Mark Your Calendar: MWDR's Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser

If you live in the MidWest, you don't want to miss MidWest Dachshund Rescue's annual Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser taking place NEXT Saturday, May 18th, in Wheaton, Illinois.  There will be raffles, wiener races, a bake sale, nail trims, silent auctions, Wienermobile photos, wiener games, and much more - including hundreds of beautiful Dachshunds in attendance to fawn over and admire. 

In the market for a new sofa for your sausage dog?  You could take home this one-of-a-kind custom, couture Dachshund-sized couch and matching ottoman for your diva doxie or dapper doggy IF you're the high bidder in the silent auction.

How about some awesome Dachshund stairs for your couch?  There will be this B&T set as well as a red set available! 

Don't miss this event!

MWDR's Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser
Saturday, May 18th, 2013
10A - 3P
DuPage County Fairgrounds
2015 Manchester Road
Wheaton, Illinois
$5 for adults includes free hot dogs and refreshments!

Find out even more and keep up with MWDR on their facebook page.

If You Have Five Seconds To Spare

We're pretty sure that we have never asked our readers to "go somewhere and vote," but our local Dachshund Rescue, MidWest Dachshund Rescue, could sure use your help.  Today is the last day of voting, and they are still in the running to win a $20,000 grant.  Boy, could that help a lot of Dachshunds in need.  This is part of the Chase Community Giving program. 
We understand that folks who come here are from all over the world and may have already voted for a local dog or Dachshund rescue near where they live, or perhaps another great cause.  But if you haven't voted yet, could you cast one for MWDR?  This is the great rescue that your Long and Short of it All host 'Rowdy' came from.  They do wonderful work, and just 50 or 100 votes could knock them out of the running on this, the last day of voting.  Voting ends today, Wed. Sept. 19 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET.

Here is a direct link to the facebook page:  Chase/MWDR

If Chase is your bank, you can vote again on the official Chase Website.


Thanks so much for your help - we can do this!
Your Long and Short of it All hosts,
Joey and Rowdy

WEE-ners against NATO

Photo by Jill Wait Pet Photography

It's been total chaos in Chicago, the world headquarters of The Long and Short of it All, over the last four days with the NATO summit and all of its protesters here.  We couldn't be happier now that it's over. 
But this red smooth wanted to make sure her bark was heard at Saturday's Cross-Town Bark Around Fundraiser sponsored by MidWest Dachshund Rescue.  And it was - she won the costume contest as judged by WGN radio personality John Williams. 
We had an awesome time at this year's event - there were over 1,400 humans in attendance and heaven knows how many Dachshunds - easily over 400.  Fifty volunteers kept the event running smoothly.  We're hoping lots of hard cash was raised to help the needy Dachshunds that come into rescue.

See 125 super photos from the event by Jill Wait Pet Photography on Facebook.

Upcoming MWDR Fundraiser - UPDATE!

If you live in the MidWest, you're really not gonna wanna miss this!  Our good pals 'Turbo' and 'Lily' write:

......BREAKING DACHSHUND NEWS DEVELOPMENT.......BREAKING DACHSHUND NEWS DEVELOPMENT......BREAKING DACHSHUND NEWS DEVELOPMENT......

Dear Joey & Rowdy,

We have an update for all the dachshunds who plan on attending THE Sausage-Dog Event of the season!

The Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser sponsored by MidWest Dachshund Rescue...Saturday May 19th 2012,  11:30AM to 4:00 PM at the DuPage County Fairgrounds,2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton, Illinois
Will be opening 1/2 hour early, at 11:30AM,  to accommodate the expected sheer volume of veenerdog participation.

Mom and dad are all about the fabulous raffle prizes, silent auctions, meeting the foster dogs and the Doxie General Store full of dachshund-specific merchandise for sale.

Let's talk about some of the prizes.We dachshunds cannot attend a Cubs or Sox game, fly on Southwest Airlines or go to Disneyworld or a Coldplay concert. And the last time we tried to get into The Drake Hotel it didn't end well!!!

We are all about the Weiner Games! The doxie races, the canine camaraderie! We've never 'smelled' so many new friends before in one place. Our schnozzes will be on hiny-overload! And of course we expect a morsel of your free hot dog to land our way (*wink wink*).

