National Dog Show 2013: Complete Preview, Live Stream, Start Time and More

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and that means just one thing in the sports world.

No, not football. Dog shows.

The National Dog Show is one of the biggest events in the wide world of all-breed dog shows, and the 2013 spectacle is shaping up to be perhaps the best one yet.

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia will put on the event Nov. 16-17, but it won't be televised until Thanksgiving Day when NBC airs the tradition-rich showcase that captivates viewers across the nation. The website for the National Dog Show claims that it is the most watched dog show in America. 

Here's a breakdown of everything you need to know heading into Saturday and Sunday.

Where: The Kennel Club of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, Pa.

When: Thursday, Nov. 28 at 12 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

The Groups

• Terrier
• Toy
• Working
• Sporting
• Hound
• Non-Sporting
• Herding

Breed to Watch: Wire Fox Terrier

For the first time in exactly four decades, the same breed repeated as champion in 2012.

Sky, a 4-year-old wire fox terrier, took last year's event one year removed from Eira in 2011. As you can tell from the links, the two are identical in appearance. 

According to Readingeagle.com, last year marked the first time that the same breed had repeated to win since 1971-72. 

The wire fox terrier boasts unquestionable beauty and fascination from judges, and it will be interesting to follow the wire foxes in the field this year. 

Could we witness a wire fox terrier three-peat?

The New Breeds

Chinook

This breed is the newest member of the Working Group. The event's official site gives a short description to the addition as, "Bred to combine the power of freighting breeds with the speed of the lighter racing sled dogs, he is an athletic, hard-bodied dog."

The site also notes that the chinook rose to fame largely based on having won the New Hampshire State Dog award in 2009.

Rat Terrier

The rat terrier fittingly belongs to the Terrier Group. While he possesses a small, innocent frame, he can be a menace to rodents.

The "pied patterning" of the rat terrier, which involves large blotches of dark fur on top of a predominantly white coat, only adds to the mystique of the breed.

Portuguese Podengo Pequeno

That was a mouthful.

This popular miniature breed is a part of the Hound Group, described by the National Dog Show website as such:

"The Portuguese Podengo Pequeno, a primitive breed, is known for its small size, erect ears, wedge shaped head, and two coat types, smooth and wire."

The breed's coat contrasts between smooth and rough hair, and his "bearded muzzle" is certain to draw admiration from the masses.

All information, unless otherwise noted, courtesy of NationalDogShow.com