Every Thanksgiving, after the grand march of floats and balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, millions of viewers turn their attention to the ring where the four-legged contenders of The National Dog Show strut their stuff. Held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, the show draws in over 2,000 pure-bred dogs representing roughly 200 breeds vying for the coveted “Best in Show” title.
Despite being a holiday staple, there’s still some confusion around watching The National Dog Show. The TV broadcast is really a two-hour edited special condensed from a two-day competition held earlier in the month. What you see on NBC is a curated highlight reel, which can be confusing if you’re looking for a specific breed that didn’t make the TV cut.
Between streaming platforms, regional affiliate scheduling, and the large number of breeds and rounds to follow, viewers new to the show can easily feel lost. My job is to make sure that doesn’t happen, so here are the best ways to watch the 2025 National Dog Show.
What channel shows The National Dog Show?
You can watch The National Dog Show on NBC on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 27). The show airs at 12:00 p.m. in all time zones immediately following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
In addition to the linear TV broadcast, streaming options are available. Peacock will stream the event live, and you can also watch on NBC’s website or app using an eligible TV provider login.
Best TV plans for watching The National Dog Show
The great thing about The National Dog Show is that you have multiple options for tuning in. Here’s my “Good, Better, Best” rundown of my favorite viewing methods, based on what I’ve seen work in practice.
- Good – Antenna TV: A digital antenna allows you to watch the NBC broadcast over the air without a TV subscription. Since the show airs on NBC each Thanksgiving at 12:00 p.m., this is the simplest path if you already have a TV and live within range of an NBC affiliate.
- Better – Peacock: A standalone Peacock Premium subscription is the most direct way to stream The National Dog Show. It carries the live feed as it airs on NBC, allowing you to watch on virtually any device. Starting at $10.99 a month, I find this to be the most cost-effective viewing method for those with weak antenna reception.
- Best – YouTube TV: If you want the most complete live TV experience, YouTube TV is the strongest choice. It carries NBC nationwide with rock-solid stream quality, even during big holiday broadcasts. My favorite feature is the unlimited cloud DVR, which lets you record the entire two-hour show and skip straight to your favorite groups or the “Best in Show” round. It’s more expensive than Peacock, but if you want a complete cable replacement that works on every device, it’s worth the price.
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How to watch The National Dog Show for free
Your best option for watching The National Dog Show for free is a digital TV antenna. Since NBC broadcasts the event nationwide on Thanksgiving Day, an antenna lets you pull in the HD signal without a subscription fee. Before you try this, I recommend using Antennas Direct’s TV Transmitter Locator to double-check that you live within range of a local NBC affiliate.
If you prefer streaming, things are a little trickier. Peacock doesn’t offer a free trial, so you can’t use that app for free viewing. But live TV streaming services like Fubo and YouTube TV do offer free trials that include access to local NBC channels. You can sign up, watch the show, and cancel before the trial ends.
How to watch The National Dog Show FAQ
Can I watch The National Dog Show replays on demand?
Yes, Peacock is the most reliable place to watch the full 2025 event replay. It should become available on demand shortly after the live broadcast ends. As a bonus, the platform even carries every broadcast of The National Dog Show dating back to 2013.
Who are the announcers for The National Dog Show?
The broadcast is hosted by John O'Hurley, David Frei, and Mary Carillo.
Can I watch The National Dog Show in Spanish?
Now, there's no Spanish-language broadcast of The National Dog Show. While Telemundo airs the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and NBC's evening NFL game, it skips the dog show. The network typically airs news programming during that midday time slot instead.
Is The National Dog Show on Hulu?
You can only watch The National Dog Show on Hulu with one of its live TV plans that include access to your local NBC station. You can check out our Hulu + Live TV Review to learn more about the service.