Here is the list of activities:

Event Schedule:
12:30 Foster Dog Parade
1:00   Kissing Contest, Peanut Butter Lick contest, Hot Dog Dunk, Costume Contest
2:15  50/50 Raffle Drawing Winner
2:30  Raffle Drawings Begin-Must be present to win
3:15  Silent Auction Closes
3:15  Wiener Races follows Silent Auction - Pre-registration table open till 1:30

Activities Going on All Day:
Hot dog and drink included with admission
Nail Trims by Lisa - $5.00 per dog.Until 3:00PM
Walk your Dog Cake Walk - $1.00 to play
Doxie Photos in Wienermobile Pedal Car- $10.00
Ask the Trainer Booth/Teach a Dog a trick Booth/Narnia Pet Behavior Training & Wiggle and Wags
Paw Painting $2.00 for a matted picture/$3.00on canvas
Micro Chip Clinic - $30.00 includes registration
Bake Sale - Home made goodies for you and your pet
Doxie General Store - Purchase beds,blankets, harnesses and other hand made doxie-related items
We accept cash or checks only

And how's this for a warm fuzzy: All of the proceeds go to help vet MidWest Dachshund Rescue's foster dogs.
There are 10 new kids coming in this week alone and one is gonna be a new momma any day now!

Hope to see you there!

Hugs and dog kisses,            
Turbo & Lily

Miss Roxy is all ready to go to the MidWest Dachshund Rescue Cross Town Bark Around fundraiser!!!!

Joey and Maggie Featured in Local Paper for MWDR Fundraiser

Memory Lane

We're so proud of our crew (and we miss our Miss Maggie very much).  Regular readers of The Long and Short of it All may remember this photo we took at last year's “Cross Town Bark Around,” a fundraiser and social presented by Midwest Dachshund Rescue (MWDR).  Well, it was selected in a local edition of the Chicago Tribune to promote this year's event!   We couldn't be happier!

If you live in the Midwest, you do NOT want to miss this year's event which is taking place on Saturday, May 19th, at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton, Illinois.  You will be shocked and amazed at the amazing raffles, prizes, and activities.  Via Trib Local:

The event will be inside Buildings 2 and 3 and will be held, rain or shine. The “Doxie Dash Wiener Races” will begin at 2 p.m. All activities, except for the races, will be inside the buildings. Dachshunds, dachshund mixes and their families and friends are invited. Dachshund lovers without dogs are also welcome.
Activities in addition to the Doxie Dash include raffles and silent auctions, featuring Cubs and White Sox tickets, theme park passes, dining gift cards and overnight hotel stays. The event also will feature a Doxie “Kiss-Off,” Doxie Cake Walk, Best Costume and Best “Peanut Butter Licker” Contests and Paw Painting on Canvas for the little Pawcassos. The Doxie General Store will feature one-of-a-kind dog-related items. There also will be “Ask The Trainer” and “Teach A Dog A Trick” booths, a bake sale, nail trims, wiener games and photos with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Pedal Car.
All proceeds benefit rescued dachshunds whose veterinary care, spaying and neutering, food, medication and other needs prior to adoption are funded by MWDR.
Admission is $5 for adults, which includes one free hot dog. Registration is not required for admission but advance registration is necessary for Doxie Dash Wiener Race participants.

Read more at Trib Local.

A Note From Joey and Maggie: We're Back! And We Visited The Wienermobile!

The Mothership landed directly behind your Long and Short of it All hosts 'Joey' and 'Maggie'

Greetings fellow Dachshund Lovers.  We're back from vacation, and boy did we need it.  We visited our grandparents for Mother's Day, and they are two of our favorite humans, so we had a great time.  We also visited with our Dachshund country-cousin 'Rudy,' and his young pain-in-the-neck brother 'Baxter,' a Havanese who is just getting out of puppyhood.  We had a fun time though.

