Local pup trainers nominated for 'doggie Oscars'

Saturday 06 January 2018

The Jersey Dog Handlers Association is one of three in the UK who have been nominated for the ‘Training Class of the Year’ in the Pawscars awards – the canine equivalent of the Oscars.

The Association meets every Tuesday evening at the Royal Showground in Trinity and has over 100 members. They provide classes in obedience, breed showing, flyball, rally, scentwork and the Kennel Club’s Good Citizen Dog Scheme.

The club also holds a companion dog show each year and training weekends with visiting trainers.

Pictured: Sam and Jack practice scent training, while Giovanni works on his 'stay'.

The winner of the Pawscars will be announced at a black tie event at the Metropole Hotel at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre on the eve of the Crufts dog show on 7 March  2018.

The Pawscars inaugural event was held in 2014 and is intended to recognise the success of all things canine with various categories open to public voting as well as raise money for charity. So far nearly £120,000 has been donated to good causes which have dogs as their focal point. 

Founded in 1981, the Jersey Dog Handlers Association has trained a number of handlers who have gone onto great success in the UK and Europe.

Pictured: Last year's Companion Show.

President Christine Marett said: “It’s a great honour to get down to the final three in this prestigious competition and we are very proud. The club works hard to produce an enjoyable environment in which to train your dog and we have a great team of trainers and helpers who work hard to achieve this.

"We would love to win this award and ask all our friends to take a moment to vote for us.”

If you want to cast a vote in the Pawscars, you can do so online until 28 February.