AKC dog sports are coming to the rescue for ESPN2 on Christmas Day 2021.
While traditionally Christmas Day sports programming is dominated by all-day showings of NBA basketball and college football bowl games, this year the pandemic has kind of changed all that, and so something had to take its place.
Enter AKC dog sports, which is very pleasant for dog lovers all around.
“The canines featured in this block of programming showcase the highest degree of athleticism and highlight the human-canine bond,” American Kennel Club Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo said in a press release. “We are thrilled to partner with ESPN to bring this dog-centric entertainment to new audiences this holiday season.”
AKC dog sports are airing all Christmas Day 2021 afternoon on ESPN2.
From noon ET to 2 p.m. ET, the 2021 AKC Fastest Dogs USA competition (the national championship of Fast CAT, a canine version of the 100-yard dash) will air. This took place in Orlando, Florida, in mid-December during the lead-up to the grandest dog show in the conformation ring.
From 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET, the 2021 AKC National Championship Preview Show will air before the TV presentation of the 2021 AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin airs on ABC on Sunday, January 2, 2022 at 2 p.m. ET. This is a great way to learn about conformation in general and this season-ending dog shows in particular.
From 2:30 p.m. ET to 4:30 p.m. ET, it’s time to head to the dog agility course as the 2021 AKC Premier Cup telecast is up next.
From 4:30 p.m. ET to 6:30 p.m. ET, it’s time to head to Indianapolis for the 2021 NAFA CanAm Classic, also known as the 2021 AKC Flyball Championship. This competition took place in early October, and features some of the fastest flyball competitors and human teamwork to hit the drag racing track. (This is slightly oversimplifying, but conveys the main idea.)
For more information about the American Kennel Club and their various outreaches and missions, see their website for more details. We hope you and your pups have a fantastic howliday.