Dachshund Takes Hounds At Westminster 2012 But Pekingese Grabs BIS

Dachshund Perfection:  Cinders

Maybe we need to go on vacation this time of year a little more often if superstition will give us Dachshunds a winner of the hounds and a chance at Best In Show while we're away.  It was like a wonderful dream to hear that Raydachs Playing With Fire V Gleishorbach SW - aka 'Cinders' - took the hounds at this year's Westminster.  Cinders is the top-ranked wirehaired Dachshund in the United States after all. 
It was a nightmare of a dream to hear that Cinders lost Best in Show to a Pekingese though - really - a Pekingese?  Your 'Long and Short of it All' host 'Rowdy' took one look at the fluffy guy 'Malachy' and wondered if he had a squeaker inside and if he needed to be "de-squeaked."  Was that really even a dog? 
Regardless, we can still celebrate Cinders' big win.  The Corpus Christi Caller had the scoop:

Shirley Ray, one of the owners of Grand Champion Raydachs Playing With Fire V Gleishorbach SW “Cinders,” said judges told her Cinders is the first female wire-haired dachshund to win the hound group at Westminster. Maria and James Sakoda also are listed as owners.
Ray said she named Cinders “Playing with Fire” because she almost died at 8 days old when her mother got milk fever. Ray had to bottle-feed Cinders and the other puppies. Still, that hasn’t affected the champion’s spirits.
“She’s also known as the dachshund that never stops wagging her tail,” Ray said.
Ray has been showing dachshunds for 18 years, but she’s never had a dog win the hound category. In 2003, she came close when her dog was ranked in third place.

We're sure that you saw the vids from the big event, but just in case:

Dachshund Longhaired

Dachshund Smooth

Dachshund Wirehaired

Best of Hound Group

(Thanks to our pal 'Oscar' from Portugal for the links!)