National Dog Show

Major televised annual dog show in Philadelphia, PA USA

National Dog Show

Also known as| The National Dog Show Presented by Purina
Genre| Dog show
Created by| Kennel Club of Philadelphia (KCP)
Presented by|

* John O'Hurley
* David Frei

Judges| Frank DePaulo
(Show Chairman & Judge)
Country of origin| United States
Production
Production location| Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks in Oaks, Pennsylvania
Running time| 2 hours
Original release
Network| NBC
Release| November 2002 (2002-11)

The National Dog Show is an American all-breed benched conformation show sanctioned by the American Kennel Club and the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, which takes place on Thanksgiving each year and has been televised on NBC since 2002.

## History

[edit]

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia Dog Show began in 1879, following a format established by a one-time dog show held at the United States centennial in 1876. The show ran annually through 1927; it resumed in 1933 and has been held every year since.[1] The show is held by The Kennel Club of Philadelphia, a founding club of AKC. It traditionally takes place on the third from last weekend in November over two days. In 2002, NBC Sports began televising the show on Thanksgiving Day and rebranded it as The National Dog Show.[2]

The National Dog Show is one of the three major dog shows in the United States, along with the AKC National Championship and the Westminster Dog Show. Winners may be invited to compete at Crufts. As with all AKC conformation shows, mixed-breed dogs are not eligible to participate.

The NDS is one of the last six remaining benched dog shows in the United States.[3][4] The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused the show to be held behind closed doors for the first time.[5]

The first dog to win two consecutive Best in Show awards in the show's history was GCH Foxcliffe Claire Randall Fraser, a Scottish deerhound who won Best in Show in 2020 and 2021.[6]

### Television history

[edit]

The highly edited show is nationally televised (on tape delay) in the United States on NBC every Thanksgiving; the show airs after the network's coverage of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and airs at noon in all time zones except for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands which airs at 1 PM AST (due to NBC affiliates in these territories using the Eastern Time Zone feed), it also reairs every year either on the Friday or Saturday after thanksgiving in primetime or on the Sunday Afternoon after Thanksgiving. Actor John O'Hurley and American Kennel Club judge David Frei host, and the show's presenting sponsor is Nestlé Purina PetCare.[7]

The introduction of the television showings was drawn out of inspiration from the 2000 film Best in Show. NBC had attempted to fill the slot vacated by NBC's loss of Thanksgiving football rights four years prior; it had been airing the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life in the time slot but found that the film was not doing well enough in the ratings to justify continuing to air it there. NBC Sports's Jon Miller noted that the family atmosphere of Thanksgiving made the dog show a perfect fit for the slot after the parade, since pets are often considered an extension of the family unit, and surmised that viewers often had a rooting interest for the breeds of dogs they owned (which Miller dubbed an "alma mater effect").[2] The show ranks among the most-watched television specials of the year across all networks, with 12,000,000 viewers watching the 2024 telecast, fifth among all network television specials.[8]

## Best in Show winners

[edit]

Year | Breed | Name | Call Name | Handler | Refs.

