He may be small, but never count him out. Staci Linden-Cupp’s dachshund, Wally, is poised to take the “Top Dog” crown at the 17th annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals dog race Dec. 26 in San Diego.
At least, that’s what Linden-Cupps, 29, a life-long Gilroyan, hopes.
Wally, with his dark brown hair and short legs, may not look like your typical dog athlete, but he is a champion.
At 10 years old, he is considered—at best—middle age for his breed. Along with the age comes some gray around the muzzle and a bit of pudginess. But in the world of wiener dog racing, it’s devotion that means the most.
“He is very loyal,” Linden-Cupps said.
Wally is the current reigning wiener dog racer for the San Francisco Bay Area. He was crowned “Top Dog” Aug. 2 at the 19th annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals—Bay Area Regionals.
“Wally won the competition without any formal training,” Linden-Cupps said.
As the Bay Area champion, he took home the $250 grand prize and scored himself—and his owner—a trip to 2014 Wiener National Finals Dec. 26.
“He won us money and we get to go on a trip, so that’s kind of cool,” Linden-Cupps said. “We received two airplane tickets and they are putting us up in a nice hotel as well.”
Linden-Cupps, who married her husband Shawn Cupps in November, has had Wally since he was a puppy. He is very attached to his owner and never leaves her side, so when released from a race starting gate, he runs right to her.
Competing dachshunds are lined up in a starting gate. When the signal is given, the dogs are released by one member of the dog team—in this case, Linden-Cupp’s 10-year-old daughter, Kaylee Heron. Wally runs to another member of the team, Linden-Cupps, who is standing across the finish line.
“The dog has to stay inside his race lane,” she said. “If he crosses into another’s lane he will be disqualified. The winner is the fastest to get across the finish line.”
Linden-Cupps has been racing Wally for just over a year, but his rise to dog stardom was quite by happenstance.
“It was just a joke for us when we entered him into his first race,” she said. “It was just a funny family affair. I didn’t even know the race was a qualifying race, I just thought it was a wiener dog race. (The regional race) wasn’t just a little race, but actually a big deal.”
Linden-Cupps, who manages a feed store in the San Jose area, said she sometimes takes Wally to work with her. On one particular day a customer told her about the wiener dog race and that’s when she entered Wally in the race.
Since the regional race win, Kaylee has practiced the starting gate release and Linden-Cupps has practiced calling him, hoping to prepare him for the big race in San Diego.
Wally is one of seven dogs from regions across the country competing Dec. 26 at the Big Bay Balloon Parade. The stakes are high—the winner receives $1,000, a ride atop Wienerschnitzel’s float in the parade and recognition on the field at the 2014 Holiday
Bowl in front of more than 70,000 fans and a nationwide television audience.
The company is paying for Wally—who will ride under the seat—to fly to the race.
“This is the first time I’m traveling by air with a dog,” Linden-Cupps said. “He will ride in one of the soft travel containers.”
She said Wally is a good traveler in a car so he should be fine in an airplane as well.
“It’s not a long flight and his veterinarian believes we will be fine without any sedatives,” she said.
San Diego’s Big Bay Balloon Parade on the Embarcadero includes marching bands, floats, drill teams and a procession of balloons—more than any other parade, according to organizers. There are expected to be 100,000 spectators along the parade route, as well as a nationwide television audience. Festivities will begin with the finals of the 17th annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals dog race.
“If we win, he will be in the holiday parade for the college football game,” Linden-Cupps said. “He will be on a float and we will either be on the float with him or we will be walking beside the float.”
