How the Dog Show has become a favorite Thanksgiving tradition

OAKS, Pa. – This is the most beautiful time of the year. . . for dog lovers. We are of course talking about a sacred tradition of Thanksgiving for millions of Americans: before the turkey and football, they curl up on the couch to watch the canine national show.

The contest airs on NBC after Macy's Thanksgiving day parade, allowing mom, dad, kids, granny – and even the family pet – to see the four-legged competitors, take inspiration from their breeds favorite and guess who will win the best in show.

The 20 million fans who have been stuck on television this year already know the answer: GCHP Pinnacle Tennessee Whiskey, a tawny whippet from Sugar Valley, Georiga. The whiskey, with its elegant lines and big brown eyes, beat the crowd favorites – a Doberman pinscher and King Charles Cavalier – and the head runner, a fox terrier who had a lot of buzz and a series of best -in-show glittering victories from around the world.

In addition to being extremely popular, the two hour show has a secret, rare on this day of news and social media: the show actually took place on weekends. end, but the results remained under high surveillance for six days.

"I have a good friend from the Irish bar that we frequent a lot, who is a great sports player," said David Frei, co-host of the NBC's national dog show since its first broadcast in 2002. "He always asked who was winning, I said," You do not try to turn that into a kind of bet, do you? "He said," No, no. " I'm going to have dinner with my family and I just want them to think I'm smart enough for dogs. ""

And that, my friends, is the simple genius behind this show. People love dogs. They love to own them: there are 90 million pet dogs in the United States. They love shopping for them: homeowners will spend $ 59 billion this year on food, veterinary care, toys, outfits and more, including dog birthdays. And they love to watch them at Thanksgiving: the National Dog Show is the highest ranked dog show in the country. He dominates both Puppy Bowl at Super Bowl Sunday and the Westminster Dog Show in February.

Frei's co-host, actor John O 'Hurley, calls this the "happiest day of the year." I've always said that I was a better person with a dog on my lap, they just have a contagious influence on our lives, you see it in this room: everyone was happy today. "

The show is the brainchild of Jon Miller, president of NBC Sports programming. In 2002, the native of Bethesda, Maryland, saw Christopher Guest's "Best in Show", a comedy about a fictional dog show. The dog lover throughout life thought that a real dog show could work on TV if the time slot was correct – for example, a family vacation. He convinced Purina to sponsor him and contacted the country's oldest dog show: the Philadelphia Kennel Club, which first exhibited dogs at the 1876 Centennial Show.

Then Miller went to his bosses, who doubted that a dog show could be described as sport or even good television. But the reruns of "It's a wonderful life" after Macy's parade had bad odds, so Miller was given the green light to have those two hours – but only for this year.

"You know what?" Jeff Zucker, who was then his supervisor, told him. "It can not be worse, let's try."

The renowned "National Dog Show" was first broadcast in November of this year. Miller prayed that it corresponded to the critics of "It's a wonderful life", which gathered about a million viewers. He was at the movies the next morning when Zucker called, "Have you seen the numbers of your dog show?" More than 18 million people had watched the same video – a number of audiences higher than most of the big hits in prime time. "It does not happen often in our business," Miller says. An overnight classic (and a great moneymaker for NBC) was born.

Since the beginning, the show has two co-hosts: Frei, an internationally recognized expert on purebred dogs and father of the movement of therapy dogs, and dog lover O 'Hurley, better known for having interpreted J. Peterman in "Seinfeld".

"I'm the brains behind the operation," jokes Frei.

"And I take this genie and make it acceptable for America," replies O. Hurley.

Both are close friends and rock stars at dog shows. They are constantly stopped for selfies in person or failing, with their cardboard cutouts. But both insist that dogs deserve attention.

"We want to get as many close-ups of dogs as cameras so that everyone has a chance to feel how we feel about them," said O. Hurley.

About 10 years ago, Mary Carillo, a Sports Hall of Fame host, added the show to her duties (professional tennis, Olympics) because she loved dogs. She has worked both at Westminster and at this exhibition – Westminster is a bit more reserved, she says, while the National Dog Show is more fun.

"It's a more relaxed atmosphere here," she says. "There is something very happy about making beautiful dogs look good."

