Conformation dog shows can feel like a small world, but often, it’s a divided one. Breed rings, Specialties, and Group competition tend to keep us in our own corners. Toy folks rarely linger around the Hound rings. Working breed owners might only know the Terrier crowd by sight. For decades, I showed my Bull Terriers mostly at Specialty shows, which also meant hobnobbing with fellow BT owners. At the time, there didn’t appear to be a “need” to branch out. I could not have been more wrong.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) has changed that dynamic in ways that are both unexpected and heartwarming. I have been a huge beneficiary.
The NOHS was designed to highlight dogs shown by their owners, rewarding the skill and dedication it takes to prepare, condition, and present a dog without handing off the lead to a professional. What wasn’t in the official mission statement, but has become one of its most enduring benefits, is how it builds bridges between exhibitors who might never have crossed paths.
It began when my Miniature Bull Terrier, Nora, made fast friends with a Dogo Argentino, Rooster, from the Working Group. He was smitten and made that known, and she is an uber coquette. That is how I initially met his owner, Kimberley Roberts, who used to say to Nora, “Why you so trashy?” as Nora, once again, rolled on her back to present herself to Rooster. This was said with love and humor.
We took joy in our dog’s flirtations, and made sure they got to play at every show; it did them both good. Simultaneously, Kim and I started showing up for one another’s NOHS Groups and made sure to clap and cheer for one another. This sometimes meant waiting way past “our” time, but it was worth it to support a newfound friend.
Through Kim, I ended up meeting Nancy Bowen King with her Akita and Theodore, her Tibetan Spaniel; and I also met Anne Micciche Coy with her Rottweiler, and Rachel Paliotta Wilson with her Great Danes and Salukis. Through other mutual connections, I met Heather Foti and her Bedlington Terriers, Caitlyn Bartlett Dorflinger and her Beagles, Mikey Vale and his English Toy Spaniels, Stacey Halse and her Doberman Pinschers, and Kelly Garrett and her Rottie.
The numerous Springfield, Massachusetts, shows are home base to us all, and over the last few years in particular, it was not unusual for all of us to be at every show, and we would make a point to support one another with our ringside presence. This approach developed naturally and felt, and continues to feel, like a solid camaraderie that would not have happened without the NOHS.
I was surprised at the level of expertise that all of these handlers demonstrated. I had taken eight years off from Conformation exhibiting, and as my prior dog show experience had been somewhat insular within the Bull Terrier community, I was only really used to that approach, which, let’s just say, is largely its own thing.
Bull Terrier handlers will come into a ring with large toys, squeakies and the like. Our dogs are supposed to be animated, but very often this puts them at odds with all-breed judges and/or typical Group ring etiquette.
One of the first things I noticed about this group of new OH friends was that they were very sincere about their handling and took polishing their skills quite seriously. I don’t know why this surprised me, but it did, to a degree. And the result was that it made me want to get better. A lot better.
The NOHS Group schedule naturally pulls people from every Breed and Group together. The timetable can be confusing. Sometimes NOHS Groups are after regular Groups, sometimes before. At any given cluster, there can even be different orders on different days. Then there is the timing. Even if you have the schedule, due to prior Groups taking longer or less time than expected, conflicts can occur within the NOHS system itself or with regular Groups.
You don’t just see these dogs and owners in passing; you stand beside them, chat during ring delays, and cheer for them when they win. If the NOHS Groups are after regular Groups, then OH Best in Show is the last competition of the day, and the buildings and grounds can be empty except for the OH diehards. The fellowship builds quickly because you’re sharing the same experiences (and sometimes the same frustrations) and rooting for each other despite being competitors.
For many exhibitors, especially those newer to the sport, the NOHS ring feels more approachable. You may find yourself speaking with a longtime breeder who has decades of history in the breed, simply because you’re both there waiting for the NOHS Group to be called. Those moments can spark mentorships that extend well beyond the weekend. The pressure is a tad lighter, albeit no less serious, and conversations can flow more naturally when everyone knows they’re among fellow owner-handlers.
Because NOHS often attracts the same exhibitors show after show, familiar faces turn into friends. You start saving seats for each other during BIS judging. You share snacks, watch each other’s dogs, and help with ring conflicts. Soon enough, you’re swapping holiday cards and texting during the week. And these friendships often cross lines that the “regular” rings sometimes unintentionally reinforce—breed, age, experience level, even geographic region.
The NOHS is quietly strengthening the exhibitor base in the AKC. Friendships formed there help retain newcomers who might otherwise drift away. They give longtime exhibitors a fresh reason to show up on a Sunday. And when owner-handlers from different backgrounds connect, they carry that sense of community into their parent clubs, specialty clubs, and local kennel clubs. It’s a subtle but powerful cultural shift toward inclusion and encouragement.
The NOHS may have been created as a competition category, but its real magic happens in the spaces between the ribbons. It’s in the handshake between the Terrier exhibitor and the Non-Sporting handler after OHBIS judging. It’s in the whispered “you’ve got this” from the Sporting dog exhibitor to the Working dog owner while waiting to go in. It’s in the friendships that carry through to the next show, and the one after that.
As luck—and a lot of hard work—would have it, during Nora’s show career, she racked up 14 Owner-Handled Bests in Show and seven Reserve Owner-Handled Bests in Show. We honed our ring craft in no small part due to those handlers who inspired me.
When you step into the NOHS ring, you’re not just competing—you’re joining a network of owner-handlers who understand exactly what it means to be in your shoes. And sometimes, those connections are the best win of all.
