A Canadian beagle takes the top prize at America’s biggest dog show

The World
Miss P, a 15-inch Beagle who won "Best in Show," is run during the final judging at the 139th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden on February 17, 2015.

America’s top dog is actually Canadian.

A plucky, 4-year-old beagle named Miss P scored a major upset on Tuesday night when she trotted away with the coveted Best in Show prize at the the 139th Westminster Dog Show at Madison Square Garden.

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Miss P comes from a line of winners — she’s related to Uno, who became the first beagle to win America's most well-known dog show in 2008 — but she's actually a small-town pup. Miss P hails from a kennel in Enderby, British Columbia, a town of about 3,000 people.

According to the town's mayor, Greg McCune, the big winner will get the celebrity treatment when she returns.

“My very first thought was a parade," he says. "We have the Canada Day parade, which is celebrated across Canada on July 1, so what we’ll probably do is send an invitation to Miss P to lead that parade.”

Miss P also received congratulations from another top dog:

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She faced stiff competition for the top prize, including Matisse, a Portuguese water dog who's one of the most successful males in dog show history. He's even a cousin of President Barack Obama's family pet, Sunny.

Portugese Water Dog Matisse, winner of the Working Group, is run by handler Michael Scott during competition at the 139th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York, February 17, 2015.
Portugese Water Dog Matisse, winner of the Working Group, is run by handler Michael Scott during competition at the 139th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York, February 17, 2015.Mike Segar/Reuters

A Skye terrier named Charlie was awarded second place.

Charlie, a Skye Terrier, runs with handler Larry Cornelius after winning the Terrier Group competition at the139th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York February 17, 2015.
Charlie, a Skye Terrier, runs with handler Larry Cornelius after winning the Terrier Group competition at the139th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York February 17, 2015.Mike Segar/Reuters

Other winners included Rocket, the Shih Tzu owned by infamous publishing heiress Patty Hearst. Rocket won the toy dog category.

Rocket, a Shih Tzu and winner of the Toy Group, sits before the
Rocket, a Shih Tzu and winner of the Toy Group, sits before the “best in show” judging at the 2015 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York February 17, 2015.Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
In all, 2,711 dogs representing 192 breeds competed in the two-day event — and no one misplaced Busy-Bee.

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