National Dog Show Silver Anniversary Set for November at Greater Philadelphia Expo Center

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia (KCP) has annunced that November 14 and 15 will be the dates for this year’s 25^th annual National Dog Show weekend at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.

Celebrating its silver anniversary weekend, the National Dog Show will feature thousands of show dogs and hundreds of breeds plus agility dogs, therapy dogs and all things canine beginning at 8 a.m. both days.

Each day constitutes a separate and distinct all-breed dog show competition with breed judging in 13 rings on the Expo Center floor and group judging in the afternoon in the stadium show ring. Saturday’s competition is the National Dog Show Presented by Purina airing on NBC Thanksgiving Day from noon to 2 p.m. in all time zones following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The National Dog Show is unique as the only single-venue benched show in America. The vast benching/grooming area covers the almost the entirety of the Expo Center with the dogs set in designated locations throughout the weekend so visitors can meet them and their owners/handlers to learn about the breeds.

In two years of research commissioned by the KCP, Temple University students and members of its Sport Industry Research Center found that the average stay for a family at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center event was 3.5 hours, comparable to the time spent at other attractions or sports events.

Agility dog demonstrations featuring world-class canine athletes are featured throughout the weekend. One of the most popular attractions is the National Dog Show Therapy Dog Ambassador Team zone where certified therapy dogs are available for pets and hugs with their handlers present to answer questions about their work. Veterinarians from Purina and PennVet are also on-hand to answer questions from the public.

Over 75 vendors and expo booths feature free samples, pet-related products and services as part of the experience. The popular show, started in 1879 and staged continuously since 1933 by the KCP, is one of the most prestigious in America. Saturday, November 14, is the “National Dog Show Presented by Purina” airing 11 days later on NBC on Thanksgiving Day as a two-hour special. The holiday show has a total reach of some 20 million people from noon – 2 p.m. (regionally on NBC 10) following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade before football takes over the day.

The National Dog Show is one of the most prominent in the world because of its history dating back to the 1800s, its location in America’s fourth-largest market and the national television exposure on NBC. Along with the National Dog Show’s 25^th anniversary milestone, the Kennel Club of Philadelphia is celebrating 150 years since what is arguably the first-ever dog show, an “Exhibition of Dogs,” hosted by the KCP’s predecessor organization during America’s Centennial celebration in 1876.

Those interested in attending the National Dog Show can purchase tickets here.