(CNN)What's synonymous with Thanksgiving? For immoderate people, it's turkey, household reunions, question tie-ups and pie-induced napping. But for others, Thanksgiving means thing else: The National Dog Show.
The Kennel Club of Philadelphia's canine amusement airs everything Thanksgiving and stars the winningest canines successful the country. Perhaps you cognize it arsenic the programme that follows the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the 1 you permission connected TV and hide astir until you plop backmost down connected the sofa and think, "Oh yeah, this is simply a thing."
But this pup pageant is much than inheritance sound for prepping Thanksgiving dinner. These prestigious dogs, who for years are trained and groomed for their fewer minutes connected the nationalist stage, merit your attention. So up of this year's competition, get to cognize the past decennary of National Dog Show champs, who correspond the cutest, furriest and best-behaved pups successful the US.
2020: Claire the Scottish Deerhound
Don't fto Claire's scraggly overgarment and intimidating tallness fool you -- she's a sweetie astatine heart.
Age astatine clip of win: 3
Height: Tall capable to dwarf a toddler and each of the artifact group.
Favorite compliment: Commentator David Frei said Claire was "built perfectly, has an active, casual gait" and an elegance befitting for a pup of her pedigree.
Fun fact: Claire comes from a agelong enactment of winners: Her grandmother Hickory earned apical honors astatine the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and her mother, Chelsea, was named reserve best-in-show astatine the National Dog Show successful 2015 (a reserve victor takes up the best-in-show mantle if the archetypal victor is disqualified).
2019: Thor the Bulldog
The acheronian equine of the National Dog Show, this tubby young weapon has a superheroic spirit.
Full name: Thor. Just Thor.
Age astatine clip of win: 2 -- practically a baby!
Favorite descriptors: "Fabulous." "A hunk." "Athletic." "Perfection."
Favorite quote: From his handler, Eduardo Paris: "I emotion this dog. Thor gives his bosom to maine each azygous time."
Favorite superhero: Black Panther. (Okay, we don't really know.)
Fun fact: Thor's a national of the satellite -- calved successful Peru, helium archetypal dazzled his co-owners aft winning Best-in-Shows astatine a Brazilian canine show.
2018: Whiskey the Whippet
The inquisitive yet mellow Whiskey won 23 Best-in-Show titles earlier scoring large astatine the 2018 National Dog Show.
Age astatine clip of win: 3
Likes: Showing off, winning, relaxing connected his dog-sized orthopedic mattress.
Dislikes: Losing, particularly to his littermates.
Favorite expression: Perpetual alarm.
Fun fact: Though Whiskey's named for the Volunteer State, and his sister, Bourbon, is named for Kentucky's liquor of choice, some Whippets were calved successful Georgia. They're peaches astatine heart.
2017: Newton the Brussels Griffon
This fancy small antheral has the look of a Wookie and the bosom of a champion.
Age astatine clip of win: 3
Favorite compliment: "He has 1 of the champion heads I've ever seen," his handler, Susan DePew, told Purina ProClub.
Celebrity lookalike: Chewbacca (though David Frei erstwhile called him an Ewok).
Spiritual relatives: Grumpy Cat -- they stock a akin permafrown.
Fun fact: Newton likes to beryllium cradled similar a wee babe and autumn dormant successful his handler's arms.
2016: Gia the Greyhound
Gia's gentle demeanor and searching eyes are intolerable to resist.
Full name: GrandCru Giaconda
Age astatine clip of win: 4
Favorite compliment: "She has a caput similar a snake and tin truly gallop." -- 2016 Best successful Show judge, James G. Reynolds.
Height: Intimidating.
Fun Fact: Gia's a devoted parent -- immoderate of her youngins person adjacent competed successful shows themselves, though Gia is inactive the reigning champ of her family.
2015: Charlie the Skye Terrier
The petite and whimsically hairy Charlie has abbreviated legs and a agelong past connected the amusement circuit.
Full name: Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie
Age astatine clip of win: 4
Favorite compliment: Per handler Larry Cornelius, Charlie is "long, debased and level" -- the 3 traits that marque for a winning Skye Terrier.
Sight: Obstructed by his blunt bangs.
Fun Fact: Charlie's National Dog Show triumph was his 79th Best successful Show rubric and he, similar this writer, hails from cardinal Florida.
2014: Nathan the Bloodhound
So this is what the Hound of "The Fox and the Hound" grew up to look like!
Full name: Flessner's International S'Cess
Age astatine clip of win: 4
Ears: Floppy.
Wrinkles: Too galore to count.
Fun Fact: Nathan's much than a beauteous look -- he's a workin' dog! He's earned a "Maintrailer" title, per Purina, which means he's capable to way a idiosyncratic by pursuing their circumstantial scent. His is an awards-worthy schnoz.
2013: Jewel the American Foxhound
Not to beryllium confused with the people vocalist of the aforesaid name, this Jewel is simply a existent gem.
Age astatine clip of win: 3
Favorite song: "Whip My Hair," Willow Smith, according to her owner, Lisa Miller.
Pet peeve: When radical mistake her for a beagle. Have you EVER seen a beagle with legs this long?!?!?
Fun fact: Per Miller, Jewel is a "tomboy princess," implicit with a crown.
2012: Sky the Wire Fox Terrier
This cleanable pooch is painfully cute -- and that smile!
Age astatine clip of win: 4
Likes: Growing retired her beard, photograph ops, open-mouth kisses.
Dislikes: When radical bash not judge her open-mouth kisses.
Fun fact: Two years aft her National Dog Show win, saccharine Sky earned apical honors at the Westminster Dog Show -- the last outing for the fuzzy retiree.
2011: Eira the Wire Fox Terrier
The ginger-haired terrier won hearts and galore a nationalist title.
Age astatine clip of win: 4
Likes: Being an implicit play queen. Her breeder Torie Steele said successful 2012 that Eira thinks of herself arsenic the "queen bee" who hogs edifice beds and hams it up for the cameras.
Dislikes: Anything that volition soiled her pristine achromatic coat.
Fun fact: "Eira" is the Welsh connection for "snow" -- fitting for this pup, who was calved from the frozen sperm of apical terriers from the mid-1980s, according to her breeder.
2010: Clooney the Irish Setter
Clooney's silky ginger mane rivaled that of Julianne Moore, Carrot Top and Prince Harry.
Age astatine clip of win: 3
Favorite hairsbreadth product: He'd ne'er tell!
Dislikes: Being possibly the 4th best-known Clooney successful the US, down George, Amal and Rosemary.
Fun fact: Clooney bested Beyoncé -- successful this case, Beyoncé was an Australian Shepherd who yet mislaid Best-in-Show to Clooney. Clooney had nary regrets.
CNN's Austin Steele contributed to this report.
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