We headed back to Chicago for MidWest Dachshund Rescue's 3rd Annual Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser on Saturday - and WOW!  What an event!  There were over 500 humans in attendance, and a good 300 or so Dachshunds.  Between the wiener races, free hot dogs, Wienermobile, cake walk, raffle prizes, silent auctions, and Doxie store, we sure kept ourselves busy.  What an awesome event.  If you live in the MidWest, make sure to plan on attending next year.

On the home front, Joey and Maggie were in good health for the vacation.  Maggie has to spend a day at the vet's today to get an ACTH stimulation test to see how her trilostane is helping her for her Cushing's.  Joey won't like being left home alone.  We're hoping to schedule Maggie's surgery for next Tuesday to remove her anal tumor.  It's starting to bug her more, but she should be far enough away from her pancreatitis attack to go ahead with surgery (surgery can induce pancreatitis).  It's going to be a risky surgery for her with her heart murmur, Cushing's, and pancreatitis, but she's feeling really good right now - running around outside like a puppy - so hopefully all will be OK. 

Here are some fun photos that we took from MWDR's event.

Midwesterners Mark Your Calendar: MWDR's Crosstown Bark Around Fundraiser

If you live in the Midwest, you're not going to want to miss MidWest Dachshund Rescue's 3rd Annual Crosstown Bark Around Fundraiser on Saturday, May 14, 2011.  This year's event promises to be bigger and better than ever, as the location has been moved to a fairground in Wheaton, Illinois, about an hour outside of Chicago.  The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile will be there, dash in Wiener races, socialize with hundreds of Dachshunds, and win AWESOME raffle prizes or silent auction items.  We'll be there, so be sure and say hi if you see us!  Here are all the details:

WHAT:  The Crosstown Bark Around Fundraiser and Doxie Social

WHEN:  Saturday, May 14 12:00-4:00

WHERE:  DuPage County Fairgrounds - Wheaton, IL

WHO:  MWDR welcomes all well behaved doxies and other small breed dogs who are up to date on vaccines ...sorry no big dogs allowed.

COST:  $4.00 adults & $2.00 children (cost includes hot dogs, chips and drink). No preregistration to attend is required.

Don't own a doxie, you are still welcome to attend! Come one....Come All!! This is an awesome event!!

Raffles and Silent Auctions

Door Prizes

Wiener Races

Bake Sale

Doxie General Store

Nail trims

Photographer with Wienermobile Car

Wiener Games-Best Trick, Best Costume, Doxie Owner Look Alike, and

Cake Walk

Pre-registration for the Dachshund Dash races is now open until May 6th 

The Dachshund Dash pre-registration fee is $5.00.

You can also register the day of the race. The fee will be $10.00 the day of the races.

There are 4 Race Divisions. They include :

Lil' Schnitz-under 2 years old

Frankfurters - 2-4 years old

Bratwursts - 5-8 years old

Knockwursts - 9 + years and handicapped

Fantastic prizes are in store for the fastest wieners out there.  Click the following link for registration details:   Dachshund Dash Registration Form and Details.

One of the highlights of the Cross Town Bark Around fundraiser will be the drawing for the winner of this "Rescue Rainbows Raffle Quilt" made by MWDR supporters.  MWDR put out a call for donations of dachshund themed quilt blocks, and received over 40 wonderful squares, each one unique in it's own way.  Twenty of those blocks were made into this quilt.  Almost every block has a special story to tell, as many of the blocks represent foster dogs, adopted dogs, or dogs that have gone over the rainbow bridge.  This large machine quilted lap quilt measures approximately 59" x 71", and is backed with black dachshund print fabric and has a sleeve for hanging.

Buy raffle tickets at the event, or on-line at MWDR.  1 for $1, 12 for $10, 25 for $20, or 70 for $50.  Winner need not be present to win.

Wirehair Wednesday: Rescue Edition!

Smiles!  If you live in the MidWest, and you're looking to add to your pack, you couldn't go wrong with this cute little black and tan piebald wirehair named 'Basil' currently being fostered by MidWest Dachshund Rescue.  A MWDR associate writes: 

Dear Joey and Maggie,

Last weekend MWDR got 9 young dogs from a St. Louis puppymill raid and this one is so cute she's hilarious. Meet Basil, a 6 month old piebald wirehaired puppy mill rescue who's a foster at Midwest Dachshund Rescue. She's got these loooong Groucho Marx eyebrows. You can tell her I called her funny-lookin', just don't call her late for dinner!

