AKC/Eukanuba National Championship To Air February 2nd On ABC Television Network

NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The 12 ^th edition of the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, featuring the country's premier dogs vying for the biggest dog show prize in the world and special features like a ceremony honoring hero dogs, will air on ABC on Saturday, February 2 ^nd at 2 pm EST (check local listings).

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AKC's Gina DiNardo and ESPN anchor Todd Grisham will share commentary duties during the broadcast of the National Championship. With DiNardo's life-long involvement in the sport of purebred dogs and Grisham's humor and enthusiasm, it will make for a fun as well as educational broadcast for all dog lovers.

"The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship offers the public the opportunity to learn more about each of AKC's 175 breeds and how the predictability of purebred dogs can make it easy to match a particular breed to fit your lifestyle," DiNardo said. "Viewers will be able to see each Best of Breed winner compete in the group ring, watch highlights from our Breeder of the Year and AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence presentations, and much, much more. We hope you enjoy the show!"  

Two new AKC-recognized breeds will make their AKC/Eukanuba National Championship debut during the broadcast – the Russell Terrier and the Treeing Walker Coonhound. Watch them compete during the broadcast and learn more about their history and function at www.akc.org.

During the broadcast, AKC will host a Virtual Viewing Party at 2 pm EST with behind-the-scenes tidbits on Facebook and a Tweet Chat on Twitter using the hashtag #celebratedogs. Fans can stop by to root for their favorites, chat with other dog show enthusiasts or post a photo of their dog enjoying the broadcast.

Highlights from the daytime Best of Breed judging and the Bred-By-Exhibitor groups are also available here. 

Visit www.akc.org/aenc for more information about the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship.

The American Kennel Club (AKC), founded in 1884, maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world. Its rules and regulations govern more than 20,000 canine competitions each year.

Eukanuba offers the most complete food lineup, delivering nutrition that is customized by breed and breed size as well as health and performance requirements. Eukanuba is a division of Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), and you can visit us on the Web at http://www.eukanuba.com .

Related Link American Kennel Club

SOURCE American Kennel Club

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