Five things to know if you go to the National Dog Show (yes, you can boop the floofs)

This weekend more than 1,800 good girls and boys from across the country will descend on the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks for the Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s National Dog Show, where they’ll be available to receive lavish praise and pets from the adoring public.

The show — which began in Philadelphia in 1879 and has run continuously in the area since 1933 — is filmed on Saturday and broadcast nationally on NBC following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, making it a holiday tradition for many families.

With the event in our backyard, dog lovers in the Philly area have a chance to get a leg up on the rest of the country by attending this pawesome show in person on Nov. 19 and 20.

Here are five things to know if you go to the National Dog Show:

Even the most serious canine competitors love a little nose boop or chin scratch from time to time, and at the National Dog Show, they can receive them in scores from spectators who attend the event.

This year the Kennel Club of Philadelphia is the only dog club in the country to host a “benched” show, which means when the dogs aren’t actively competing, they’ll be assigned to stay in a specific area on the Expo Center floor so members of the public can interact with the dogs and their people. Ask nicely, and the owners are likely to give you permission to pet and boop their prized floofs.

Looking to meet or interact with a specific breed? Attendees will be given a program that outlines where every dog’s bench and breed are located.

The show boasts 194 breeds of dogs, including three new breeds which were accepted into the competition for the first time this year: the mudi, a medium-size herding dog native to Hungary; the Russian toy, a small dog the American Kennel Club describes as “a good-natured imp;” and the bracco Italiano, a large hunting dog that’s also known as an Italian pointer.

Bob Gross of Springfield, Vt., brought Daisy, 4, and Jasper, 2, his bracchi Italiani (the plural of bracco Italiano) to a dog show news conference at the Tru by Hilton Audubon Valley Forge Hotel on Monday. Soft with long ears and folds of skin that go on for miles, they will be competing this weekend. But being a show dog is just their side hustle.

Daisy and Jasper work mainly as hunting dogs for large groups, running up to 48 miles a day to help hunters track down fowl in Vermont, Gross said.

“In the ring is nothing compared to what they look like running off lead,” he said. “The way they move in the field, it looks like ballet.”

In addition to the judged competition, spectators can catch the Purina Pro Plan Performance team pups showing off their athletic prowess during agility demonstrations or spend time at the therapy dog booth, where members of the show’s Therapy Dog Ambassador Team will be on hand for cuddle puddles.

Lynne Robinson, executive director of PAWS for People, a Delaware nonprofit that brings therapy dogs to hospitals, schools, and skilled care facilities, will be at the show with some four-legged ambassadogs.

“It’s a place for the dogs to shine and for people to get to see the dogs in person, instead of just dreaming about them,” she said. “It’s wonderful to have so many dogs being so well-behaved at the same time.”

Some show dogs also double as therapy dogs, like Wasabi, a 125-pound bullmastiff. She volunteers at the Pottstown Regional Public Library, where kids lay on her belly and read to her. She’ll be competing for Best in Show this weekend.

More than 40 vendors will also be on hand at the Expo Center selling everything from doggie insurance to canine-themed clothing.

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia hosts two separate dogs shows, one on Saturday and one Sunday. While most dogs compete in both shows, winners are chosen each day, including a Best in Show.

Saturday tends to be the more heavily-attended day, because that’s when the show is filmed for broadcast on Thanksgiving. Show organizers said ticket sales have already exceeded what they were in 2019, (there were about 15,000 weekend spectators) so if you’re looking for lighter crowds, Sunday may be your better bet.

A family of four can attend the show for less than the average cost of a 25-pound bag of dog food. Tickets are $7 for kids ages 4 to 11 and $16 for those 12 and up. Kids 3 and under are free.

Parking and programs are free and the average family tends to spend about three-and-a-half hours at the event, according to the Kennel Club of Philadelphia.

David Frei, who serves as the expert analyst for NBC’s broadcast of the dog show, alongside host John O’Hurley, offered a piece of advice for attendees at Monday’s news conference.

“A lot of people do look like their dogs, but it’s not always a good idea to point that out,” he said.

And to everyone who thinks their dog is the best in the world — they’re right.

“The real Best in Show dog is actually the dog sitting at home on the couch next to you,” Frei said. “So when the show’s over, hug your dog and give them a ribbon, give them some turkey.”