Dachshund Races

[DavidS]

I have a friend who raced her dachshund in a "dachshund race" at a local horse track. I've done my best to explain to her that I think this is a thing that is not breed friendly...afterall, who wants dachshunds to end-up like greyhounds?

Otherwise, this woman is a pretty good dachshund mom. She treats her little guy very well. I think she's just misguided and sees this as "cute". Does anyone know of a website that might be helpful in changing her mind?

David

[Bailey'sMom]

David: Altho I haven't attended one yet, I think you're going to find this is a pretty popular event amongst the tried & true owners. Doxy races are included in ALL of the annual picnics to my knowledge & everyone goes to watch & a lr. contingent enter the race. I have never heard of one being injured doing this event. It's good clean fun & prizes area awarded. I know in So. Cal., there's one track where they have a picnic & weiner dog races on the 1st weekend of every month. People love it and there are a lot of owners involved in Agility also. I'm really NOT trying to hurt anyone's feelings here, but you might be "barking up the wrong tree" with this one. (Sorry for the pun). I could find myself "out-to-lunch" on this David, but I don't think so. GAY

[weenerdogg]

I don't have a problem with it. It is not done professionally. I am going to enter my boys in April in a local race.

[fdcutee]

It's not something I have thought about and decide how I feel one way or another.... but I do know that some people who oppose it feel that what has happened to greyhounds will happen to dachshunds (trained to race, raced, then cast off when no longer useful).

[fuzzybunn]

I know they have a dachshund race every August at the local horse racing track near Seattle. My husband, sister and I went and watched it last August. This was about a month before we got Lucy. It seemed pretty harmless to me. Very short, I think there were 3 heats and definitely just for fun. I guess the same doxie has won for 3 years straight! We were thinking about entering Lucy, but she is not AKC registered so I guess we can't.

[Susa]

Isabel and I went to the National Dachshund Races this past year. She did not race, but I laughed myself silly. I plan to go next year. The whole thing was a harmless circus.

[Me&DappledDuo]

I'm personally against racing this breed. They are NOT bred to be runners- and although people find it amusing to see them race, I dont' think we should ever put amusement over health of the breed. Greyhound lovers hate to see their breed raced for money and entertainment- but at least their physiology can handle it.

I'm honestly not even fond of it used as a charity event because it leads more people to believe it's okay. :(

[FourOrchards]

I haven't been to one either...we just don't have any meet-up groups near where I live.
In fact I think I am the only doxie obsessed person in the town I live in! But oh well! :rofl:
I think it's done in fun....not like greyhound races for money at the tracks.
It's done at get-to-gethers and picnics for prizes and fun. If it's not....I woudn't attend or encourage it.

[kpm_tex]

DCA published a statement a few years ago related to Dachshund races and their opposition to them... I'd post the link but DCA just redesigned their website and I can't find anything... IMO the reason they did this (this was around the time of the Budweiser Wiener Dog Nationals commercials) was because this started to become a popular thing and people started trying to breed longer legged dachshunds... as is human nature some people can't just have fun with some thing they have to try in their minds to make it bigger and better. Our local dachshund club also used to do a little lure course type racing.. but stopped doing that as well except at our own private parties.. because they noticed the same thing.

Is it harmful to the dogs? I think it would depend on the length of the race... but in general I'd think not since the courses are usually straight. Of course if you take an out of shape couch potato dog out there you're putting them at risk.
Is it harmful to the breed in general ??... I'd vote yes on that if it causes people to try and breed outside the standard for longer legged dogs just so they can with.

[DavidS]

Okay, maybe I should make it clear that this event was at a local horse track. It was highly organized and advertised by horse racing officials in the area. I guess I would feel a little different about it being held more informally for fun at a Dachsie related event. One reason I posted this was to get some feedback on it. Maybe I'm being too hard on my friend.

[kpm_tex]

Okay, maybe I should make it clear that this event was at a local horse track. It was highly organized and advertised by horse racing officials in the area.
These are the kinds of events that Dachshund clubs are against.

Maybe I'm being too hard on my friend.
Naaaa.. they need to be flogged with a pot full of wet noodles :D

[Jacqueline]

I was thinking that as fast as Taffy is, she would be perfect for one of the races....after all ...she wore out a Jack Russell. My big concern was that one of the dogs would be injured. I've seen accidents at greyhound races, and occassionally, a dog will be injured. Has anyone ever heard of a doxy being hurt?

I know these races are supposed to just be for fun....and I think she would enjoy running with other dogs.

[Susa]

At our races, no one really ran much. They just played around while their mommy called frantically to them from the finish line. Finally one of them would notice their mommy and run for her and then the rest would follow.

It was all really in fun and the Dachsies had fun.

[MicheleS]

We have them at our doxie meetups and rescue fundraisers. It pretty much went as described in the last post. The course was about 50 feet long. In one of the heats, the doxies decided instead of racing, they would all wrestle instead. :rofl: I think it's fine for fun as long as it doesn't turn into a competitive event. I'd hate to think of doxies being bred for this purpose.

[Cocoa and Me]

David: Altho I haven't attended one yet, I think you're going to find this is a pretty popular event amongst the tried & true owners. Doxy races are included in ALL of the annual picnics to my knowledge & everyone goes to watch & a lr. contingent enter the race. I have never heard of one being injured doing this event. It's good clean fun & prizes area awarded. I know in So. Cal., there's one track where they have a picnic & weiner dog races on the 1st weekend of every month. People love it and there are a lot of owners involved in Agility also. I'm really NOT trying to hurt anyone's feelings here, but you might be "barking up the wrong tree" with this one. (Sorry for the pun). I could find myself "out-to-lunch" on this David, but I don't think so. GAY
I'm in So. Cal. where do they have the meeting every month?? I'd LOVE to go :party6:

[kerie0408]

Hmmm, I never really thought of the similarities to greyhound racing, or the risk of it becoming like that. I've never heard of a dachsie race at a track, though. Oscar loves to run but we've never been to a dachsie race.

[teenieweenieran]

I'm in So. Cal. where do they have the meeting every month?? I'd LOVE to go :party6:


There is one in Huntington Beach.

http://www.oldworldvillage.net/events.html
Sorry, I don't know how to make it a link.

We will be there with all our babies (Annie, Cooper, Oscar, Penelope (shepard mix) and our newest dachshund addition who remains unnamed (we don't pick her up until Sunday). Not racing them as this is our fist time going and we want to see what it's all about first.