Dachshund Day in Chile: Overview and Photos

Charming and funny dachshund The Dachshund has a huge following worldwide. Paintings, poems, and films have been dedicated to it, and some countries even hold holidays in honor of this remarkable breed. One such holiday, called "Dachshund Day," took place on October 10th in Santiago, Chile.

This festival is being held for the second time and threatens to enter the Guinness Book of Records next year for the number of dogs participating.

History of the holiday

And now about the history of this fun and cheerful event.

Emma, ​​the charming dachshund, had no friends among the neighborhood dogs. She didn't like playing with them during walks. Her human mother, Alexandra, was very worried about this. She joined Facebook in 2012 to find fellow dachshund lovers and introduce her "daughter" to their pets.

Alexandra's idea was enthusiastically received by other dachshund owners, and they gradually formed a nationwide group with over six thousand members and branches in several regions. The group is called "Dachshund Club." Its members enjoy the opportunity to make new friends and spend hours discussing their favorite breed. But the group's activities extend far beyond social media. Dachshund owners gather in Chile's capital and in all regions where the group has branches.

At these gatherings, you can run with your favorite dog in a fun competition or learn more about the breed from an experienced breeder. The group decided to go further and in 2014, they organized the first "Dachshund Day" in Chile, bringing together dachshund lovers from across the country with their beloved pets and having a wonderful time. In total, over 400 dachshunds participated in the event.

Dachshund Day 2015

This year's Dachshund Day took place in Santiago's picturesque Inés de Suárez Park. The park is named after the Spanish woman Inés de Suárez, who participated in the conquest of Chile and is one of the founders of its capital. This year's celebration saw even more participants, as one of its organizers, Sandra Figueroa, stated in an interview with local radio:

"We've widely publicized our event and will be able to make Dachshund Day an official holiday for our beloved breed in the country. To this end, we've secured the support of over six thousand members of our Dachshund Club group, and we hope their numbers will only grow with each passing day."

A pleasant surprise also awaited those fans of the breed who weren't members of the Chilean breed enthusiasts' online group. They and their pets were able to participate in special contests at the event alongside group members, after registering for the event itself.

It turned out to be a great holiday

The celebration was bright and colorful. Many dachshund enthusiasts came with their entire families, stylishly dressing their dachshunds. There were "fashionistas" in colorful dresses, "serious gentlemen in tailcoats," and a sweet creature dressed as a ballerina. While the dogs carefreely ran around the park lawn, interacting and playing with each other, their owners could get to know each other or simply relax in the fresh air.

The festival featured a special dachshund food fair, which was a hit with all the participants and guests. Dachshund owners had the opportunity to consult with a veterinarian about their pets' health and discuss dachshund care with professional breeders.

Moreover, here you could choose a "bride" or "groom" for your dog and arrange a future mating. "Dachshund Day" concluded with a long walk for the owners and their pets through the streets of Providencia, a municipality in Santiago, where Inés de Suárez Park is located. Residents of Providencia watched this walk with great pleasure and interest.

Thanks to this wonderful event, dachshund owners found wonderful company among fellow dachshund lovers, and their pets found new friends for fun walks and games. The event also demonstrated the dachshund's immense popularity in Chile, further increasing interest in the breed.

Translation by O. V. Ryndina

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