The Westminster dog show winner is the first of its breed to be thrown a bone
- The 2023 Westminster Best in Show winner was crowned on May 9 in New York City.
- His name is Buddy Holly and he's a 6-year-old "PBGV," or petit basset griffon Vendéen.
Buddy Holly lived up to his rock-star name on Tuesday when he was named Best in Show at the 147th Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
The 6-year-old dog is the first petit basset griffon Vendéen — also known as a PBGV — to take the top prize in the competition's history.
The breed hails from France, and the name translates to "low-lying, wire-haired dog from the Vendée region," the Associated Press reported. PBGVs are known for "a happy demeanor," according to the American Kennel Club.
Janice Hayes, Buddy's co-owner and handler, couldn't believe his win.
"I never thought a PBGV would do this," she said, AP reported. "Buddy Holly is the epitome of a show dog. Nothing bothers him."
If you're wondering how exactly to pronounce Buddy's breed, Hayes was around to help out new fans.
"He just screams PBGV," Hayes said. "They're just very independent but very charming and just silly. Their goal is to make you laugh every day."
She added that the only thing up next for Buddy — so named because "he's a buddy" — was a good night's sleep, tons of playtime, and rolling pillows.
"He just gets to go back to being a dog," she added.
On an appearance on "Good Morning America" on Wednesday, the day after his win, Gail Miller Bisher, the director of communications for Westminster, elaborated on what set Buddy apart.
He has "a very balanced body, compact. He has the mustache, the long eyebrows," she said, adding: "He has, most importantly, the attitude and temperament. They're supposed to be extroverts. They're supposed to be confident. He clearly has that."
Hayes also said that Buddy is now retired and that he "lives the life." Next up is a visit to the Empire State Building and a champion's lunch at the NYC culinary institution Tavern on the Green.
Last year, a breed that had never won before also took the top prize: Flessner's Toot My Own Horn, known to his owners as Trumpet, was the first bloodhound to be named Best in Show. Other breeds, including wire fox terriers, standard poodles, and Pekingese, have won the competition multiple times.