National Dog Show 2021 Makes History With This Year's Best in Show Winner

Andy Swift
·2 min read
2
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

While your dog spends Thanksgiving hunting for turkey scraps under the table, these prized pooches are putting them — and many of us humans, frankly — to shame with their poise, discipline and overall elegance.

It’s honestly a shame when you realize that these dogs don’t have the capacity to understand what they’re actually accomplishing.

More from TVLine

We’re talking, of course, about The National Dog Show. Hosted once again by John O’Hurley and David Frei, this year’s competition boasted 209 recognized breeds, including a new addition to the fray: the Biewer Terrier (pictured above).

The Biewer Terrier is described as an “elegant and athletic toy terrier whose only purpose in life is to love and be loved.” (Honestly, same.) This marks the 50th breed to be introduced to the competition since NBC began airing it in 2002.

OK, it’s results time: While every participant put their best paw forward, only one could emerge top dog. The 2021 National Dog Show winner is… Scottish Deerhound Claire, the same winner from last year! According to O’Hurley, this was the first time in 20 years that the competition has a repeat winner.

“It is extraordinary how this TV special has become an annual television-watching tradition for American families,” O’Hurley said in a statement ahead of this year’s broadcast. “Dogs more than ever have become a part of people’s lives and the show reminds us of how great they are and how easy it is for them to make us smile.”

If you missed even a second of this year’s spunky spectacle, fear not — the entire event is now free to watch on demand, and available to stream on Peacock. NBC will also rebroadcast it tonight at 8/7c.

Your thoughts on this year’s winner? Drop ’em in a comment below.

Launch Gallery: National Dog Show 2021 Photos

Best of TVLine

Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter