They're short, they're long, but are they fast? Dachshunds from far and wide will go head to head next weekend in the 'longdog dash' at Dachshtober Longdog Festival, held at Tocal.
The races are a highlight of the event, now in its third year, and this year there's an exciting surprise on the program - Dr Harry from Better Homes and Gardens will be attending.
On Sunday, October 27 at Tocal Homestead, the festival celebrates all things dachshund while raising money for intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), a common spinal disease in dogs.
Festival owners and organisers Leesa Fairclough and Nilza Hancock have been putting in the hard yards to make the event into the calendar staple for dachshund lovers it is today.
Attendees come from far and wide with their dogs in tow, and some stall holders are making the trip from South Australia and Victoria.
Ms Fairclough said the event usually attracts anywhere from 1500 to 2000 people.
"This year we've actually got Dr Harry from Better Homes and Gardens coming, they're going to be doing a big of filming for a Better Homes and Gardens episode, we've got around 45 market stalls, everything that sells dog stuff, dachshund related," she said.
"We've got food vendors, I suppose the most popular part of our festival is our dachshund races, we have three categories for that; we've got our little wieners, then our longdogs, and then our seniors."
The festival also has fancy dress competitions where the dogs get dressed up, and there will be a vet information talk about preventing IVDD.
"It's a degenerate disease that happens in the spine, in the disks and it can happen from them just jumping off a lounge," Ms Fairclough said.
"Depending on the severity, they're obviously paralysed and surgery to try and fix it is anywhere between 15 and $25,000.
"A lot of owners don't realise that hence why we started the festival to raise awareness of the risks and how you can try and prevent it from happening."
The event supports DISA (Dachshund IVDD Support Australia), and last year made a donation of $5000 to the organisation.
Ms Fairclough said there are many reasons dachshunds are such a popular breed in Australia.
"Their personality, that they're so different and they're so little, but they think they're these big, aggressive lions, and you know just a heart of gold," she said.
"They're inquisitive, they're lovable, every one of them is different and they all stick together.
"They're just the funniest little characters."
Get tickets for Dachshtober Long Dog Festival ($25 for adults) at longdogfriends.com.
