(NBC) — Along with the turkey, the football, and the Black Friday shopping, two other traditions of the upcoming holiday week will be on NBC4, the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” and “The National Dog Show.”
Compared to the parade’s 98 years, the dog show is a mere pup at 23, but the canine competition has carved its turkey day niche. If dog shows had an Oscars equivalent, it might be “The National Dog Show.”
“It’s just having the best of the best,” said dog owner Laura Hopkins. “It’s one of the shows we look forward to every year.”
It’s a canine cavalcade of about 1,800 dogs representing more than 200 breeds, all competing for the prize of Best in Show.
“Everybody’s got a smile and everybody’s laughing,” said the show’s cohost, actor John O’Hurley. “It’s just a wonderful environment.”
O’Hurley and longtime dog show commentator David Frei are the event’s tuxedo-clad cohosts.
“It’s a great family show,” said Frei. “It’s a great family topic. Everybody’s got their family dog.”
But probably not one quite like “Stache,” the Sealyham terrier won last year’s top prize, much to the delight of Stache’s owner.
“Going around the ring in the Best in Show ring, he just took off, like he was on fire,” said owner Margery Good.
And Stache is still the center of attention as new dogs try to follow in his footsteps.
“He thinks that anything he’s doing where there are people, he’s the star of the show,” said dog owner Lauren Hopkins about her pup.
But it is the competition that intrigues NBC sportscaster Mary Carillo.
“Dogs really are athletes,” said Carillo. “Many of them are bred for speed, are bred for power.”
She is a dog lover and storyteller extraordinaire.
“It’s the only sporting event where I get licked,” said Carillo.
Yet for all the variety the dog show offers, the cohosts have a soft spot for a popular breed they have never seen win.
“We’re probably looking at 60 to 100 of the best golden retrievers in the country and you would think that out of that, one could come up and be eligible for Best in Show, but we’ve been skunked every year, haven’t we?” said O’Hurley.
Maybe this will be the golden year.
“The National Dog Show” airs Thanksgiving Day at noon on NBC4, right after “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”