The 2025 National Dog Show will air on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 27, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. local time on NBC, and will stream from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET on Peacock. The tradition of dog shows in the United States dates back to the 19th century; one early major show was held in New York in 1877, and the National Dog Show itself traces its roots to a show first held in 1879 in Philadelphia, which highlights the long-standing appreciation for purebred dogs.

The two-hour telecast will be shown across the United States in all time zones and is expected to attract more than 20 million viewers, organizers say. This anticipated viewership aligns with the show’s festive spirit, as it is strategically packaged to cater to holiday audiences, showcasing a mix of breeds and group winners. Major all-breed dog shows, like the National Dog Show, typically feature a large number of AKC-recognized breeds and varieties; for 2025, NBC Sports notes 201 breeds are participating out of the 214 breeds and varieties recognized by the American Kennel Club.

NBC will carry the program nationally at the scheduled noon start, and interested viewers can find additional event information through NBC Sports’ coverage of the show. The network presentation runs for two hours and condenses the field of roughly 2,000 entrants into the Best in Show competition that concludes the broadcast, a crucial highlight of the event.

The event is sanctioned by the American Kennel Club, and NBC began broadcasting the National Dog Show on Thanksgiving in 2002. The program continues to highlight a wide array of purebred dogs and the selection of a single Best in Show from those group winners.

Among the names associated with recent editions is Vito, a pug who won Best in Show in 2024. Vito is listed in the event records as the 2024 National Dog Show Best in Show dog, serving as a reminder of the individual champions the telecast showcases each year.

For viewers and fans who follow the competition outside linear television, related video content and local previews are available; for example, NBC DFW produced a short video promoting the return of the show on Thanksgiving. Readers can also consult NBC Sports for a detailed outline of the telecast schedule and context around the event, including available viewing options during the holiday.

Producers condense thousands of entries into highlights for the two-hour slot, presenting each group’s winner and the final Best in Show selection. The format aims to map a multi-day event into an edited television special timed for a holiday audience across the country, accommodating viewers who may be new to this cherished American tradition.

The 2025 broadcast date, Thursday, Nov. 27 at 12 p.m., will again place the National Dog Show in a prominent time period for viewers who tune in during the holiday. The show’s national reach—airing at noon in every U.S. time zone—remains a central element of the telecast’s production and scheduling.

Television listings and the official network guide carry the specific start time and channel information; NBC Sports offers an explainer with viewing options for the holiday telecast. Local stations and network affiliates also promoted the special in advance of the November broadcast window.

The National Dog Show’s television presentation distills a large field of competitors into a concise hour-by-hour program, with the Best in Show moment serving as the program’s centerpiece. This structure, amid shifting exhibitor interests towards performance events, provides an exciting look at the winners while keeping the festive atmosphere alive.

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