Wager.

Each dog is judged according to how closely it matches the ideal for its breed. The winner gets a trophy, ribbons, bragging rights and the distinction of winning the milestone 150th annual Westminster show.

A crowd favorite at the 2025 Westminster show, Penny has rocked show rings since. A throng of handlers and other dog folk cheered for her and the well-liked Linton in early-round action Tuesday afternoon.

Ringside afterward, Penny politely but pointedly nudged her nose into a visitor’s leg, looking for something — pets, as it turned out.

Co-owner Greg Chan of Toronto said the 4-year-old Penny is “very demanding and very smart,” but she’s also “a pleaser — she’ll do anything for food.” (Her favorite snack? “Everything.”)

Penny came out on top after two days, 2,500 dogs and more than 200 breeds who strutted their stuff at the Westminster Kennel Club.

Lots of others scored meme-able moments or lightened up the crowd, even if they didn't make the finals.

Over two nights of semifinals, spectators cheered extra-loud for a Xoloitzcuintli named Calaco, a hairless dog who went around the ring like he had nothing to prove. A vizsla named Beamer charmed the crowd by hopping into a box set out for his handler's tools, and Storm the Newfoundland got laughs when he jumped up on his handler, standing almost as tall as she. Spectators cheered so loud for a golden retriever named Oliver that they drowned out the arena's announcer, and chants of “Lumpy! Lumpy!” resounded as Lumpy the Pekingese strolled before a judge.

One dog that made history in the semifinals was Millie, a Danish-Swedish farmdog. The small, spry breed just became eligible for the Westminster show this year, and Millie bested about 10 other farmdogs Tuesday afternoon to get to the evening round.

“It's been a very exciting journey” to establish the breed in the U.S., said Brita Lemmon, who got her first farmdog in 2000 and competed Tuesday with one named Coyote.

Westminster wins often go to pooches with professional handlers or owners with decades or even generations of experience behind them. But just reaching the elite, champions-only show is a major accomplishment in dogdom, especially for first-timers such as Joseph Carrero and his Neapolitan mastiff, Dezi.

After yearning for a Neo since his teenage years, Carrero finally got one when he was 35. A heavy equipment operator from Indian Springs, Nevada, he started showing the dog only because the breeder wanted him to. Now Carrero himself breeds and handles his Neos in the ring, while also working full-time and then some.

“It's really hard for us to do this, but we enjoy it, and he enjoys it,” Carrero said as a visitors gathered around to greet the jowly, 190-pound dog.

Boerboels, which are formidable guard dogs originally from South Africa, played a major role in how Natalee Ridenhour met her late husband and why she eventually left metropolitan life for a farm in Royse City, Texas.

On Tuesday, Ridenhour and a Boerboel named Invictus did something else she once would never have pictured: compete at the Westminster show.

The dog didn't advance past the first round. But as a visitor delightedly petted the 170-pound animal, Ridenhour said, “Honestly, the big win is: You're about the 50th person who's gotten down in his face and loved on him.”

Della, a Kerry blue terrier gets a kiss from her handler during the terrier group competition of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Graham, an old English sheepdog, walks into the ring for the Best in Show competition of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Cookie, a Maltese, competes in the Best in Show judging of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Handler Andy Linton hugs Penny, a doberman pinscher, after Penny won Best in Show of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Penny, a doberman pinscher, competes in the Best in Show judging of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Millie, a Danish-Swedish farm dog, competes in the working dog group competition of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Penny, a doberman pinscher, competes in the working group competition of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

A Chesapeake Bay retriever named Next Generation's Accelerate, or Cota, grabs the blue ribbon from his handler after winning the sporting group competition of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

A Lagotto Romagnolo named "Boardwalk Here Comes the Sun" competes in the sporting group of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Handler Hadrian Towell guides Manchester terrier Passport Sunkissed It's a Yes from Me Bonchien through the ring during the Junior Showmanship finals competition of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

A Weimaraner, named Sophia, competes in the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

A handler guides Hillcock's Burl Oak through the ring during the sporting dog group competition of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

A Chesapeake Bay retriever named Next Generation's Accelerate, or Cota, grabs the blue ribbon from his handler after winning the sporting group competition of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Dogs wait to be judged in the demo ring at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

A blood hound waits in the grooming area at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

A groomer prepares their dog at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

A handler with a dog treat in his mouth adjusts his Ibizan hound's stance at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Iran fired missiles at Israel and some Gulf nations while explosions could be heard around Tehran and the central Iranian city of Isfahan on Friday, as the United States prepared to further reinforce its already significant military forces in the Middle East.

