Thanksgiving Day Dog Show Is Back

For John O'Hurley, Thanksgiving has gone to the dogs. Come Nov. 28, O'Hurley will again be seen hosting The National Dog Show, the tradition-rich all-breed contest hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, airing on NBC right after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "It's not just a dog show. It's kind of become a day of celebration of dogs," he lets us know.

Working dogs, Sporting dogs, Terriers and Toys... Even the casual canine connoissseur could harldy help but enjoy seeing them strut their stuff accompanied by occasionally waggish commentary by the dulcet-voiced O'Hurley and Expert Analyst David Frei. The National Dog Show has barking rights as far as ratings -- last year 19.3 million viewers tuned in.

Clearly this ruff duty breeds excitement for O'Hurley. "To watch the show and the great curve of growth it's had in the 12 years we've done it is just extraordinary," he says. "It's become part of a family tradition every Thanksgiving Day."

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O'Hurley, a later-in-life Dad at 59, also enjoys having his 6-year-old son William Dylan along for the furry festivities. "In fact, last year, the video piece that I did with him went viral on the Internet, the piece called 'The Perfect Dog,' and it's just coming out as a children's book: The Perfect Dog ," says O'Hurley.

O'Hurley is in the midst of a national tour of Chicago , playing Billy Flynn. He's been flying back and forth between National Dog Show chores and performances. He also has the big screen A Remarkable Life coming out next month, a romantic drama in which he plays a priest. What makes the one-time Dancing With the Stars favorite and J. Peterman of Seinfeld keep up such a pace? "I have an Irish work ethic. I'm not happy unless I'm working."

His son travels with him as much as he can. "He's in first grade now, so we have to kind of pick and choose when we bring him," O'Hurley says.

And, last but not 'leashed', there are his own four-legged family members. The unabashed dog lover reports, "We have two. We have a Cavalier King Charles and a little Havanese - Sadie is the Cavalier, and Lucy is the Havanese.

"I've never had a home without a dog."

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