A Dog's Thanksgiving Story #DogThanking

It's a little known fact that dogs were actually the first Pilgrims. Today, Rocco is re-enacting how the first Thanksgiving came to be... from his point of view. We hope you enjoy it! 🐾

After a long and treacherous journey, the first Pilgrim dogs sailed across the ocean blue and crashed into Plymouth Rock. The year was 1620.

The first winter they were cold and hungry.

Then the Indians came along and taught the Pilgrim dogs a few tricks.

And after that, food was plentiful and the Pilgrim dogs and all their friends enjoyed a bountiful feast!

All the dogs and their people were thankful for the food, and so the tradition of #DogThanking and Thanksgiving day dog shows was born.

This year, you can join in the tradition by posting your own original photo on social media and saying how you thank your dog.

For every original post submitted through November 27 that includes @Purina and the hashtag, #DogThanking, Purina will donate one dollar to the Canine Health Foundation – up to $50,000 – to help further pet health research. Submitted videos, photos and posts may be shown during the National Dog Show Presented by Purina, on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24 at noon in all time zones) on NBC.

We're partnering with Purina to help bring you this fun and important tradition and will be tweeting live with the #dogthanking hashtag during the National Dog Show.  See you there! 

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Thanksgiving Traditions: It's Dogs Until 2! #betterwithpets

One of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions is watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade followed by the National Dog Show Presented by Purina. I've done this for the past 11 years (since the show began in 2002) with my pup Cosmo Havanese at my side.

Sadly, we lost Cosmo last year just a month after Thanksgiving, but the tradition will continue this year as Rocco Havanese and I share our first Thanksgiving together.

This year is promising to be as fun as ever with a social media campaign that will use memes and gifs in an amusing reminder that after the Macy’s Parade and before football takes over the afternoon, “It’s Dogs Until 2” on Thanksgiving Day. The National Dog Show on NBC airs from noon – 2 p.m. in all time zones.

“I love football and I watch plenty of it,” said National Dog Show expert analyst David Frei.  “Just ask my wife.  But, on Thanksgiving Day, it’s dogs until 2 p.m.  Knowing the football culture as I do, I actually think the football fans will be happy to go along, as long as they can be left alone the rest of the afternoon and evening.”

Frei is the former NFL public relations executive with the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos and has his own Super Bowl Ring from the Broncos “Orange Crush” team that lost to the Dallas Cowboys in 1978.  He is also the son of longtime Oregon football coach Jerry Frei.

The viral spots, which feature winning slogans such as “Simple fact: Greyhounds are faster than wide receivers,” are expected to make the social media rounds in advance of the Thanksgiving Day broadcast.

Watch the show with us via Twitter using hashtag #BetterWithPets.  We'll be there rooting for our favorite breed... betcha can't guess what that is! I'll be there as @ToDogWithLove, and @RoccoHavanese will be there too. See you then!

Find more fun and footage from the National Dog Show here.

Thanksgiving Traditions: Parade and a Dog Show!

Cosmo camps out in front of the TV during the 2011 National Dog show presented by Purina

Aside from eating too much turkey and family visits, one of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions is settling in by the television on Thursday morning to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade followed by The National Dog Show presented by Purina. 

I grab a coffee and Cosmo grabs his big green bone and together we enjoy some of the best five hours of television all year!

Cosmo grabs a quick nap during the Macy's Parade last year to ensure he's fresh for the dog show!

This year marks the 11th year of the telecast of the National Dog Show presented by Purina, which means Cosmo and I have watched the show together every year since its broadcast debut.  (Cosmo was just 13 weeks old for the airing of the first show in 2002!)

Two new AKC-recognized breeds, the Russell Terrier and Treeing Walker Coonhound, will make their television and major-event debuts at this years event, where more than 170 breeds vie for “Best in Show” honors in the Kennel Club of Philadelphia competition.

The holiday special airs Thanksgiving Day at noon - 2 p.m. in all time zones and follows the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC. An encore presentation of the dog show will air on NBC in primetime on Friday from 8-10 p.m. ET.

Find more fun and footage from the National Dog Show at www.NBCSports.com and www.NationalDogShow.com.

You know where we'll be on Thanksgiving morning! Where will your Thanksgiving traditions take you?