The 2022 National Dog Show will air this Thanksgiving Day, as it does every year. For many homes, this spectacle is as much of a tradition as turkey or cranberry sauce.
Whether you place bets on winners or just like to watch the pups trot around, here is all of the info you’ll need to prepare yourself for the show.
Breeds Included in the 2022 National Dog Show
There are a whopping 212 breeds competing in the 2022 National Dog Show. While you can find the complete list here, there are a few breeds who have been selected as Best in Show multiple times in the past 20 years. Those breeds are: Poodle (one standard and one miniature), Scottish Deerhound, and Wire Fox Terrier. Other breeds who have claimed the title are: Bulldog, Whippet, Brussels Griffon, Greyhound, Skye Terrier, Bloodhound, American Foxhound, Irish Setter, Scottish Terrier, Pointer, Australian Shepherd, Bull Terrier, Fox Terrier, and Doberman.
If you couldn’t tell by reading the names, judges have a knack for choosing from the Terrier and Hound groups. This year will also see three new breeds: the Russian Toy, Mudi, and Bracco Italiano.
Groups Included in the 2022 National Dog Show
There are seven groups included in the National Dog Show: Terrier, Toy, Working, Sporting, Hound, Herding, and Non-Sporting.
Most terriers, like the Cairn Terrier and the Scottish Terrier, were bred for hunting vermin. If you have one of these dogs, you know this to be true, as they often go after cats and squirrels and like to pounce in the dirt. Toy dogs, like the Pug and the Pomeranian, don’t have any job other than to be our sweet little companions. Working dogs, like the German Shepherd and the Great Pyrenees, are very intelligent and perform specific jobs for their humans.
Sporting dogs, like the Golden Retriever and the German Wirehaired Pointer, are bred for helping their human hunt. This can range from pointing out game to retrieving it. Also hunting dogs, Hound dogs have their own group due to their history of running alongside a human as they hunt their prey with either their nose or eyes. Herding dogs are also technically working dogs but with the specific purpose of herding livestock. The Non-Sporting group is every breed that doesn’t fit into one of the previous groups. This group contains everything from a Chow Chow to a French Bulldog.
Where to Watch the 2022 National Dog Show
Tune into NBC at 12 p.m. local time to watch the 2022 National Dog Show. The show will air right after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. If you aren’t in Eastern Standard Time, don’t fret. Stream the show at 12 p.m. EST on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app.
After the show, we recommend a follow up viewing of “Best in Show.”
