The National Dog Show: Our Viewing Guide to The Thanksgiving Tradition

Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: thanksgiving, the national dog show

Set to make your NBC screens adorable on Thanksgiving beginning at 12 pm ET, here’s Bleeding Cool’s viewers’ guide to The National Dog Show.

Published Thu, 28 Nov 2024 09:07:07 -0600

by Ray Flook

Once Santa does his thing at the end of NBC’s broadcast of the 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the holiday really goes to the dogs. Seriously. We’re not kidding. That’s when the 2024 National Dog Show (NDS) hits our screens – 12 pm EST, to be exact. With that in mind, Bleeding Cool has put together a viewer’s guide to the event, from when and where to watch, who’s hosting, who’s in competition, and much more – including some fun and informative featurettes about the hit holiday event.

WHAT TIME IS THE NATIONAL DOG SHOW? WHERE CAN I WATCH IT? The event takes place on Thursday, November 28, from 12 pm to 2 pm EST on NBC and will also be available to stream on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app (with the app available on mobile and connected devices, including Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire).

WHO’S HOSTING THE NATIONAL DOG SHOW? John O’Hurley and David Frei are back as hosts, with Mary Carillo and Britney Eurton on-site at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center for commentary, analysis, and behind-the-scenes looks.

WHAT’S THE NATIONAL DOG SHOW? Hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, the show was founded in 1879 and has been held annually since 1933. The NDS is sanctioned by the American Kennel Club (AKC), and only purebred dogs registered with the AKC can compete.

The National Dog Show 2024: What You Need to Know

This year, there are 1,940 dogs representing 205 breeds in competition. This year, the Lancashire Heeler has joined the lineup as a new breed under the Herding Group and is known for being a hardworking, affectionate pet with an infectious smile. As for what the judges will be looking for, their role to to determine how closely they adhere to what’s defined as “perfect” by the breed’s official standard – including appearance, temperament, and build.

Here are overviews for the seven groups, followed by a rundown of the breeds being represented in each of those groups (with big thanks to NBC Sports for offering the intel on the pup types:

The National Dog Show: Groups

Herding Group
Hound Group
Non-Sporting Group
Sporting Group
Terrier Group
Toy Group
Working Group

The National Dog Show: Herding Group

Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Beauceron
Belgian Laekenois
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Sheepdog
Belgian Tervuren
Bergamasco
Berger Picard
Border Collie
Bouvier des Flandres
Briard
Canaan Dog
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Collie (Rough)
Collie (Smooth)
Entlebucher Mountain Dog
Finnish Lapphund
German Shepherd Dog
Icelandic Sheepdog
Lancashire Heeler
Miniature American Shepherd
Mudi
Norwegian Buhund
Old English Sheepdog
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Puli
Pumi
Pyrenean Shepherd
Shetland Sheepdog
Spanish Water Dog
Swedish Vallhund

The National Dog Show: Hound Group

Afghan Hound
American English Coonhound
American Foxhound
Azawakh
Basenji
Basset Hound
Beagle (13 inches)
Beagle (15 inches)
Black and Tan Coonhound
Bloodhound
Bluetick Coonhound
Borzoi
Cirneco dell’Etna
Dachshund (Longhaired)
Dachshund (Smooth)
Dachshund (Wirehaired)
English Foxhound
Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
Greyhound
Harrier
Ibizan Hound
Irish Wolfhound
Otterhound
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Pharaoh Hound
Plott
Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
Redbone Coonhound
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Saluki
Scottish Deerhound
Sloughi
Treeing Walker Coonhound
Whippet

The National Dog Show: Non-Sporting Group

American Eskimo
Bichon Frise
Boston Terrier
Bulldog
Chinese Shar-Pei
Chow Chow
Coton de Tulear
Dalmatian
Finnish Spitz
French Bulldog
Keeshond
Lhasa Apso
Löwchen
Norwegian Lundehund
Poodle (Miniature)
Poodle (Standard)
Schipperke
Shiba Inu
Tibetan Spaniel
Tibetan Terrier
Xoloitzcuintli

The National Dog Show: Sporting Group

American Water Spaniel
Barbet
Boykin Spaniel
Bracco Italiano
Brittany
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Clumber Spaniel
Cocker Spaniel (ASCOB)
Cocker Spaniel (Black)
Cocker Spaniel (Parti-Color)
Curly-Coated Retriever
English Cocker Spaniel
English Setter
English Springer Spaniel
Field Spaniel
Flat-Coated Retriever
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer
Golden Retriever
Gordon Setter
Irish Red & White Setter
Irish Setter
Irish Water Spaniel
Labrador Retriever
Lagotto Romagnolo
Nederlandse Kooikerhondje
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Pointer
Spinone Italiano
Sussex Spaniel
Vizsla
Weimaraner
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Wirehaired Vizsla

The National Dog Show: Terrier Group

Airedale Terrier
American Hairless Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Australian Terrier
Bedlington Terrier
Border Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Colored Bull Terrier
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Irish Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier
Lakeland Terrier
Manchester Terrier (Standard)
Miniature Bull Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Norfolk Terrier
Norwich Terrier
Parson Russell Terrier
Rat Terrier
Russell Terrier
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Skye Terrier
Smooth Fox Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Welsh Terrier
West Highland White Terrier
White Bull Terrier
Wire Fox Terrier

The National Dog Show: Toy Group

Affenpinscher
Biewer Terrier
Brussels Griffon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chinese Crested
English Toy Spaniel (B&PC)
English Toy Spaniel (KC&R)
Havanese
Italian Greyhound
Japanese Chin
Long Coat Chihuahua
Maltese
Miniature Pinscher
Papillon
Pekingese
Pomeranian
Pug
Russian Toy
Shih Tzu
Silky Terrier
Smooth Coat Chihuahua
Toy Fox Terrier
Toy Manchester Terrier
Toy Poodle
Yorkshire Terrier

The National Dog Show: Working Group

Akita
Alaskan Malamute
Anatolian Shepherd Dog
Bernese Mountain Dog
Black Russian Terrier
Boerboel
Boxer
Bullmastiff
Cane Corso
Doberman Pinscher
Dogo Argentino
Dogue de Bordeaux
German Pinscher
Giant Schnauzer
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Komondor
Kuvasz
Leonberger
Mastiff
Neapolitan Mastiff
Newfoundland
Portuguese Water Dog
Rottweiler
Saint Bernard
Samoyed
Siberian Husky
Standard Schnauzer
Tibetan Mastiff

HOW DOES THE NATIONAL DOG SHOW WORK? The AKC recognizes 212 breeds and varieties of dogs (though every single one may not be represented at the National Dog Show year to year). In the first round, dogs of the same breed will compete against each other based on how the dog fits the breed standards. The winner, named “Best in Breed,” will represent their breed at the group level.

The AKC categorizes every breed into seven groups (sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding). At the group level, dogs are not judged against each other but rather against how well they fit their breed standards.

Each group winner, named “First in Breed,” will go on to compete in the final round for the coveted “Best in Show,” where they will be judged on how well they fit the breed standard against other group winners.

WHAT’S THE “BEST IN SHOW” PRIZE? That would be a “Best in Show” ribbon and $20,000.