AKC dog show set for this weekend

The 2017 Hot Springs National Park Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

The club has hosted its annual show in Hot Springs for more than 15 years. In addition to conformation, there will be obedience trials and rally.

The dog show is free to the public and there will be vendors with a variety of items for owners and their pets. Only dogs that have been entered in the contest are allowed. Strollers are not allowed.

“With an entry of over 650 dogs coming from all across the nation, the show has a positive economic impact on our city through lodging, dining and shopping,” a news release said.

“An interesting thing — many of our exhibitors come a day or two early or stay several days after to enjoy Hot Springs. We feel like we have introduced Hot Springs as a destination to a whole new set of visitors,” President Brian Leonard said in the release.

“According to a 2016 statistical survey by the AKC, a show the size of ours can bring at least $342,500 into the Hot Springs community over a weekend,” Education Chairwoman Leah Warner said.

Show Chairwoman Deb Johnson said her favorite thing about the annual show is that “We get to introduce the public to many breeds of dogs they may have never seen before. We have the opportunity to educate them on finding the right breed for their lifestyle.”