Above: Photo courtesy of Linda Scully.
Long Beach once again has the opportunity to call itself home to the best of the best—but this time, our fate rests in the stubby paws of a seven-and-a-half pound Dachshund.
Meet Tootsie, who currently resides in Belmont Heights and is a running machine.
After winning a race in Del Mar back in August against hundreds of other dogs, three-and-a-half-year-old Tootsie is now one of seven wiener dogs from around the country competing in the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals on December 26 in San Diego.
“Even though she’s little, she’s fast,” said Tootsie’s person, Laura Scully. “The Del Mar race was super close against one of the best dogs there, and the ruff-erees called it for Tootsie.”
Tootsie is one of the smallest wiener dogs at the races, Scully said. An average Dachshund can weigh between 10 pounds and 12 pounds, and some even weigh upwards of 24 pounds.
But for Tootsie, her small stature and light weight is not just an advantage for the races, but for also for gathering the adoration of fans.
Linda Scully and Tootsie. Photo by Brittany Woolsey.
“One of my best moments was when I was holding Tootsie in her Tootsie Roll costume, and there was a little boy in a wheelchair who really wanted to pet her,” Scully said. “All these kids parted to let him pet her. I’m a first grade teacher, and I started tearing up from that. To me, that’s what it’s all about.”
Scully said she first began entering Tootsie in races when she was six months old, beginning with the Daschund races at Old World in Huntington Beach. Since then, she’s won dozens of trophies.
At first, Tootsie wasn’t very fast, but Scully soon found a motivational tool—hot dogs.
“I was eating a hot dog, and she was literally watching it as I was putting it up to my mouth,” Scully said. “It was like a tennis match. I thought maybe she’ll run to hot dogs instead of me just waving at her, and boom she was on it. During the afternoon races, she went from zero to 60, essentially.”
Of course, Scully said win or lose, she still loves Tootsie regardless. There are some owners who only hug their dogs if they win, but Scully said Tootsie will always receive her love.
“If the dog’s having fun, then we’re having fun,” she said. “We just love her.”
Tootsie will compete in the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals on December 26 at the San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade. The winner from that race will win $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 national television audience.
Scully said she will donate the prize money to a no-kill animal shelter if Tootsie wins.