Many people are forced to celebrate Thanksgiving differently this year or forgo it altogether, but let’s be thankful that the National Dog Show endures despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
And even better? Instead of spectators, organizers filled the stands with cardboard cutouts of ― wait for it ― MORE DOGS.
The iconic annual show, hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, is an American Kennel Club-sanctioned event in which purebred dogs across more than 200 breeds and varieties vie for the spot of the nation’s top dog.
Following coronavirus safety guidelines, the NBC-televised event took place without spectators, vendors, sponsors or media present, and the number of dogs allowed to compete was reduced to 600 from the usual nearly 2,000.
This year’s best In show was a shaggy Scottish deerhound named Claire. She first won the hound group, then claimed the top spot over six other group winners. They were an English springer spaniel, who was named reserve best in show; a miniature American shepherd; a standard poodle; a wire fox terrier; an affenpinscher; and a Portuguese water dog.
People (and pooches) celebrating Thanksgiving with their families or at home alone entertained themselves with this year’s gloriously quirky, cute and fabulous competitors. And then, of course, tweeted about it.
Today, in Not Everything Is A Flaming Hellscape, I give you Claire the Scottish Deerhound who just won Best in Show at the 2020 National Dog Show!
Bonus: Last night I met a Labrador-Labradoodle cross puppy outside a shop and she was so soft and floofy and I loved her instantly. pic.twitter.com/FLMBf40wEI
— Emma Graney ????♀️?? (@EmmaLGraney) November 26, 2020
GUYS I AM SPENDING THANKGIVING ALONE IN MY APARTMENT AND SO OH BOY AM I EVER GONNA RENAME SOME DOGS (from the National Dog Show in NBC if you want to play along)
— Jill Twiss (@jilltwiss) November 26, 2020