We don't see that Basil's photo is up yet on MWDR's site, but get your application in for Basil or one of the many beautiful and loving Dachshunds waiting for their forever home.

MidWest Dachshund Rescue 2010 - Mill Dogs, Shelter Dogs, & Breeder Releases

Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?  Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall, rescue groups like MidWest Dachshund Rescue are there for the Dachshunds.  2010 was another record year for MWDR, rescuing over 215 Dachshunds in need!  A majority of the dogs rescued this year were from shelters, puppy mills and breeder releases.   Excerpt from MWDR's Holiday Newsletter: 

Unfortunately, unlike owner surrender dogs, these puppy mill and breeder release dogs came to us with significant medical issues. Most were either poorly vetted or had received no vetting. Many were often malnourished or had survived on very poor diets. Due to living their whole lives in cages or outside some of these doxies had psychological or physical handicaps. As a result MWDR's vet expenses for 2010 placed a significant strain on our financial resources. Thanks to the continued support from the MWDR family we were able to provide all these dogs with the medical care they so desperately needed.

The holidays are a great time to make a donation to our rescue groups who work tirelessly all year long to save our favorite canines. 

Support Dachshund Rescue And Win This Dachshund Wreath!

Deck the Halls Dachshund style this year by winning this Dachshund Silver Christmas Wreath, which is being raffled off right now by MidWest Dachshund Rescue.  Raffle Ticket prices start at just $1 for one ticket.  Hurry though, the drawing will be held on November 17th so that you have your wreath in time for the holiday season.

This 22-inch wreath features tiny white battery lights and 10 Doxie ornaments including black and tan, red, piebald, dapple, chocolate and wire-haired!

Photos: MidWest Dachshund Rescue Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser

We had a great time yesterday at MidWest Dachshund Rescue's Annual Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser at The Dog Spot in Downers Grove, Illinois.  There were several hundred Dachshunds in attendance!  There were free hot dogs, a costume contest with great prizes, like restaurant gift certificates, a silent auction, which included nice hand-made dog beds, Dachshund throws, pillows, Cubs and Sox jackets, a $300 basket of booze(!) and at least a hundred raffles including mp3 players, tickets to Cubs and Sox games, restaurant gift certificates, goodie baskets, theatre and opera tickets, a laptop computer, hotel stays, Disney tickets, handmade Dachshund quilts, the list goes on and on.  If you live in the MidWest and couldn't make this year's event, don't miss it next year!
Thanks to MWDR for such a great time.  Hoping lots of money was raised to help Dachshunds in need.

That first photo of Maggie was our favorite of the day.  Dad was taking a photo of the Dachshunds in the background when Maggie sat up in the middle of the photo - she's a Dachshund photo CRASHER!

Related:  Mark Your Calendars:  Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser and Doxie Social

Mark Your Calendars: Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser and Doxie Social

If you live in the MidWest, you're not going to want to miss MidWest Dachshund Rescue's Annual Fundraiser: The Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser and Doxie Social.  We'll be there, so be sure and give us a woof if you spot us!  Here are the details, this is gonna be fun:

When:  May 15, 2010...Registration now open
What:  The Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser and Doxie Social
Where:  The Dog Spot, 909 Ogden Ave.,Downers Grove, IL
1:00-4:00

Win great raffle prizes and silent auction items such as overnight stay at great hotels, Cubs and Sox tickets, Disney theme park tickets, theater tickets, sports memorabilia, restaurant gift certificates, custom made dog beds, one of a kind doxie items and much more.

Activities include:
**Judged doxie costume contest-Best costume, most original and best sports outfit.
**Photographer with an Oscar Mayer Wiener pedal car
**50/50 raffle
**Caricature Artist
**One of a kind dog items for sale
**Bake Sale

Open to all doxies that are up to date on vaccinations and are spay/neutered. Don't own a doxie, you are still welcome to attend!
Registration now open- contact Lori at L.Biesboer@comcast.net

Check out these Cubs and Sox goodies

Throws, beds, and snuggle sacks fit for a Wiener Dog

 Beautiful Dachshund quilts

MidWest Dachshund Rescue 2009 - "The Special Ones"

Midwest Dachshund Rescue is a 501 (c) (3) all-volunteer organization that was founded in 2003. It primarily serves Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. They try to serve other Midwest states as resources are available. MWDR is totally committed to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming needy dachshunds and dachshund mixes throughout the Midwest. MWDR has taken in over 190 dogs in 2009 - another record year.

