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After a suspended 2020 celebration of the annual Oktoberfest Dachshund Races due to COVID, BaxterBoo.com employees were thrilled to gather once again in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, for the event that took place on September 18, 2021. We are pleased to be able to sponsor the event yearly with prizes for the Doxie athletes and their owners as well as for the costume contest winner.
Even if their pooch didn't win, nothing could dim the spirits of the grateful crowd. Normally, the Highlands Ranch Oktoberfest attracts quite a crowd with dozens of vendors, but this year the people were out in record numbers, relieved to be enjoying a taste of normal life and basking in the gorgeous weather.
A Short History of Dachshund Races
Most sources credit the birthplace of Dachshund Racing to be Australia in the 1970s where lighthearted contests were hosted alongside the more serious Greyhound races. Dachshund Races became more popular in the United States in the 1990s with both serious competitions and recreational races, perhaps inspired, in part, by the Miller Lite commercial circa 1993.
Regardless of the origins of the sport, we're pleased to participate in this tradition in the birthplace of BaxterBoo.com in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. We've been sponsoring this local Oktoberfest Dachshund Race event since 2012.
The controversy of Dachshund Racing
There is a bit of controversy regarding Dachshund racing due to the fact that the breed can be prone to back injuries due to their long bodies and short legs. Some Dachshund clubs have issued statements against the sport.
With this in mind, every effort has been made to make the safety of the participants a priority at the annual Highlands Ranch Oktoberfest Dachshund Race. For example, the track is not very long, each dog has their own physically separated lane to prevent collisions or interactions between dogs, and contestants' owners are not allowed to physically coax or manipulate their dogs down the track. These are simply pets who like to have fun without having been subjected to rigorous training. This is apparent in the fact that most of the dogs are not sure what to do when the announcer says, "Release the hounds!" and the door opens for the race to begin.
The winning wiener dog this year easily raced to the finish line thanks to the owner tossing a ball down the lane for their dog to chase. Some of the other participants were not sure this practice should be allowed, so we had a small amount of controversy even at our own event. The judges decided it was a clever method of coaxing the dog, and the win was confirmed. Our guess is we'll see more ball chasing at future races.
Results of the 2021 Highlands Ranch Oktoberfest Dachshund Races
We had dozens of participants in this year's Dachshund races. Our winners each received a gift basket of products and a gift certificate to BaxterBoo.com. The first-place winner was Bear who won a gift basket plus a $200 BaxterBoo.com gift certificate. Second place went to Lucy, who received a gift basket with a $100 gift certificate. Third place went to Coco who received a $50 BaxterBoo.com gift certificate.
First Place: Bear!
Second Place: Lucy!
Third Place: Coco!
The Best Dressed Pet Costume Contest
The Oktoberfest pet costume contest is open to all breeds to participate. This year, we had some fun entries that were movie-themed, a handsome Pug in a lederhosen costume, and several other great costumes. We always love the "Best Dressed" costume contest since we feature so many great costumes at BaxterBoo.com. It was a close call between the Pug and Willy, but the crowd seemed to cheer the loudest for Willy who was dressed like a golfer or a detective - we're not sure. Either way, he's cute! Willy received a gift basket and a gift certificate for $100.
Our Costume Contest Winner, Willy!
Honorable mention: Pug in Lederhosen
The Dachshund Breed
Dachshunds originated in Germany and the name literally means "badger dog" in German as they were developed to sniff out, dig out, and chase badgers. Their long, low, and sturdy bodies and heavy claws made them ideal for this job. They can run at top speeds of 15-20 miles per hour.
Dachshunds are descendants of larger hunting dogs including hounds, pinschers, and terriers, and were bred down in size and shape to be suited to squeeze into the burrows of wild animal dens such as fox, rabbits, and, of course, badgers.
Today, the modern Dachshund is more often seen as a cuddly household pet rather than a farmer's fierce friend, but they still retain much of their sturdy fierceness when required - just ask a Weiner dog's owner about how many tough chew toys they go through!
Dachshunds come in three coat varieties - smooth, long, and wirehaired - and two sizes - standard (about 16-32 pounds) and miniature (under 11 pounds.) They come in a wide range of colors and patterns. The merle coloration in Dachshunds is known as "dapple."
To learn more about the Dachshund breed, see our article Meet the Breed: the Dachshund.
