NBC to Televise National Dog Show Again

[Bob]

NEW YORK - Thanksgiving is all about family, turkey and football on TV. Don't let Fido get his paws on the remote, however. After two years of surprising success, NBC will present its coverage of the National Dog Show Thursday at noon, directly after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. John O'Hurley (J. Peterman in "Seinfeld") is back behind the microphone.

"The first time, it was a novelty," said Jon Miller, NBC senior vice president. "The third time makes it a tradition."

The two-hour special is made up of highlights from the dog show sponsored by the Philadelphia Kennel Club two weeks ago, mixed with information about dog breeds and tips for dog owners presented by the chief sponsor, Nestle Purina Pet Care.

Miller is a big fan of the movie, "Best in Show," a spoof of dog shows directed by Christopher Guest. He saw it soon after it was released in 2000, and started making calls the next day.

"It was like one of those little light bulbs that went off: `We should do a dog show! And Thanksgiving would be the perfect time to do it!'" he recalled.

He immediately found out that Westminster, the year's premiere dog show based in New York, was locked into a long-term TV contract (with USA Network). So he turned to the Philadelphia Kennel Club.

The club held its first show in 1879, which is second only to the Kentucky Derby as the country's oldest sporting event, but it was somewhat down on its luck.

It's a "benched" show, meaning dogs are displayed on risers for the public to see, and this format has been in a long, slow decline in popularity. Only six still remain, and many dog enthusiasts avoid them, said Wayne Ferguson, head of the Philadelphia Kennel Club.