My Thanksgivings have been pretty much the same for the past twenty years, give or take some small details. My family and I wake up every Thanksgiving morning to a homemade breakfast accompanied by the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Yes, the balloons, Broadway performances, and grandeur are amazing, and it never gets old. My personal opinion is that the program immediately following the parade is where it’s at. The National Dog Show plays every single year on Thanksgiving Day, also broadcasted on NBC just like the parade. This amazing show has been on annually since 1933 and is just as much a Thanksgiving tradition for my family and me as eating turkey.
If you don’t know how this show works, there are seven different groupings of breeds, the groups are made up of multiple dogs, but each group only has one winner. Then, the winners of the groups go against one another for Best in Show. The show isn’t just for anyone’s dog, the breed must be purebred and be one of the 212 officially recognized breeds that are allowed to compete in the show. The dogs and their owners are advised to go down the course, which is just a simple blue-matted arena, where the judge will assess the dog’s fitness level through their stride, pace, gape, etc. The judge will also examine the dog’s coat, tail, teeth, and other physical traits to assess its fitness, and overall health and care. While watching, the assessment may seem a bit lackluster, and to your untrained eye there might not be anything particular to look at, but to the judge, there is so much to examine.
Another part of the show I like to examine is the handlers. They are sometimes more comical than the dogs; from their interesting attire to their awkward canter trying to keep up with their dogs, and to the fact that most of the handlers keep the dog treats used for incentive in their mouth. The latter fact has always brought me a bit of an uneasy feeling, I don’t think I would want dog treats.
Overall this program is worth the watch. There are so many types of dogs, and everyone is bound to find a dog they like. The handlers work so hard with the competitors and have so much love and appreciation for their dogs. There is nothing better than relaxing on the couch while the kitchen is going up in flames with Thanksgiving dinner preparation and watching The National Dog Show. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love and light, and many adorable show dogs putting their best paws forward on the big screen.