When you hear the bugle call in the Oregon District on the first Saturday in May, it’s not for thoroughbred horses. It’s for wiener dogs, those short sausage-shaped canines with tiny legs.
The breed’s real name is dachshund, which means “badger dog” in German, and they were originally bred to hunt badgers. The name never stuck. In Germany, they’re called Dackel or Teckel, and in America, wiener or sausage dogs.
Whatever they’re called, it’s fun to watch them run.
“The Weenie Dog races are a long-standing Oregon tradition for Derby Day,” said Mx. Regina Spade, the master of ceremonies for the derby and its fashion show. “A lot of the dogs that are registered are dressed up in costumes, and they run these little races real quick. There's a whole bunch of prizes, and it's just a great way to get people down to the district and enjoy Derby Day in their own backyard.”
The race course is set up right in the middle of Fifth Street. There’s a little track with five lanes. It’s about a 20-yard dash.
Each dog has two handlers: one to put it in the starting gate, and one at the finish line to call its name or try to tempt it with a treat or squeaky toy.
Hundreds of fans surround the tiny track, cheering on “the wiens.”
This year, 30 dogs entered in the race, so there were several competitive heats. And there were some less competitive heats, where the dogs weren’t really sure which way to go.
Oscar, a wiener dog from Kettering, came in third last year. But this year didn’t go as well.
Susan Szakal and Kebvin Combs couldn’t keep him in his hot dog costume or on the track.
“He did a U-turn at the gate and left,” Combs said. “They opened the gate and he took off. There was an opening behind him.”
“Just like he does at home,” Szakal said. “If any chance is given, he will run. If you see us running through the neighborhood, we are chasing after him.”
The event is a fundraiser for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton, so no one really loses here, especially the dogs, who get a lot of love regardless of where they finish.
“He’s still our champion,” Szakal said. “He's our little Hallo-weenie. His birthday is Oct. 31. He was all black, and when I went to go look at him, I passed by the cemetery where my great-grandpa was buried. My great-grandpa's name was Oscar, and he was German. He was a little guy who was German. He's feisty like him. So, yeah, it was perfect for him.”
But every derby has to have a grand champion, and this year, it was Pixel, who was handled by father and son team Andrew and Josiah Klein.
Andrew said it was “as good as winning the Derby in Kentucky. It was our very first time here. He is the fastest little wien we've ever seen. So we thought we had a chance.”
“I'm honestly surprised,” Josiah said . “I thought for sure he'd get distracted.”
Lest it just be a wiener contest, there’s also a “Mutt Run” that’s open to all other small breeds. That contest was won by Brandon Osenko and his dog, Daisy; she’s a pug with a very pronounced underbite.
“This is Daisy's second time running. She didn't do so well last time, so she'd been training a lot, sleeping and overeating. It's a pretty advanced training regime,” Osenko said.
After the races, Clash Gallery and Boutique rolls out a red carpet out on Fifth Street for the fashion show. There’s a lot of fancy dresses and big hats.
The 2024 wiener races fell on May 4, which is also Star Wars celebration day, so there were some intergalactic derby outfits, too.
Clash owner Mary Kathryn Burnside said Derby Day is good for the Oregon District and its business.
“It's a really great community event, especially since it's family friendly and it brings out a lot of kids,” she said. “This is the first time we actually put kids on the runway this year, and it definitely helps that we do sell a lot of derby hats. Coming up to the event and then after the show, people see the dresses and then they're like, ‘Oh, I want that!’ So they'll come in and get them after the show.”
And in a neighborhood best known for its bars and eclectic small businesses, a wiener dog race is about the safest bet you can make on Derby Day.
