A record number of dachshunds competed in the 15th annual Firecracker Wiener Nationals in Rockaway Beach on July 4.
Fifty wiener dogs – the pups known for tiny legs but big hearts – sprinted across the field at Phyllis Baker City Park on Monday. The dogs are surprisingly fast when they want to be, though some of the racers were more interested in playing or chasing each other than running. A few racers wandered the field, or stopped for belly rubs from spectators, without finishing the course. But by the end of the first few heats, the dogs that knew how to run in a straight line had advanced, and the competition was on.
The annual races – held all in good fun – are the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Tillamook Animal Shelter. The race drew more than a thousand attendees to watch the spectacle.
While they’re all good dogs, there can be only one champion. This year, the crown went to a 2-year-old long-haired dachshund named Mo, who belongs to the Roberts family of Nehalem.
“First time ever racing, and he’s loved, he’s so loved,” said owner Michelle Roberts. Daughters Josie and Elyse helped train Mo, which constituted of using treats to bribe him into running in a straight line.
— Samantha Swindler, sswindler@oregonian.com, @editorswindler