Excerpt from MWDR's 2009 Year In Review:

It has been a dark year for many: financial hardships, illness, heartache. The condition of the community is reflected in the experiences of the rescue, the dogs that come to us and their circumstances are an accurate reflection of the world at large. There was much illness this year, far more comprehensive medical care was required than in any other year while we were still functioning at full capacity. The extensive needs of these dogs impacts us financially in the form of vet bills, and the additional recovery time and time required to find them just the right home restricts us from being able to bring additional doxies into rescue.
But we rest easy knowing that we cared for the most vulnerable, the dogs that other shelters would not invest in because of their age or their illnesses. We were able to right many of the wrongs that life cruelly dealt these animals. We had over 25 dogs come from puppy mills where they lived their lives in filthy, tiny cages that damaged their minds and bodies. Many dogs were evicted from their homes when their families faced the widespread financial difficulties that are so common now.
When our doxies were weak, our foster homes nursed and supported them until they were well enough to find homes. Seeing them gain hope and strength is our reward as we watch their tails wag on the way to their forever homes. Our foster homes are the true heroes of these stories; they invest countless hours at the vet and in learning how to care for these lost souls.

The Dachshund Underground Railroad: Maggie and Gertie's Start To A New Life

Meet red smooth piebald 'Maggie,' and black and tan smooth 'Gertie.' We had the honor of helping with their rescue and transport yesterday; they traveled about 250 miles on their start to a new home through MidWest Dachshund Rescue. Their previous humans didn't have enough time to spend with them; they have spent most of their lives outside under a tree in a 3x6 foot chain-link enclosure with no roof. They were very wiggly and a bit scared, so the photos aren't too great. Here they are at the vets after their long travel. Maggie is about 7.5 pounds, and Gertie is about 7 pounds, each around 2 years old. With a little love and guidance, they will be fantastic companions.....we especially fell head over heels in love with Gertie, but both are such sweet girls. Their tails never stop. After a hopefully clean bill of health and spays, they will go to foster homes and will soon be available for adoption.
If you would be interested in such little beauties, and you live in the midwest, contact MWDR, or check your local Dachshund Rescue.

Maggie and Gertie

Gertie

Related: The Dachshund Underground Railroad: Meet Babe

Related: The Dachshund Underground Railroad: Delivering Lilly

Related: The Dachshund Underground Railroad: One Dachshund's Journey

Upcoming Dachshund Events

Unfortunately there aren't enough hours in the day to post about all the upcoming dachshund events around the world, but when awesome logos are involved, we make an exception.
If you're in the MidWest this coming Saturday, May 9th, don't miss MidWest Dachshund Rescue's Cross Town Bark Around "Doxie Social and Fundraiser" in Villa Park, IL. There will be raffles for Cubs & Sox tickets (including the Cross Town Classic), hotel stays, restaurant gifts certificates, luxurious dog beds and much much more. Free refreshments. Cubs and Sox dog coats/jerseys will be on hand to dress up your doxie for photos with pet photographer. Special appearance by the one and only WIENERMOBILE. Admissions $2.00 per person. Must register to attend. Find out more at MWDR. We know this group of dedicated folks have worked tirelessly for this event, it's not to be missed!

And if you're near Oklahoma on Saturday, don't miss the Annual Dachshund Dash in Oklahoma City. Ninety Six Dachshunds will be competing to be top Wiener Dog! Find out more at Doxie Dash.



Enjoy this nice video from last year's Dachshund Dash.

MidWest Dachshund Rescue in the News

Our dedicated friends in rescue are in the news today, spreading the good word about the hard work they do, all for the love of dachshunds. MWDR took in 185 dogs in 2008, compared to 95 in 2007, with the economy mostly to blame for the marked increase. "That is a huge increase for a small group like ours - fully self-supporting through adoption fees and donations and operating with about 20 foster homes," representative Dawn Janz said.
Read all about the organization, including some of their tougher cases in a nice article at the Daily Herald.

