Paw Nation at the National Dog Show

I've owned a dog for seven years, and I've been a dog lover for longer, but until recently I had never been to any kind of dog show. This year, I made it to the National Dog Show, held just outside Philadelphia in Oaks, Pa. on November 14, and set to be broadcast on NBC Thanksgiving Day.

Like many folks, anything I knew about dog shows and dog-show people I gleaned from countless viewings of the movie "Best In Show". Though the popular film doesn't exactly portray dog-show people in the best light, I learned from NBC Executive Vice President Jon Miller that "Best In Show" was, in fact, what inspired NBC to put the National Dog Show on the air. (You can read my interview with Miller later this week as part of Paw Nation's week-long National Dog Show coverage.)

In "Best In Show", the focus is on the quirky dog owners, but at the National Dog Show, the dogs are the real stars. It doesn't take long to get the feeling -- even if you're a layman like me -- that these are truly exemplary specimens on display. When a particular pooch really catches your eye or takes your breath away with its beautiful face, majestic stance, regal bearing or lissome gait, you can feel like you're in the presence of something great.

They say that dogs have the intelligence of a two-year-old child, but I've never seen a two-year-old willingly sit quiet and nearly motionless for the better part of an hour as these dogs did, waiting to be judged. By day's end, I was in total awe.

And the dog-show people? Yes, they do have a sense of humor. The Hound Group was introduced to the tune of "Hound Dog." The Working Group was heralded by John Lennon's "Working Class Hero." And when the real Best In Show hopefuls entered the ring? Why, of course, "The Final Countdown" by Europe.

We're not going to reveal the identity of the winning dog here. Otherwise, where's the suspense on Thanksgiving Day? But keep checking back throughout the week for more National Dog Show features, including an interview with the winner after the big TV reveal!

Tags: national dog show, NationalDogShow, who won the national dog show