Crufts 2026 Hero Dog finalists revealed as entries climb at NEC

The Royal Kennel Club has revealed five finalists for the 2026 Royal Kennel Club Hero Dog Award and invited the public to vote ahead of Crufts at the NEC Birmingham. “The winner will be announced in the BP pulse LIVE arena at the Birmingham NEC and on Channel 4 on Sunday 8 March, the final day of Crufts, the world’s greatest celebration of dogs,” organisers said in the announcement.

Crufts runs from 5 to 8 March 2026 at the NEC Birmingham, with the Hero Dog winner scheduled for the BP pulse LIVE arena on Sunday 8 March. Nominations for the 2026 award are now closed and judges from the Royal Kennel Club selected one finalist per category to go forward for public vote.

One finalist named in the announcement is Asha, an eight-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier partnered with 17-year-old Logan Dagnall. Cambridge-news recounts: “From the moment Logan wakes up to when he goes to sleep, Asha is by his side, sleeping at the foot of his bed, waiting for him after school, and staying close whenever he is unwell or anxious. Her calm, gentle nature provides reassurance during hospital visits, medical procedures and difficult days. She knows him inside out and just having her nearby gives his mum peace of mind.” Image material supplied by Royal Kennel Club/Beat Media lists Logan Dagnall and Asha accompanied by his mother Donna alongside other photo subjects.

The shortlist also includes a dog described as Europe’s first digital detection dog, a devoted working dog credited with helping an owner rebuild strength and purpose after grief, and two rescue-themed finalists described as therapy and community support animals that have gone from fearful starts to life-changing assistance roles. Cambridge-news and regional outlets name Best Friends - Joey & Ciara and feature photo captions naming Jessica Holmes and Iggy, and Maggie McNamara and Skittles, though the supplied material does not map every name to a specific category.

Crufts.org.uk lists the five Hero Dog categories for 2026 as Extraordinary life of a working dog; Hero support dog; Best friends; Child’s champion; and Rescue dog hero. The award is supported by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust, and Crufts says the winner and runners up will receive generous donations from the trust for their nominated canine charities. Baloo, a retired police dog, was last year’s winner of the award at Crufts 2025.

“The public is now invited to vote for the dog they want to see crowned the UK’s most heroic canine at Crufts 2026. Vote here:” appears in regional coverage alongside the shortlist. Trade coverage during the Feb 14–20 reporting window has also flagged that entries to Crufts have climbed as organisers set the stage for the NEC event, with public voting to determine which finalist will claim the 2026 Hero Dog title on 8 March.