Related: MidWest Dachshund Rescue

Buddy: The Smartest Wiener Dog in Town

This is 'Buddy' Sanders driving. Ever since he was a young puppy, he has known how to drive. He can drive any car and has also driven a pontoon boat. Buddy is the smartest wiener dog in Fort Collins, Colorado. Source.

Maybe Buddy learned how to drive from 'Sugar Bear,' a MidWest Dachshund Rescue piebald fostered by our pals 'Disco,' 'Peanut,' 'Sweet Pea,' and 'Patrón.' Sugar Bear finally found his forever home, but he's still in our hearts.

Related: Dachshund Drives Car Into The Lake

MidWest Dachshund Rescue - "The Adopted"

In these troubling times where dachshunds are being abandoned every day, thank goodness for our great dachshund rescue organizations like MidWest Dachshund Rescue. We've heard that the 5 dedicated representatives and a host of wonderful volunteers and supporters have taken in an astounding 175 dachshunds this year alone. Thanks MWDR! What a heart-warming video....look at all those smiles!

Related Stories: MidWest Dachshund Rescue

Midwest Dachshund Festival Recap

A young assistant helps out at the DRNA nail clipping booth. The smooth red piebald is one of the 1,000 dogs (mostly dachshunds) recently rescued from the Parkersburg, WV, puppy mill.

Well, we sure had fun at the 12th Annual Midwest Dachshund Festival sponsored by Dachshund Rescue of North America on Saturday in Danville, Illinois. We went for a long car ride on Friday, and Dad tricked us because we thought surely we must be going to visit Grandma and Grandpa, but we ended up in some hotel room. It all made sense the next morning when saw all the dachshunds and recognized some of the good folks in attendance. It looked like it was going to rain all day, so the festival was moved indoors at the last minute, and of course it didn't rain a drop.
There was plenty to do.....there were several parades honoring different dachshunds and their humans....doxies with back injuries, alumni of the festival, new attendees, and a costume parade. There were several contests including farthest traveled, most doxies brought to the festival, a costume contest, littlest dachshund, biggest dachshund, and of course wiener races! We're not quite sure, but we think that the smooth red piebald pictured above won the littlest dachshund contest, weighing in at just four pounds!
There were also several vendors there....dog related vendors, a professional photographer, doxie vendors, and the rescue organizations including MWDR, and IVDD resource Dodgerslist had booths with lots of fun raffles. We've lost a couple pounds over the last few years, or maybe our long and short bodies have just reorganized themselves, but the good folks at Hug-A-Dog Harness took our harnesses for a free adjustment! Wow! We also bought a case of III Dachshunds Root Beer to share with our friends, and even a sleigh pulled by a smooth and longhair (like us) to put in our front yard for the holidays.
All in all, it was great fun, and thanks to DRNA and all the dedicated folks and their wonderful doxies who put on such a nice event.
Check out news coverage of the event at the Commercial-News. There are some heartwarming stories to read.

Related: 2007 Recap: Dachshunds Get Wet in the News

MidWest Dachshund Rescue in the News

Our friends at MidWest Dachshund Rescue have been featured in several local newspapers recently in nice articles highlighting the wonderful work that they do. Last year, the fine reps, along with help from a vast network of supporters and foster homes, coordinated rescue, transport, vet care, fostering, home checks and forever home adoption for 129 dachshunds and dachshund-mixes. Woof! Excerpt from the Post-Tribune: "One of the biggest misconceptions is that all dogs in rescue are abused, which is not the case at all," said Lori Biesboer, MWDR Illinois/Indiana representative. "There are many reasons. Most common is that they are owner-surrendered because the owner does not have time to take care of their dog due to work hours; some are moving and cannot take the dog, or it can be due to a death or illness of the owner."
Read more at the Post-Tribune, or visit MWDR and find yourself a new pal. Thanks for all you do MWDR.

Related: Fun stories from the MWDR Dachshund Underground Railroad