Television’s Thanksgiving traditions now extend beyond the usual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and football, according to the AP, which reports that the National Dog Show has taken its place in the lineup. And a key player is the host, actor John O’Hurley.

O’Hurley, who had a run as J. Peterman on “Seinfeld” in the ’90s and also hosted “Family Feud” from 2006-2010, says the dog show, which is televised by NBC Sports, has become one of the most popular shows of Thanksgiving week.

“O’Hurley is joined by Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski, the figure skating commentary duo known for their dose of camp, and sports commentator Mary Carillo,” the AP notes. “David Frei, who is a licensed judge for the American Kennel Club, serves as the analyst.”

Said O’Hurley: “Well, you know, we want to create more of an entertainment spectacle around a dog show. It’s not just (the) Westminster (Kennel Club Dog Show), which is very kind of sober. And, you know … we want to create the feeling of, ‘It’s fun.’ And dogs are fun. They round out the edges in our lives and they’re the greatest companions we have.”

We encourage readers to click on the link above to the AP to read the full report.

Below is a clip posted by the AP with O’Hurley explaining the merits of the dog show …