The National Dog Show - a New Thanksgiving Day Tradition

Typically Thanksgiving Day includes eating too much good food, watching too much football and now, enjoying The National Dog Show. Yes, it's true, there is a new Thanksgiving Day tradition which will take place once again on Thursday, November 27, 2008 in Philadelphia, PA. Purina will present The National Dog Show, hosted by The Kennel Club of Philadelphia, which will be shown immediately following the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The National Dog Show runs 2 hours in length and draws an audience of nearly 20 million television viewers and is quickly becoming one of America's favorite Thanksgiving Day traditions.

This year, viewers of this new Thanksgiving Day tradition, will also be introduced to a new dog breed known as "Dogue de Bordeaux" or the French Mastiff. This dog becomes the 158th breed for The American Kennel Club and will be eligible to compete in this year's dog show.

Hosts for the Thanksgiving Day show, which will be broadcast on NBC, will be John O'Hurley. Actor and television host, David Frei, an AKC-licensed judge and Andrea Joyce, canine enthusiast and host of cable television's Animal Planet.

More than 2000 show dogs in 150 AKC registered breeds will be divided into one of seven groups for judging:
Terrier Group - Including Airedale Terrier, Irish Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Welsh Terrier and Wire Fox Terrier
Toy Group - Includes Chihuahua, Toy Poodle, Maltese, Pomeranian and more
Working Group - Includes Great Dane, Saint Bernard, Boxer, Tibetan Mastiff and more
Sporting Group - English, Gordon and Irish Setters, Cocker Spaniel, Clumber Spaniel and more
Hound Group - Beagle, Greyhound, Whippet and more
Non-Sporting Group - Standard and Miniature Poodles, Bichon Frise, Bulldog and more
Herding Group - Collie, Border Collie, Shetland and Old English Sheep Dogs and more

The 2007 Best in Show was Swizzle, an Australian Shepherd, the 2006 Best in Show was Vikki, the Toy Poodle and the 2005 Best in Show went to Rufus, a Colored Bull Terrier.

The National Dog Show is open to any dog that is registered with The American Kennel Club. The judges will examine the dogs and rank them according to the ideal dog for each breed. Dogs earn points which will rank them nationally within their breed and allow them to earn the title of "Champion". The judges will also determine Best of Breed and those seven winners will compete for The Best of Show for 2008 and the coveted red, white and blue ribbon presented by Purina.

Source:
http://www.nationaldogshow.com/index.asp