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| © Christopher Furlong - Getty Images The 2019 National Dog Show will be broadcast on NBC this Thanksgiving. Here's how to watch the country's favorite dog competition. |
By Chloe Foussianes, Town and Country
Thanksgiving is a holiday
for homebodies. Traditions include spending the day in the kitchen,
preparing a lavish meal, eating said meal, and spending time curled up
on the couch with the in-laws, usually with the television tuned to a
family-friendly program.
Among the most popular—and arguably the best—of those Thanksgiving broadcasts
is the National Dog Show, a celebration of man's best friend (and the
internet's favorite obsession). Here's what you need to know about the
2019 edition.
It'll start at noon.
NBC, the channel that hosts the broadcast, promises that it will begin at 12 p.m. and end at 2 p.m. in all time zones.
Those with cable can watch on any local NBC channel, or login on the NBC website to stream. Other online options include Hulu's Live TV subscription program, and YouTube TV (also a paid, subscription-based service).
Nearly 20 million people are expected to watch it live.
The
National Dog Show has been an annual event for dog-lovers since 1933,
but in recent years, it's become something of a phenomenon. These days,
according to the Washington Post,
it's the highest-rated canine competition in the country, ranking above
even the Westminster Dog Show and the all-important Puppy Bowl.
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| © NBC - Getty Images A young girl helps show a long-haired Chihuahua at the 2017 National Dog Show. |
One of the show's annual co-hosts,John O’Hurley, described it to the Post
as the "happiest day of the year." He added, "I’ve always said I’m a
better person with a dog in my lap. They just have an infectious
influence on our lives. You see it in this room: Everyone was happy
today."
Over two thousand very good dogs will compete.
A whopping 2,080 purebreds take part in the competition, all vying for the Best in Show title. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, this year's line-up features a record number of breeds (195!), who hail from 40 states.
Hardly
surprising, as the National Dog Show is one of the three biggest canine
competitions in America. Like those other two (the Westminster Kennel
Club Dog Show and the Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show), the National
Dog show is not only a large competition, but a "benched" one. That
means that in-person attendees can actually meet with the dogs.
Unfortunately this experience can't be replicated at home—but you can
certainly cuddle up with your own pup while watching from the comfort of
your couch.