|
|
|
|
|

2001 | Labrador Retriever | Gustavus Brady | Gus |  | [9]
2002 | Standard Poodle | Ale Kai Mikimoto on Fifth | Miki | Karen LeFrak | [10]
2003 | Doberman | Blue Chip Purple Reign | Raisin |  | [10]
2004 | Smooth Fox Terrier | Aimhi Avalon Renaissance | Gracie |  | [11]
2005 | Colored Bull Terrier | Rocky Top's Sundance Kid | Rufus | Barbara Bishop | [12]
2006 | Toy Poodle | Smash JP Win a Victory | Vikki | Kaz Hosaka | [11]
2007 | Australian Shepherd | Buff Cap Creslane Arctic Mist | Swizzle | Nancy Gagnon | [13]
2008 | Pointer | Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry | Holly | Sean & Tammy McCarthy | [14]
2009 | Scottish Terrier | Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot | Sadie | Amelia Musser | [11]
2010 | Irish Setter | Windntide Mr. Sandman | Clooney | Peter Kubacz | [15]
2011 | Wire Fox Terrier | GCH Steele Your Heart | Eira | Gabriel Rangel | [10]
2012 | Wire Fox Terrier | Afterall Painting the Sky | Sky | Gabriel Rangel | [16]
2013 | American Foxhound | Gch. Kiarry's Pandora's Box | Jewel | Lisa Miller | [17]
2014 | Bloodhound | Flessner's International S’cess | Nathan | Heather Helmer | [18]
2015 | Skye Terrier | GCH CH Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie | Charlie | Larry Cornelius | [19]
2016 | Greyhound | GCHS CH Grandcru Giaconda CGC | Gia | Melanie Steele | [20]
2017 | Brussels Griffon | GCH Somerset Wynzall Hashtag | Newton | Keith Jacobson | [21]
2018 | Whippet | GCHG Pinnacle Tennessee Whiskey | Whiskey | Justin Smithey | [22]
2019 | Bulldog | GCHG Diamond Gold Majesu Pisko Bulls | Thor | Eduardo Paris | [23][24]
2020 | Scottish Deerhound | GCH Foxcliffe Claire Randall Fraser | Claire | Angela Lloyd | [25]
2021 | Scottish Deerhound | GCH Foxcliffe Claire Randall Fraser | Claire | Angela Lloyd | [26]
2022  | French Bulldog | GCHP Fox Canyon's I Won The War at Goldshield  | Winston  | Perry Payson  | [27]
2023  | Sealyham Terrier | GCHP Goodspice Efbe Money Stache  | Stache  | Margery Good  | [28]
2024  | Pug | GCHG Andi In Cahoots  | Vito  | Michael Scott  | [29]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "A Rich History". The National Dog Show. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
2. ^ a b Caduhada, Melanie (23 November 2013). "The National Dog Show becomes a Thanksgiving TV favorite". New York Post. News Corp. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
3. ^ Reznik, Allan (March 6, 2019). "Engaging Positively With the Public at Dog Shows". American Kennel Club.
4. ^ "Judging". The National Dog Show.
5. ^ Rill, Jake. "National Dog Show 2020: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Top Breeds and More". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
6. ^ "Scottish deerhound wins first back-to-back National Dog Shows". 25 November 2021.
7. ^ "Sponsors". The National Dog Show Presented by Purina. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
8. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (2024-12-27). "The 25 Most-Watched Specials of 2024: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, 'New Year's Rockin' Eve,' Academy Awards and Billy Joel". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
9. ^ "National Dog Show winners: A 20th anniversary look back". Dog o' Day. 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
10. ^ a b c "Best in Show! 20 Years of National Dog Show Winners". People.com. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
11. ^ a b c "Best in Show". National Dog Show of Philadelphia. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
12. ^ Manning, Sue (8 October 2010). "For Rufus, winningest bull terrier in breed history, life as a retired show dog is still busy". Los Angeles Times. The Associated Press. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
13. ^ Soma, Ann Marie (3 December 2007). "Swizzle's Got Sizzle". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
14. ^ "NSBIS, MBIS & MBISS Ch. Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry". Seasyde Pointers. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
15. ^ Martelli, Rose. "And the Winner of the National Dog Show is.... Clooney, the Irish Setter". National Dog Show. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
16. ^ Schwartz, Alison (November 22, 2012). "National Dog Show Crowns Wire Fox Terrier Best in Show – Again". People. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
17. ^ Jamieson, Amy (28 November 2013). "American Foxhound Jewel Wins National Dog Show". People. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
18. ^ Bender, Kelli (27 November 2014). "Meet the 2014 National Dog Show Champion: Nathan the Bloodhound". People. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
19. ^ Bowerman, Mary (November 27, 2015). "Charlie the Skye terrier wins National Dog Show". USA TODAY. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
20. ^ "AKC Event Information". akc.org.
21. ^ "GCH SOMERSET WYNZALL HASHTAG wins the Toy Group!".
22. ^ Zanzucchi, Mia (22 November 2018). "Whippet wins Best in Show at the 2018 National Dog Show".
23. ^ Roxanne Roberts, A beefy bulldog named Thor hammers the competition to win National Dog Show, Washington Post (November 28, 2019).
24. ^ Mia Zanzucchi, Bulldog wins Best in Show at the 2019 National Dog Show, NBC Sports (November 28, 2019).
25. ^ Kuperinsky, Amy (26 November 2020). "National Dog Show 2020: Claire, Scottish deerhound, wins best in show". NJ.com.
26. ^ Northam, Jackie (2021-11-25). Claire, a Scottish deerhound, has won the National Dog Show for the 2nd time. NPR, 25 November 2021. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2021/11/25/1059251575/national-dog-show-winner-claire-2021.
27. ^ Northam, Jackie (2022-11-24). "Winston the French bulldog has won the National Dog Show". NPR. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
28. ^ Northam, Jackie (November 23, 2023). "Stache the Sealyham terrier wins the National Dog Show". NPR.
29. ^ McCay, Bill (November 28, 2024). "'Vito' the pug wins best in show at annual National Dog Show competition". NBC News.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* NBCSports page

