Invitations are based on OTCh points earned during the qualifying period. For breeds with lots of OTCh's, e.g. border collies, goldens, etc., only the top OTCh point earners are invited. For breeds with few or no OTCh's, dogs with very few points are invited, as only one dog in the breed may have earned points. During the competition, dogs ran rings consisting of various combinations of open and utility exercises. On day one, the top 32 dogs (losing the fewest points) advance to day two. On day two, dogs compete head-to-head, with winning dogs from each match advancing to the next round, until only the top dog is left, who is awarded the title NOC--National Obedience Champion.
