NBC’s The National Dog Show trots back onto screens this Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 28, offering a hefty dose of canine competition alongside your turkey and stuffing. From noon to 2 p.m. (all time zones—no need to adjust your gravy-stained schedule), the 23rd annual show will feature the usual suspects: John O’Hurley (he of Seinfeld and Dancing with the Stars fame), Mary Carillo (the sportscaster who’s probably forgotten more about tennis than most people ever know), and David Frei (the dog show expert who actually knows what he’s talking about).
While the broadcast airs on Thanksgiving, the actual dog show throws down earlier, on November 16 and 17, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania. Apparently, wrangling up to 2,000 dogs for a live Thanksgiving broadcast is a logistical nightmare even Santa couldn’t handle. Viewers can look forward to the usual mix of agility runs, the National Anthem ceremony (hopefully sung by a human), and the nail-biting Best in Show competition. Carillo will be backstage, offering her typically sharp commentary and hopefully not confusing a Pomeranian with a Pekingese.
For over two decades, The National Dog Show has been a Thanksgiving staple, airing right after the Macy’s parade. This year, the show looks to capitalize on this tradition. It’s a tried-and-true formula: parade floats followed by fluffy dogs. Who could ask for anything more?
The National Dog Show airs Thursday, November 28 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET on NBC.
