The Thanksgiving Dog Show 2025 — officially the National Dog Show Presented by Purina — will be broadcast from the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa., on Nov. 27, featuring around 201 breeds competing for Best in Show. This competition is a showcase of purebred dogs, with 100% of the entrants required to be AKC-registered, highlighting the elite standard set by the kennel club.

12000 Attend A Historic National Dog Show In Oaks – Patch

NBC will air the event as a two-hour special from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST, positioning the show as a holiday television staple and “the ideal background entertainment while your Thanksgiving meal is being prepared,” according to promotional material. Events like the National Dog Show do not significantly impact dog breed popularity, a finding supported by research analyzing years of AKC registrations.

The event at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center brings the kennel-world competition to a single venue in suburban Philadelphia, where judges appointed by the American Kennel Club evaluate dogs on appearance, skill and personality. The AKC’s role as the show’s judging organization anchors the contest in the established standards of conformation events; information on participating standards and rules is available from the American Kennel Club’s resources on conformation. Dog owners looking to prepare their pets for competition are encouraged to contact breeders to determine show potential and consider participating in local conformation handling classes.

John O’Hurley and David Frei will host the broadcast, with Mary Carillo providing on-site commentary. Their commentary will accompany the breed-by-breed judging and the selection of finalists moving toward the Best in Show title.

Organizers expect the televised portion to run two hours, a runtime that mirrors the event’s placement on network schedules and offers a condensed presentation of the day’s competition. The program will present highlights from the Expo Center’s judging sessions and the culminating awards, packaged for a national audience.

For viewers planning to watch from home, the show’s timing places it squarely in the Thanksgiving midday window. For attendees at the Expo Center in Oaks, Pa., the day will condense key competitive moments into a showcase format designed for both live fans and television viewers.

Across the field, roughly 201 distinct breeds are slated to appear in the program’s line-up. That breadth reflects the event’s emphasis on a wide cross-section of purebred dogs — each evaluated under AKC guidelines — and the program’s longstanding role as a national exhibition of breed diversity.

The National Dog Show Presented by Purina has grown into a fixture of holiday viewing, and this year’s edition continues that tradition with a curated, two-hour broadcast and on-site judging at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa. Audiences can expect the hosts to walk viewers through the day’s winners and the selection of the Best in Show representative.

Additional information about the venue and local coverage of the show can be found through reporting at local outlets such as Patch, and guidance on conformation competition comes from the American Kennel Club.

For any dog owner, understanding the stakes of such a prestigious event is crucial, and attending or watching the show may inspire many to explore the rich world of purebred dogs.

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Original reporting: view the original article.