FRANKIE'S DACHSHUND DIARY!

Everyone is talking about how tough times are right now.  I'm not sure what a recession is, but in doggie terms, it has something to do with fewer chew toys and less play time with our people.  Mom said now we all have to do whatever we can to bring home the bacon and keep from losing the farm.

One morning she was reading the paper and saw an ad for a dog fair at our local park.   The wiener dog races were coming to town!  "How fast can you run, Frankie?"  As if she even had to ask!!! I run all over the place here!  I can out run English Pointers, Doberman Pinschers, maybe even a Greyhound if I had any for friends! I am the fastest Dachshund in the world!  Just call me Frankie McQueen!  I am speed! This would be easy, especially since I've been training since birth!  "Let's do it!"  I told her, so off we went to the park, with me already savoring all the dog treats that probably would be given to the winner.

The weather was perfect, the track was fast, and when we got there, there weren't even very many other Dachshunds there.  I was beginning to have a few moments of doubt though--after all, I have never been in a race before.  "Could you expain it to me one more time, Mom?"

"It's just like when you went to puppy school.  You just have to wait at the far end of the track and when I call you, you run to me as fast as you can."  That didn't sound hard at all, but just to be sure, Mom and I walked over to the course and decided to try a practice run with another Dachshund.  We both got stuffed into little black boxes, but then the front side opened, and there was Mom telling me to come, and I took off, easily beating the other dog and coming in first!  WOW!!  I really am a natural at this!!!

Mom didn't want me to get too tired so after that I had to go back to my crate and wait until the races were ready to start.  A lot more people and dogs were turning up, and FINALLY it was time.  Mom took me back down to those little boxes and handed me over to the gate helpers.  There were LOTS of people and dogs mingling around now, and who put up all those stupid balloons?  Are those TV cameras over there?  I didn't know there were so many Dachshunds in our little town, and they all came out today!

I was just beginning to forget what I was there for when suddenly the gate banged open and I leaped out, faster than a speeding sausage, with the finish line stretched out.......a lot farther away than it had seemed in practice.  It took me just a split second to realize something important.  Where's MOM?  I don't see my person anywhere!  It's just a blur of humans down there and they all look alike to me.  Why didn't she bring my big brother Travis along?  I would have spotted an 80lb Pointer at the finish line.  I stopped and listened for her, but all I heard was yelling, screaming, and...oh yes, the laughter.  Some dog must be doing something funny and I was having a panic attack and missed it.  Well, I can't be expected to run a race when Mom isn't even down there to cheer me on.  The only thing I could think of to do was jump over the railing and run back the other way.  Maybe she is hiding behind those black boxes.   Strangers tried to stop me, but at least I still proved I was the fastest Dachshund there by out running everyone who tried to grab me.   FINALLY I spotted Mom.  She hadn't ditched me afterall.  Maybe next year we'll come back for a rematch and I will remember to run in the right direction.

Well, to sum things up, Mom still loves me, even if I didn't win the big race.  For now we will still have to keep listing things on Ebay to save the farm.  I am going back to doing what I do best--being inspiration for a lot of Dachshund art, and making Mom laugh frequently.   I hope you will enjoy what I help Mom create this summer!