[News] Kennywood doggie race has disabled competitor
 

A disabled dachshund gets to display its determination in Kennywood's doggie derby
Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Asher the dachshund gets around with help from a special pet wheelchair bought by his owner, Laura Schumm. Asher will be competing today in Kennywood Park's annual "Wiener 100" race. Check back later today for video from the race.

By Sally Kalson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Marathon races have their wheelchair competitors as well as their disputes. Now the Wiener 100 has them, too.

That would be the dachshund race at Kennywood Park. Its third annual installment is today at 3 p.m. And among its entries is Asher, a disabled 2 1/2-year-old who scoots around in a specially fitted wheelchair cart supplied by his best friend and owner, Laura Schumm.

"It's our first time for a handicapped dog in the race," said Kennywood spokeswoman Mary Lou Rosemeyer.

"Everyone thinks it's great," said Judi Erno of Sewickley, organizer of Pittsburgh Dachshund Lovers, an online Yahoo group whose members enter their dogs in the competition.

The event is less a race than a fun run -- the "100" means feet, not yards, and the "race track" is the patch of ground between the Parkside Cafe and the Carousel horse.

Not that the distance matters; the dogs might or might not bother crossing the finish line.

"It's hilarious," said Ms. Rosemeyer. "Some of the dogs go totally haywire while their owners are trying to coax them over."

"They might run around in circles, sit down or play together," said Ms. Erno.

It's all meant to be lighthearted, but that hasn't shielded the Weiner 100 from controversy.

Last year, a man whose dog lost lodged a complaint against the winner, saying it was mixed breed with longer legs than the purebreds and, therefore, had an unfair advantage.

And the Western Pennsylvania Dachshund Club does not approve.

"We don't like dachshund racing," said Emma Jean Stephenson of Beaver Falls, president of the club, which is licensed by the American Kennel Club.

"We're afraid it will get like greyhound racing, where dogs are bred to have longer legs."

But if it's just for fun?

"The dogs love to run after things so they have a good time. As long as it's under control and the dogs don't get hurt, I guess that's up to whoever wants to do it."

This year's race will feature two heats with seven dogs each, divided by weight -- under or over 11 pounds. At 15 pounds, Asher will be in the second group.

Asher was born with a disability, said Ms. Schumm of North Versailles. His back right leg is shorter than the left and doesn't bend; the two rear legs slide under him when he pulls himself forward on this front paws. Ms. Schumm adopted him at 8 weeks.

"I took him to my vet," she said. "The X-rays showed he had a broken back that healed incorrectly and may have caused other problems."

She named him Asher, after one of the 12 sons of Jacob in the Bible, because the name means "happy."

Ms. Schumm teaches fifth- and sixth-graders at a Lutheran church school. She brought Asher to class with her when he was too little to stay home by himself.

"I wanted to teach the kids it doesn't matter if you're not perfect; everyone can love and be loved. They just adored him. I finally had to stop bringing him because we weren't getting a lot of school work done."

In the beginning, she carried him everywhere in a blanket. Then he was able to hop around on the grass or carpet but not on concrete or gravel, which hurt his legs.

When he grew too big to carry, Ms. Schumm got a pet stroller with a flat bed. Asher loves that, too -- he can sit up and look around as she wheels him through flea markets and other public places.

"I walk him everywhere in that," she said. "It's a big conversation starter."

Eventually, Ms. Schumm began investigating pet wheelchairs online and came across a simple, ingenious cart design at dogstogo.net. It's made of PVC piping with stroller wheels on the end, foam rubber and some elastic bands. The dog's body rests in it like a sling.

"When I first put him in it he just stood there and looked very scared," she said. "He had always pulled himself with both front legs at the same time. I took out some cheese and stood a few feet away, and he took his first steps. Eventually he found he could move on his own."

Asher has had the wheelchair for just over a year now.

"He gets very excited when he sees it," said Ms. Schumm. "He knows it's his and we're going out."

She found out about the dachshund race last summer, but it was too late for Asher to register. This year, however, he's ready to roll.

"His front half is all built up from pulling himself around," she said. "He's like a little Schwarzenegger."

Today's temperature, however, will determine a lot.

"His favorite time to walk is in the evening when it's cool. If it's hot during the race, he probably won't move.

"My sister will start him, and I'll be at the finish line calling him with a squeak toy and some cheese."

Go Asher!!! Yea!

Disabled dachshund loses race, wins hearts
 

Wednesday, July 04, 2007
By Sally Kalson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Last off the starting block, first in the hearts of the crowd. That sums up the outcome for Asher, the dachshund in a wheelchair who competed in yesterday's Wiener 100 at Kennywood Park.


Asher arrived at the fun run already a celebrity, having appeared on the front page of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as the first and only disabled contestant in the race's three-year history. Most of the spectators were rooting for him.

But Asher's heat, for dogs over 11 pounds, had a few hitches.

First, there was a false start: Taro, a 17-pound black-and-tan dog owned by the Munnell family of Beechview, made a break for it and had to be retrieved.

Then, with only seconds to go before the starter shout, Asher somehow got lopsided in his wheelchair. Owner Laura Schumm had to leave her spot at the finish line to set him right.

The race emcee yelled "Go!" before Ms. Schumm was back in place. Six dachshunds took off in six directions, but Asher just stood there, looking for his owner.

Once he spotted her, the little dog trotted down the field all by himself, prancing on his front legs, his rear end rolling along behind him in a naked display of cuteness. His trajectory was straight and true, and when he crossed the white marker, the spectators applauded as if he'd won.

It wouldn't be fair to say he came in last, because several of the other contestants never crossed the finish line at all, having headed toward various items of interest on the sidelines.

"I'm still proud of him," said Ms. Schumm, accompanied by her two sisters and both her parents. "He did a very good job."

The actual winner of the heat was CoCo, a 12-pound, 4-year-old owned by Robert Wholey of Strip District fishmongering fame. CoCo, who eats only salmon, wore a tiny custom-made Wholey's cap. He was the defending champion from last year, after the winning entry was disqualified for possibly not being a purebred.

CoCo was in a generous mood. Instead of keeping his prize, a JVC boom box, he gave it to Asher.

The winner of the lighter-weight heat was Sadie Lady, owned by Jayden McCleary of Lower Burrell. The 2-year-old, 71/2-pounder took off like a shot and crossed the finish line in about four seconds.

Last to cross was Mitsie, owned by Barry and Brenda Werber of Stanton Heights.

"She did better than last year," said Ms. Werber. "That time she didn't run at all."

It should be noted that no dogs were harmed in the Wiener 100 -- not even their feelings. The race was for fun only, and the Pittsburgh Dachshund Lovers members who participated stressed that they do not approve of professional dog racing.

Asked what was next for Asher, Ms. Schumm was succinct: "Cheese fries at the Potato Patch."

Check out the video of the race!!!
 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07185/799273-338.stm

Video: Click the picture for a multimedia presentation on yesterday's Wiener 100 at Kennywood Park.

That video is great! How much fun was that?!! And Coco was very generous to give his prize to Asher. Small dogs rule!

Coco is like a Pittsburgh 'celebrity.' Coco used to sit/lay in his bed in the doorway of balcony cookware, which was beside the family's fish market in the strip district. I always shopped there and Coco was almost always there greeting all of the customers :p . He's such a cutie. They recently sold balcony cookware so I haven't seen Coco lately. I didn't realize that it was the same Coco who won the race until the owner's name was mentioned.

What a cute story. Thanks for sharing.