AKC/Eukanuba National Championship to Crown World's Top Dog

Planet's greatest dog show returns to California for live broadcasts Saturday, Dec. 2, and Sunday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. (ET) on Animal Planet.

New York (PRWEB) November 18, 2006 -- The four-footed stars prance around the ring … showing incredible enthusiasm when the winner is announced. It's easy to see why the dog show has never been more popular. On Dec. 2-3, 2006, nearly 2,500 of the world's most competitive and coiffed canines compete for the "National Champion" title at the sixth annual Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, Calif.

For the third consecutive year, this renowned international dog show event, featuring a slate of thousands of the finest dogs from around the world, is broadcast live by Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel, starting at 8 p.m. (ET) both nights. Hosted by Bob Goen and Leanza Cornett, this is the first time it's broadcast in December, previously being shown in mid-January.

We are excited that this one-of-a-kind canine extravaganza is returning to Long Beach on Dec. 2-3

This city and facility are ideal for hosting thousands of dogs and tens of thousands of dog lovers, as well as for our live broadcast on Animal Planet and Discovery Channel. We know that millions will be watching around the country, cheering on their favorite breed.

As the number of entries and viewers rise, we're thrilled to see the prestige of the AKC / Eukanuba National Championship grow and grow

For the thousands of competitors who will travel from their hometowns to Long Beach, this is a dream come true.

The dogs return to the Long Beach Convention Center after two years in Tampa. The facility houses three events during the weekend: AKC / Eukanuba National Championship, the inaugural AKC Agility Invitational and the AKC National Obedience Invitational. In all, more than 3,000 dogs from every AKC-recognized breed and variety will compete in the three events, including competitors from more than 15 countries around the world.

"We are excited that this one-of-a-kind canine extravaganza is returning to Long Beach on Dec. 2-3," said Gina DiNardo Lash, AKC spokesperson. "This city and facility are ideal for hosting thousands of dogs and tens of thousands of dog lovers, as well as for our live broadcast on Animal Planet and Discovery Channel. We know that millions will be watching around the country, cheering on their favorite breed."

The AKC/ Eukanuba National Championship offers the only sizeable monetary award in dog shows, with cash and prizes totaling more than $225,000. The National Champion wins $50,000. The previous "Best In Show" winner, CH Nanuke's Snoklassic No Boundaries, an Alaskan Malamute better known as "Costello," earned more than $80,000 when he was crowned National Champion, Best Bred-By-Exhibitor in Show, and Viewer's Choice all on the same night.

Dog lovers in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area have the opportunity to witness the excitement of the dog show for themselves. They also can come face to face with various canine friends as the AKC / Eukanuba National Championship continues its honored tradition of highlighting responsible dog ownership with "Meet the Breeds." This showcase provides an excellent opportunity to see the wide variety of breeds and to meet members of the canine fancy who share their insights and expertise on the breeds' unique qualities and characteristics. Adult dogs and puppies from an array of AKC breeds participate, and an admission to "Meet the Breeds" is included with a purchased ticket for the show.

Three National Competitions -- Together in One Venue
Three of the American Kennel Club's top events will be featured at one venue: the AKC / Eukanuba National Championship, the AKC National Obedience Invitational and the AKC Agility Invitational. These three events, to be held concurrently in Long Beach, are recognized internationally as the equivalent of the "Canine Olympics."

Agility events -- the AKC's fastest-growing canine sport -- allow dogs to demonstrate their athleticism and versatility by racing against the clock and overcoming a challenging course of different obstacles. Success requires proper training; as it's a sport of physical skill, control, patience and -- most importantly -- teamwork between handler and dog. The top five ranked agility dogs in each of the AKC recognized breeds are invited to attend this prestigious event. In addition, this competition is open to the top international agility competitors in their respective countries.

In the sport of obedience, the dog and handler are judged as a team. Obedience trials test a dog's ability to perform a prescribed set of exercises on which it is scored. Nearly 150 of the nation's top Obedience Trial Champion pointed dogs in the country competed for the coveted title of AKC National Obedience Invitational Champion in January 2006.

Invitations Distributed Internationally
All AKC parent club national specialty "Best of Breed" winners once again join the ranks of top dogs invited to the sixth annual National Championship. As in the past, invitations are issued to dogs ranking in the top 25 of their breed. Any dog receiving an all-breed "Best in Show" at an AKC show held during the qualifying period also receives an invitation.

In addition, the top-ranked dog in each AKC-registered breed is invited from those countries around the world with registries that issue pedigrees acceptable for AKC registration. The system used to select the top dog in each breed is determined by each country's national kennel clubs. Dogs from Asia, Europe and South America are expected to compete.

"As the number of entries and viewers rise, we're thrilled to see the prestige of the AKC / Eukanuba National Championship grow and grow," said Amy Newkirk, spokesperson for Eukanuba. "For the thousands of competitors who will travel from their hometowns to Long Beach, this is a dream come true."

Teen Handlers
The excitement of competing in the National Championship isn't just for adults. The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship features a unique competition for Junior Handlers -- competitors between 10 and 18 years of age. These handlers vie for top honors and scholarship dollars at the National Championship. Eligibility to enter the event is based on the Juniors' accomplishments in the show ring and in the classroom. To compete, Juniors are required to have five wins in an open-class event with competition present. Juniors also must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 or equivalent for the two semesters completed immediately prior to the closing of entries. More than 170 Junior Handlers from across the country competed in the fifth annual National Championship in January 2006.

For more information about the AKC / Eukanuba National Championship, please
visit http://www.topdogshow.com.

The American Kennel Club (AKC), founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees more than 18,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs 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 or visit Iams at http://www.Iams.com.

Animal Planet, available in 89 million homes nationwide, is the only television network dedicated to the emotional connection between humans and animals. The network brings people of all ages together by tapping into a fundamental fascination with animals through an array of fresh programming that includes humor, competition, drama and spectacle from the animal kingdom.

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