National Dog Show Co-Host John O'Hurley on Old Dogs, Life's Little Tricks

John O'Hurley has probably had as many different jobs as the National Dog Show has different breeds. This devoted dog lover is a co-host of the NDS, strut his stuff on Dancing with the Stars, authored the bestselling books "Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It" and "It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump," and is perhaps best known for playing the bombastic J. Peterman on "Seinfeld. Like Peterman, O'Hurley lives life to the fullest, and -- as we discovered when we caught him for a chat in Philadelphia -- that's a lesson he learned from the dogs.

What's your dog situation at home?
We have a Cavalier King Charles and a little Havanese. They're both puppies. And then I have a 19-and-a-half-year-old Maltese who was actually the inspiration for my second book. He's the little old man in the group. At 19-and-a-half, he still has the spirit of a drill sergeant.

What do you love about hosting the National Dog Show?
Because my wife and I share such a common love for dogs and they're such a part of our life, it's just a wonderful event. It's actually one of our favorite days of the year, because we get to wander up and down the aisles, talk to the breeders and owners, and celebrate what we really enjoy in life. In addition to our two-and-a-half-year-old son, we enjoy our dogs.

What do you get out of the show personally?
More than any other event that I do all year long, it's the most relaxing, because dogs have a tendency to change the atmosphere in the room. When you wander up and down the aisles among 1,500 dogs, you just get a nice sense of joy and calm. And you can't help but smile a lot. I certainly couldn't go to a beauty pageant and come back with that same feeling!

Are there moments when you're nervous for the dogs?
Well, we have our favorites, and [co-host] David [Frei] and I don't always agree with each other. There are certain breeds that I'm just drawn to. I don't have to be the expert here, so it's OK for me to have my favorites. And yeah, I get a little visceral about them. Frankly, when the judge misses what I think is a good dog, it's a good thing I don't have a dog bowl to throw at the television set!

The pressure the dogs face in the ring: Better or worse than on Dancing with the Stars?
Oh, they're just dogs being dogs! Dogs don't know the meaning of pressure, they really don't. A Cocker Spaniel doesn't want to be a German Shepherd -- they just love being the dogs that they are. That's one of the gifts that they do teach us -- that it's OK to just be you.

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