Dachshund dress up for Oktoberfest

By Chelsea Cucinotta

On Saturday October 23, dachshunds from all over Melbourne flocked to Southbank for the annual Hophaus Dachshund Race.

The Southgate Melbourne and My Dachshund Online event has been running for two years now, and has seen over 150 sausage dogs participate and $6200 raised for Dachshund Rescue Australia.

The event included a costume contest and a dog race.

Competitors in this year’s costume parade included Coco and Chanel (pictured top right), furry friends of the Caccamo family.

“I’m a big fan of the Chanel brand and the dogs’ names are inspired by my favourite perfume Coco Chanel,” said dog-owner Carmen.

The dachshund duo wore handmade costumes, which included Chanel-inspired tweed coats.

Yet the spirit of the event is exactly what brought the Caccamo family back in 2017.

“We came along last year and met so many other lovers of the breed,” Carmen said. “The Dachshund Rescue group does amazing work as well.”

Carnegie resident Jessica Moon also brought her two sausage dogs along for the fun.

Jessica is already looking forward to entering dogs Sarang and Wilson in next year’s costume parade.

Though not participating in the event, Jessica’s dachshunds were still dressed up for the occasion in costumes bought in Japan.

Wilson could be heard barking in excitement on the day, while Sarang, whose name means love in Korean, was shy and scared of the large crowd.

“They have completely different personalities,” Jessica said.

People from all over Melbourne attended the one-day event, including the family of four-year-old dachshund Rosie, who came all the way from Ferntree Gully. 22-year-old Tammy said it was Rosie’s first year in the competition and dressed her up in a pink tutu.

Winner of the costume parade was Haha, followed by Little Miss Lottie and Frankie Jackson Smith.

In addition to the costume parade, there was a 15-metre dog race, with four categories: seniors, standards, mini and mini-puppies.

The Dachshund Race was held as part of Hophaus’s very own Oktoberfest, which gives Melbourne a Munich-makeover from September 16 to October 22.