Susan S. Giles Named 2025 AKC Breeder Of The Year

Susan S. Giles was presented with the 2025 AKC Breeder of the Year award for Ta Sen Lhasa Apsos at the 25th AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Saturday, December 13, 2025.  The annual award honors those breeders who have made an impact on their breed and dedicate their lives to improving the health, temperament and quality of purebred dogs.

“We are proud to honor Susan S. Giles with the 2025 AKC Breeder of the Year award,” said Gina M. DiNardo, AKC President and CEO. “Ta Sen has been associated with top quality, healthy Lhasa Apsos in the United States and her impact on the breed will be seen for many more years to come.”

One honoree is chosen from each of the seven groups: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding. From those seven, one Group winner is selected as “AKC Breeder of the Year” during the AKC National Championship, which was held this year in Orlando, FL on December 13th and 14th. Presentation highlights are available on www.akc.org.

As the 2025 AKC Breeder of the Year recipient, Susan S. Giles will be honored with a commission from a canine portraitist to memorialize a prominent dog from her breeding program and her name will be inscribed on a perpetual trophy, both of which will be displayed at the AKC headquarters in New York City.

About Ta Sen Lhasa Apsos

Susan S. Giles has been a dedicated breeder, owner, and handler of Lhasa Apsos for more than 52 years. She has proudly bred more than 125 champions — nearly all of whom have been breeder-owner-handled. Her dogs have achieved notable success, including: eight National Specialty Best of Breed winners, six different Best in Show winners, numerous Westminster Best of Breed winners, Obedience titles, and Canine Good Citizen, Farm Dog and Trick Dog titles

Susan’s current Lhasa is four years old and has achieved: 22 Best in Show wins, 24 Reserve Best in Show wins, two National Specialty wins and much more. He is also the All-Time Top Winning Lhasa male in AKC history.

She has been a member of the American Lhasa Apso Club for 50 years, having served as President, Vice President, and as a member of the Board of Directors for almost five decades. Additionally, Susan belongs to the Virginia Kennel Club, where she has held multiple leadership roles. She also finds great fulfillment in mentoring the next generation of Lhasa Apso breeders and handlers.

Group winners included:

• Sporting Group: Don and Pat Coller, Eileen Hackett, and Kate Hanlon, Wingfield ‘N Chebaco English Setters
• Hound Group: Sarah Murphy, Abbaio Ibizans
• Working Group: Wendy, Randy and Jennifer Corr, Onak Kennels, Alaskan Malamutes
• Terrier Group: Todd and April Clyde, Longvue Airedales
• Toy Group: Barbara Beissel, Lamplighter
• Non-Sporting Group: Susan S. Giles, Ta Sen Lhasa Apsos
• Herding Group: Sylvia & David Calderwood, Kensil Shetland Sheepdogs

The seventh annual posthumous Breeder of the Year was awarded to Peggy Adamson for her contribution to Doberman Pinschers.

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Posted by Liz on Dec 16 2025. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.