As the war that began Feb. 28 was to enter its sixth week, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait warned about incoming missile fire, although it was unclear if anything was struck. Activists reported strikes around Tehran and the central city of Isfahan but it wasn’t immediately clear what was hit.

Iran’s attacks on Gulf region energy infrastructure and its tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas transits in peacetime, has sent oil prices skyrocketing.

Oil prices surged while Asian financial markets rose moderately during cautious trading. Benchmark U.S. crude rose 11.4% to $111.54 a barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, jumped 7.8% to $109.03 per barrel.

U.S. President Donald Trump said U.S. forces will keep hitting Iran “very hard” in the next two or three weeks.

The largest American aircraft carrier in service sailed out of Split, in Croatia and “remains poised for full mission tasking in support of national objectives in any area of operation,” the Navy’s 6th Fleet announced.

It was unclear where it was going. The USS Abraham Lincoln remains in the Arabian Sea and the USS George H. W. Bush aircraft carrier departed Norfolk on Wednesday to head to the Mideast.

Here is the latest:

Oil prices continued to surge on worries of a prolonged Iran war but the Asian markets that were open Friday rose moderately in cautious trading, while others were closed for the Good Friday holidays.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 11.4% to $111.54 a barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, jumped 7.8% to $109.03 per barrel.

The U.S. only relies on the Persian Gulf for a fraction of the oil it imports, but oil is a commodity and prices are set in a global market.

The situation is very different in Asia. Japan, for example, relies on access to the Strait of Hormuz for much of the nation’s oil import needs and would need to rely on alternative routes. But some analysts say Japan and oher nations are counting on an agreement with Iran to allow transports.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 0.9% in Friday morning trading to 52,938.62. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.1% to 5,344.41. The Shanghai Composite sank 0.5% to 3,899.57. Trading was closed in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia and India.

Wall Street, where trading is closed Friday, finished its first winning week since the start of the Iran war, although trading started out with a decline driven by a surge in oil prices.

Bangladesh is curtailing office hours and enforcing early closure of malls and shops beginning Friday to handle its energy crisis related to the war.

The country’s cabinet ordered 30% spending cuts for fuel and power at government offices, suspended some staff training and stopped purchases of new vehicles, ships and aircraft. Decorative lighting will not be allowed for celebrations.

Bangladesh, a nation of more than 170 million people, is seeking alternative fuel sources and $2.5 billion in external financing for imports, which account for 95% of its fuel.

Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen on Friday urged motorists getting away for a long weekend during the Easter holiday to fill up in cities because most of the nation’s fuel shortages are in rural areas.

Among 2,400 gas stations in New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, 182 had run out of diesel by Friday.

In Australia’s second-most populous state, Victoria, 76 gas stations were out of diesel. In the remaining states ranked by the most populous first, Queensland had 75 stations without diesel, Western Australia had 37, South Australia had 28 and in Tasmania there were seven.

“For those Australians planning a road trip this weekend, given our shortages are predominantly in rural and regional Australia, it makes sense to fill up in the city to help the country if you can,” Bowen said in Sydney.

The government, which blamed regional shortages on panic buying and distribution problems, is concentrating on delivering fuel to farmers for planting crops.

Israeli security forces and rescue teams inspect a site struck by an Iranian missile in Petah Tikva, Israel,Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A newly constructed bridge struck by U.S. airstrikes Thursday is seen in Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A newly constructed bridge struck by U.S. airstrikes Thursday is seen in Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A bridge struck by U.S. airstrikes on Thursday is seen in the town of Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Israeli security forces and rescue teams inspect a site struck by an Iranian missile in Petah Tikva, Israel,Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Members from the Popular Mobilization Forces attend a funeral of fighters who were killed in a U.S. airstrike, in Tal Afar, Nineveh province, north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

A man with burn wounds from an Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon sits on a bed at the Sidon Government Hospital in Sidon, Lebanon, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

A boy who fled with his family following Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon sits inside the van they are using as shelter in Sidon, Lebanon, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

President Donald Trump arrives from the Blue Room to speak about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)