How to See the National Thanksgiving Dog Show
Every year towards the end of November, people get together to give thanks for one of life’s greatest gifts: dogs. And despite the pandemic, tomorrow will be no different. Immediately following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, made for television, the National Dog Show will air without an audience on Thursday afternoon, providing a great backdrop to watch as you add the finishing (or opening) touches to your Thanksgiving dinner. Here’s how to watch the puppies after the parade.
What’s up with the National Dog Show this year?
Like many of our other 2020 events, the National Dog Show has been a scaled-down version of its normally vibrant and furry look due to COVID-19 safety concerns. The two days of the show took place November 14-15 in Philadelphia , with no viewers, vendors, sponsors or media in attendance , but on Thursday the competition will air for the first time this year.
Only show officials, NBC broadcasters, handlers, and dogs were allowed on the premises, and judging was carried out in accordance with strict health and safety rules, including social distancing, wearing masks and regular temperature checks, according to the Philadelphia Kennel Club . … This year, the competition was limited to 600 dogs – a sharp 70% drop from the nearly 2,000 dogs competing in non-pandemic years. But this year, three new breeds will participate in the competition: the Barbet, Dogo Argentino and Belgian Laquenois.
How to see the National Dog Show 2020
Despite these changes, the National Dog Show will be much the same for those watching at home (except for the polite crowd in the stands). This includes John O’Hurley (akaJ. Peterman ) and David Frey reprising their roles as co-hosts, with Mary Carillo providing commentary, analysis and behind-the-scenes reviews of the show this year.
On Thursday, November 26, the 2020 National Dog Show will air on NBC immediately following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, starting at 12:00 PM and running until 2:00 PM (your local time). For those without access to Network TV, you can also stream it onthe NBC Sports app , which is available via Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. When all else fails , you can always sign up for a free trial of streaming services like Hulu , YouTubeTV, or Fubo to get access.
And if two hours of National Dog Show isn’t enough (or you’ll get bored in a few minutes when you realize that Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara aren’t there), the 2000 classic Best in Show is currently streaming on TV. HBO Max or available for rent and purchase from Amazon Prime Video , YouTube, and similar platforms.