Dachshunds in Dartmouth
Two dachshunds head into the park. Photos by Kat Sheridan
The dachshunds all playing together. 
Murphy hangs out on a bench. 
One of the dogs smiles up at the camera. 
Mabel enjoys some belly rubs. 
Mabel enjoys some belly rubs. 
Two of the dogs get to know each other. 
Murphy smiling at the camera. 
Sniffing around. 
One of the dogs poses.
Two dachshunds head into the park. Photos by Kat Sheridan
The dachshunds all playing together.
Murphy hangs out on a bench.
One of the dogs smiles up at the camera.
Mabel enjoys some belly rubs.
Mabel enjoys some belly rubs.
Two of the dogs get to know each other.
Murphy smiling at the camera.
Sniffing around.
One of the dogs poses.
The Fourth of July may have passed, but there were a lot of hot dogs at one Dartmouth Park. Specifically, these hot dogs had long bodies and short legs. The Southcoast Ween group had its weekly meetup at the Barks and Tails park for the first time on Saturday, July 11.
Jessica Dastous and her dachshund Murphy moved from Colorado to Massachusetts back in January. In Colorado, she and Murphy would attend weiner dog meetups as a way for him to socialize.
“I always feel like the breed knows each other and they get along really well,” Dastous said.
When she got to Massachusetts, the nearest group for dachshund owners was in Boston. She put out a call on Facebook, and got a “big response” from others with dachshunds. It started with meet ups at Buttonwood Park, and with the opening of Barks and Tails they added it as a meet up location.
Nine dogs showed up for the group; there were quiet dogs and those who loved to bark, some who preferred to run and others who just wanted belly rubs, long haired weiner dogs and short haired ones.
“It’s nice [Mabel the weiner dog] gets to socialize with dogs that are similar to her,” said Nicole Beaulieu of New Bedford, “I have always wanted [a dachshund.] Years and years and years ago I met one and the universe kind of put it in place.”
Dachshunds are famous for their short legs and long bodies, as well as their stubborn and silly personalities.
“I feel like anytime somebody sees a dachshund, they’re super excited,” Dastous said, “They’re just a really interesting breed. Even though they’re a small dog, they are super adventurous and they can do anything a big dog can do.”
