John McDevitt reports…

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A group of children from a Montgomery County nursery school were among those learning about some special dogs today at the  “Please Touch” Museum in Fairmount Park.

Preschoolers from the Jenkintown Day Nursery excitedly watched the dogs perform on an agility course outside the Please Touch Museum.   Some kids even got to feed the dogs a treat.

The children also met some  of the competitors  of the National Dog Show, hosted by the Philadelphia Kennel Club.  It will take place later this month.

Harvey Sanderson was accompanying  his 18-month- old Norwegian lundehund (or “puffin dog”) named Dottie, one of six new breeds that qualified for this  year’s dog show.

“They always have six toes on each foot,” Sanderson explained.  “That is to give them purchase on cliffs and fiords where the puffin bird nested.  Their job was to go up and grab the bird and bring it back to the Norwegian farmers centuries ago.”

The National Dog Show takes place on November 19th and 20th, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa.

Reported by John McDevitt, KYW Newsradio 1060