Dachshunds assess their competition Saturday morning before Pioneer West Garden and Pet Center's wiener dog races Saturday morning.
Roxy the Dachshund explores Pioneer West Garden and Pet Center Saturday morning with her person before the wiener dog races.
Max the Dachshund speaks with his coach before his heat Saturday at Pioneer West Garden and Pet Center's wiener dog races.
Geno the Dachshund runs toward his favorite treat, a banana, held by Bonnie Wallace Saturday during the wiener dog races at Pioneer West Garden and Pet Center.
Marcus Loughlin attempts to direct a distracted Coco the Dachsund toward the finish line at Saturday's wiener dog races at Pioneer West Garden and Pet Center.
Trevor Ebmiston, left, prepares to lift the gate for Saturday's wiener dog races at Pioneer West Garden and Pet Center while Melissa Wallace gives Dachshund Geno final coaching and a bribe in the form of a banana, his favorite treat.
Oscar prepares for his heat Saturday at the wiener dog races at Pioneer West Garden and Pet Center in Centralia.
Several dozen people turned out Saturday to watch the wiener dog races Saturday at Pioneer West Garden and Pet Center in Centralia.
More than a dozen dogs took part Saturday in Pioneer West Garden and Pet Center’s revamped wiener dog races in what was both an enjoyable spectacle for the people in attendance and also a fundraiser for the Lewis County Animal Shelter.
Trevor Edmiston, of Pioneer West and a veteran of area Dachshund races, organized the event. He told The Chronicle the event had long been a tradition at Pioneer West under previous owners, but was discontinued about eight years ago.
“Really it’s just about people coming out and having fun with their dogs,” he said. “It’s kind of fun and silly.”
Most owners brought their dogs to the event Saturday with just that purpose in mind.
Marcus and Caitlynne Laughlin gave their Dachshund Coco slim odds to win.
“He is just here to look pretty,” Marcus Laughlin said.
Coco may have lived up to that expectation, but when it was time to race, he got confused and turned around to beg for treats from his people.
While some dogs were seasoned veterans of the racing circuit, others were turning out for their first official sporting event.
Max, a long-haired Dachshund, was one of those newbies, his owner Krystle Christensen said. “He’s almost 10 years old,” she said. “He’s super excited to socialize with all the other wiener dogs.”
Wiener dogs — with their short legs and ground-skimming tummies — might seem ill-suited to athletics, but Edmiston said the breed actually has a history of working for its kibble.
“Dachshunds were kind of a hunting breed,” he said. “This is kind of a throwback to that.”
Edmiston first became involved in wiener dog races with his daughters and said they attended their first event at Pioneer West. Many kids were in attendance Saturday, perhaps for their first races as well.
Owner Dixon King told The Chronicle the business sold it’s starting box — where Daschunds are released before the race — when the races were discontinued.
However, he said the new owner of the racing equipment offered to donate its use for Saturday’s event.
Pioneer West sold hotdogs — keeping with the theme of the event — to raise money for the Lewis County Animal Shelter.
The event also included a community market, a pet costume contest with prizes for best dressed, and a $40 gift card for the winner of the races.
