One of the biggest athletic feats of the year is coming to your television today—no, not the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Though the US Olympic Trials are underway, and here's how to watch.) We're talking about the 2024 Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge, an annual competition that brings together the top dogs in the country as they show off their exceptional skills in athletic events like hurdle racing, dock diving, flying disc and more.
Equal parts high-stakes and heartwarming, the Eastern Regionals of the 27th annual event took place back in April, with the canine competitors thrilling both crowds and judges alike in disc routines, pole racing, agility courses and the fan-favorite dog-diving competition, which sees the sporty pups leaping off a 50-foot dock into a 20,000-gallon pool. There will even be sweet doggos getting their surf on (wearing life vests, of course.)
“These competitors are training year-round for these events, not only from a physical standpoint but also the mental aspect,” Purina's senior veterinarian, Dr. Ruth Ann Lobos, told Tampa Bay's WFLA.
And now TV viewers can experience all of the paws-itively amazing athleticism, speed, discipline and precision for themselves when NBC broadcasts the Incredible Dog Challenge on Sunday, June 23 at 1pm Eastern Time.
The winning dog athletes from the regionals, as well as their skilled human handlers, will go to the National Finals in Gray Summit, Missouri this September, so there's a lot at stake for each talented team. If you want to cheer on the professional pooches competing for a spot in the finals, you'll need access to NBC. Handily, anyone with a traditional cable subscription or TV antenna can tune in to their local NBC station. If you're a cable-cutter, a number of live TV streaming services also carry NBC, including Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. You can also watch the Eastern Regionals with a Peacock subscription.
Check out a teaser video of all of the awesome athletic events you can expect from this year's Incredible Dog Challenge above, before checking out the competing pups this afternoon on NBC.