* v
* t
* e

Thanksgiving

History and
traditions

| Canada|

* Samuel de Champlain
* Martin Frobisher
* First Nations

|

United States|

* Pilgrims
* Mayflower
* Plymouth Colony
* Plymouth, Massachusetts
* William Bradford
* Edward Winslow
* Mary Brewster
* Susanna White
* Native Americans
* Samoset
* Squanto
* Massasoit
* Wampanoag
* Cornucopia
* National Thanksgiving Proclamation
* Franksgiving
* National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation
* Sarah Josepha Hale
* Blackout Wednesday
* Abraham Lincoln
* Freedom from Want
* Mourt's Relation
* Friendsgiving

Germany|

* Erntedankfest Düsseldorf-Urdenbach

Cuisine|

* Thanksgiving dinner
* Turkey
* Deep-fried
* Tofurkey
* Turducken
* Stuffing
* Gravy
* Butternut squash
* Apple cider
* Cranberry sauce
* Creamed corn
* Mashed potatoes
* Sweet potatoes
* Succotash
* Green bean casserole
* Pie
* Apple
* Pumpkin
* Pecan
* Sweet Potato

Media

| Songs|

* "Alice's Restaurant"
* "Bless This House"
* "Bringing In the Sheaves"
* "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come"
* "For the Beauty of the Earth"
* "Jingle Bells"
* "Let All Things Now Living"
* "Over the River and Through the Wood"
* "The Thanksgiving Song"
* "We Gather Together"
* "We Plough the Fields and Scatter"
* "You Name It"

|

Television|

* "Bart vs. Thanksgiving"
* The Berenstain Bears Meet Bigpaw
* Bugs Bunny's Thanksgiving Diet
* A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
* Garfield's Thanksgiving
* Intergalactic Thanksgiving
* Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular
* The Mouse on the Mayflower
* "Oprah's Favorite Things"
* Saints & Strangers
* "Slapsgiving"
* "Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap"
* Star Wars Holiday Special
* "Thanksgiving"
* "Thanksgiving Orphans"
* The Thanksgiving Special
* Turkey Hollow
* "Turkeys Away"
* A Very Gaga Thanksgiving
* A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving

Associated
events

| Cultural|

* Christmas and holiday season
* Harvest festival
* List
* Thanksgiving in film
* Thanksgiving television specials
* Winter festivals
* Lighting of the Macy's Great Tree
* National Adoption Day
* Black Friday
* Cyber Black Friday
* National Day of Listening
* Native American Heritage Day
* Small Business Saturday
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* Thanksgivukkah

|

Parades|

* Novant Health (Charlotte)
* Chicago
* America's (Detroit)
* Oktoberfest (Kitchener-Waterloo)
* Hollywood Christmas (Los Angeles)
* Macy's (New York City)
* 6abc-Dunkin' Donuts (Philadelphia)
* Celebrate the Season (Pittsburgh)
* America's Hometown (Plymouth)

Protests|

* National Day of Mourning
* Unthanksgiving Day
* Buy Nothing Day

Sports|

| Football|

* NFL on Thanksgiving Day
* CFL Thanksgiving Classic
* Turkey Day Classic

|

Turkey trots|

* Berwick Run for the Diamonds
* Buffalo Turkey Trot
* Dallas Turkey Trot
* Feaster Five Road Race
* Manchester Road Race

Others|

* National Dog Show
* Pumpkin chucking / Pumpkin shoot
* Turkey bowling
* Turkey Night Grand Prix

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