But make no mistake: this is a serious business for competitive domination. There were more than 2,000 dogs in the exhibition hall just outside Philly, and it was possible to shake the legs with each one of them because it's all about one of three "shows" in the United States – with designated spaces behind the scenes where dogs are exposed. are not judged. It's a chance to see an amazing variety of dogs ranging from five-pound Yorkies to 200-pound mastiffs. When they are not in the ring, the show dogs are like the others: play, bark, steal kisses and be super cute.

Everyone at the National Dog Show is a dog enthusiast, which means educating people about the pros and cons of each breed. Pure breeds have been developed for specific tasks – hunting, hunting, flocking, guarding, etc. – with the exception of toy dogs, which were mainly domestic animals. Judges look for the ideal version of each race and each person has his favorite.

"I always lean towards the Irish settlers because their posture and auburn hair flowing in the breeze look like the redhead that has just entered the cocktail," says O. Hurley. Frei loves Afghans; Carillo has a weakness for burrows because "they always seem to smile".

How to choose? The group of toys went to the ring to attend the "Plum Fairy Dance". (And yes, later, they played "Who Let the Dogs Out?", Because of course they did.) There were dogs that looked like lions, dogs that looked like mops , dogs that looked like cushions and those that looked like a moving carwash. .

The champions are not moved by the lights, the music, the crowds. They stand still while the judge examines their bodies and then walk around the ring. One can not deny the power of sassy maneuvering. It's a beauty contest and a personality contest.

"He loves to show," said Fay Adcox, owner of Ghost, a 4-year-old Norwegian boy. "He has an attitude, you tell him he's a good boy, and he just struts around."

Thanks to the magic of television, seven hours are reduced in two: highlights of each group, best show and backstage. All races do not broadcast, but each is posted online.

Another thing in full screen on the ring but discreetly edited for family TV: doggy manhood. Show dogs can not be sterilized or sterilized and must have all their parts intact. The American Kennel Club requires that all men have two testicles and that judges check for fake ones. (In Europe, one is enough, but American dogs must have two.) United States!

But the real trick is to keep the results secret – no titles, tweets, or photos of the winner. Journalists and photographers are under embargo until the end of the broadcast and no major crimes have been committed for 17 years.

"There is a wave of goodwill that is echoing on the canine media and traditional media," said Steve Griffith, director of public relations for the series. Hundreds of people, including the general public at the show, know the secret because it's fun and good for the canine world. "Our goal is to make it a wonderful surprise on Thanksgiving Day."

After judging 192 races this year, the Best Show Contest took place in seven groups: Bella, a Pembroke Welsh corgi representing the breeders group; Billy, a Lhasa apso of the non sports group; Ducky, a retriever from the Chesapeake Bay sports group; King, terrier group terrier fox terrier; Bogie, a spaniel of King Charles Cavalier of the group of toys; Irupe, a Doberman Pinscher from the task force; and Whiskey, representing the group of hunting dogs.

The second was the Doberman and then the arena was killed. "Choose my dog!" a little girl shouted from the audience. Best show: The judge pointed the whippet, which caused audible gasps in the crowd.

Whiskey, it must be said, is a beautiful dog. And a very good boy.

"It's a typical whippet: laid-back, nice, clean, easy to train, calm – and that's what makes him an adorable dog," said owner Justin Smithey, who has been exhibiting the breed since two decades. "It's an excellent dog show because it's not intimidated by such a decor."

In fact, the 3 year old dog is already an old professional of the show circuit: whiskey is the best dog in the country and it was his 20th best show. The grand prize: $ 1,500, a big ribbon and Purina appetizers served on a silver platter.

Frei and O & # 39; Hurley, who are still trying to guess the judges, were surprised. "It was not even my second choice," said O. Hurley. "The steel haired terrier seemed a bit slow, it was up to him to lose it, and I think he lost it."

In the end, is it important to know who wins? To breeders and handlers, of course. For the rest of us, and maybe even the show dogs themselves, probably not. Each dog is a winner in the eyes of its owner.

"I read somewhere that when you die and go to heaven, every dog ​​you've ever loved will run to greet you," Carillo says. "A day like Thanksgiving, you can really be grateful for what they give to your life."