AKC NOHS Finals: Owner-Handlers SPEAK OUT!

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276 – March, 2022

By Caroline Coile

It’s that time again… the time to revisit “the State of NOHS.” It’s time to talk about the NOHS and hear from some of the participants.

Since its inception, the NOHS been controversial. Many, but not all, owner-handlers love it. Those who love it see it as a place where they can shine without fighting what they consider to be an uneven playing field, pointing out that dog shows are the only sport in which amateurs regularly compete against professionals.

Those who don’t like it see it as an excuse for judges to hand out consolation prizes to owner-handlers while advancing the pros to the “real” groups. Many also see it as helping to label owner-handlers as whiners who finally got their way yet still aren’t happy. Many judges have been overheard calling it “adult handling” classes—and not in a good way.

One thing is for sure: It’s here to stay. It’s brought many owner-handlers back to the specials ring, given many a place to hone their skills and confidence, increased entries at shows, and increased camaraderie between owners of different breeds. The NOHS series provides a very real incentive to campaign a dog to be amongst the top 10 in its breed, thus qualifying for the invitational NOHS Finals in Orlando. But that Final has left a lot of OHs disappointed. I asked NOHS competitors what they would suggest could be done to improve the Finals, and as usual, I received a lot of replies.

Click here to read the complete article
276 – March, 2022

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