The National Dog Show - A Thanksgiving Tradition Everyone Needs

By Sophie Saliba

Originally published in Dog Street Journal's December "DoGcember" 2019 issue.

Every Thanksgiving Day, The Kennel Club of Philadelphia presents the National Dog Show, a competition between different breeds of canines to become “Best in Show.” The dog show airs after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and it’s the perfect family entertainment. The Kennel Club has been hosting dog shows for more than 125 years, and their National Dog Show has become a necessary part of many family Thanksgiving celebrations.

This year, there were 2,080 entries (representing 196 breeds) competing to become the national champion. The judges narrowed down the competitors into seven groups, the Terriers, the Herding Group, the Sporting Group, the Hound Group, the Toy Group, the Working Group, and the Non-Sporting Group. Each dog competes to win in their category and move on to the Best in Show portion. The judges view each dog for two minutes, and then they make their decision.

The National Dog Show is one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions for a few reasons. It is a great distraction when waiting for Thanksgiving dinner, it puts the entire family in a good mood, and, most importantly, it’s two hours of celebrating how wonderful dogs are. This year was the first time I watched it all the way through with my family, and I can confidently say we will be viewing it again next year.

The first group, the Terriers, consisted of 32 different breeds ranging from Soft-Coated Wheaten-Terriers to American Hairless Terriers. The dog show features this group because they have energetic dispositions and many interesting skills. For example, terriers served as ideal ground hunters in the British Isles. These dogs are a gorgeous breed and seemed excited when performing for the judges. The winner of this category was a two-year-old Soft-Coated Wheaten-Terrier, Blaine, who was my personal favorite in this group.

Following the Terriers was the Herding Group, which consisted of 31 different breeds. I was surprised to see some dogs that I would not label as a herding animal, such as the Corgi (arguably one of the cutest canines.) I thought this group was one of the most enjoyable ones because the dogs were all beautiful, and they were very enthusiastic when their handlers presented them. I did not expect the winner to be the Old English Sheepdog, Sophia, who my family described as “a cloud dog.” I prefered Drew, the Belgian Tervuren, but I will admit that I enjoyed watching Sophia win her category. I also appreciated how the hosts of the show often talked about how to handle dogs correctly. During the Herding portion, they spoke of socializing dogs, or more specifically, introducing them at a young age to other canines, which helps tremendously when it comes to behavior and good disposition.

My favorite class was the Sporting Group, which was made up of 33 breeds. This category had almost every family-friendly dog, such as a Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, and English Springer Spaniel. Although these canines were bred to aid hunters, they often fulfill the role of the family dog because of their high energy, sweet temperament, and overall friendly manner. I didn’t have a strong favorite in this category because I thought all of the dogs were excellent, so I was happy when Daniel, the Golden Retriever, won the best in his class.

The Hound group was the largest category with 35 breeds and varieties. These dogs all looked very different to me because they ranged from gigantic Greyhounds to tiny Dachshunds. My favorite in the group was the Longhaired Dachshund named Sky, who I thought was one of the most endearing dogs in the competition. I was also intrigued by the Azawakh Hound because a dog of that breed had never competed in the National Dog Show before. I thought the Azawakh would win because it seemed to be a crowd favorite, and its beauty was often commented on. Surprisingly, the Pharaoh Hound, Maddie, was chosen as the winner of the Hound Group. I was satisfied with this result because Maddie seemed to be a happy and good-tempered dog.

After the Hound Group came the Toy Group, which was perhaps the oddest group of dogs I’ve ever seen. Toy dogs really only have one role for humans, which is to serve as their companions. This category consisted of 23 breeds, ranging from Chihuahuas, Malteses, Pomeranians, and the Pekingese. Personally, I don’t think that toy dogs are the most charming breeds, but there are a few that stood out to me. My favorite in this group was Rolex, the Italian Greyhound, who was one of the cutest little canines I have ever watched. I also enjoyed watching Wasabi, the Pekingese, but for a different reason. I thought Wasabi was by far the oddest-looking dog in the entire show; however, I cannot say I wasn’t amused when I watched his handler present him to the judges. The winner of this group was, unsurprisingly, Bono, the Havanese, who won the Toy Group category in 2018. My only complaint about this class is the name “Toy breeds.” I do not like the idea of describing dogs as “toys” because it devalues them as living things, and I think it would be more appropriate to term them as small companion dogs.

The fifth category in the show was the Working Group, which had 30 breeds. These canines are often given roles that carry a lot of responsibility, such as working as police and service dogs. They are well-known for their bravery and intelligence. The lineup of working dogs included a Siberian Husky, Saint Bernard, Bernese Mountain Dog, Boxer, and many more impressive breeds. I wasn’t surprised when Nick, the Siberian Husky was named the winner of the Working Dogs; however, my personal favorite was Tacoma, the Saint Bernard.

The final group was the Non-Sporting Group, containing 21 breeds. This group differed from the others because there was no common theme among the breeds. It consisted of the dogs that did not belong in the other groups, making it a varied mix of breeds. I enjoyed watching this group because the dogs genuinely seemed to have fun with the competition. I had a few favorites in this group, such as Suchi, the Schipperke, and Thor, the Bulldog, so I was happy when the judges crowned Thor as the winner of the Non-Sporting Group.

The final event in the competition is when the seven winners are presented to the judges for Best in Show. Many people were rooting for Daniel, the Golden Retriever, and Bono, the Havanese. I wanted either Daniel or Thor, the Bulldog to win because both breeds had not been declared Best in Show before. Also, both dogs had very amusing and sweet manners. Each handler walked their dogs around the arena for the judges, and after the seven breeds were presented, I was overjoyed when the judges crowned Thor the winner.

After Thor’s victory, my family reminisced on the National Dog Show over Thanksgiving dinner. The little bulldog was the perfect addition to our holiday, and I am sure many other families felt the same way. I highly suggest to all dog lovers (and everyone else), to take time out of their Thanksgiving next year to sit down and enjoy the National Dog Show.