The host of the two-day National Dog Show also will read to Spring-Ford elementary students

OAKS PA – When the National Dog Show opens Nov. 17 (2012; Saturday) in the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Ave., television and stage actor John O’Hurley and members of the Spring-Ford Area Senior High School Honor Guard will play starring roles.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

Actor John O’Hurley

O’Hurley will host the dog show, which will be videotaped and broadcast nationally on Thanksgiving Day. The honor guard will help launch the two-day event conducted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia.

O’Hurley may best be known for his recurring role as quirky boss J. Peterman on the hit situation comedy “Seinfeld,” but he also is a well-known dog lover and the author of several books on dogs. He also can be heard several times daily, in pre-recorded form, as a tag-line announcer on Philadelphia radio station WBEN-FM.

Spring-Ford’s honor guard will participate in opening ceremonies at 12:50 p.m., before the playing of the National Anthem at the show.

Just before the ceremonies, from 11-11:15 a.m., O’Hurley will read a book of his choosing to a small group of the district’s elementary students who are part of the Dogs Are Readers Too (DART) program. Students will attend with therapy dogs.

DART introduces certified therapy dogs into a classroom setting. The animals lie down on a blanket with students, who read with them for about 30 minutes. Educators have learned that students who struggle with reading tend to avoid it, but reading becomes enjoyable when they are paired with therapy animals.

Photo from Google Images