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Loco Landing was a little more loco than usual today. And that's what happens when you stick 30-plus wiener dogs -- and their owners -- into a facility like Loco and lock the gates.
It was…pandemonium.
The occasion was the final Loco Landing get-together this off-season of the Penticton Dachshund Lovers. The club, which formed when folks belonging to the Kelowna Dachshund Club but living somewhat south of Kelowna figured Penticton and area could support an organization of its own, began a weekly invasion of Loco Landing in September.
They continued invading throughout the winter and early spring, taking advantage of the park's annual off-season closure and the simple fact that dachshunds seems to enjoy running around the go-kart track and miniature golf course.
"The Kelowna Dachshund Club has been around a long time," said PDL boss said Lesley Steffen, who also happens to be the mom of Loco owner Diana Stirling.
"And then we got the club started here. We used to meet and go for walks together because there's nowhere for little dogs to run here in Penticton. So at the end of September when the park was closed, we said let's try doing it here."
Steffen says the club has grown substantially from a half-dozen dogs to what it is today.
"We've done it every weekend," she said. "People are now coming from West Kelowna. There's at least 30 dogs here today."
As we chatted with Steffen, we suddenly realized we were surrounded by wiener dogs. They have a habit of doing that.
And we were surrounded by food too. This being their last time at the facility 'til the fall (Loco Landing opens for the season next weekend), it seemed everyone brought along snacks and/or treats. There was enough delish eats for a small army.
"For me personally," said Penticton's Aleta Abbott, "anyone I've ever met who's a dachshund owner, they're just amazing people. Very friendly, very accepting of everyone."
"Myer" is Abbott's second wiener dog, and it's not hard to see how much she cares about the little guy -- and the breed.
"They're an awesome breed," she said. "They're very affectionate, they're loyal, they have big personalities for little dogs. And they're excellent family dogs. They're like people -- they have individual personalities."
Abbott's first dachshund, a "red smooth coat" called "Flip," passed away after an illness. Abbott says it was "a grief I've never known."
But she was all smiles today. Clearly most of that can be attributed to Myer, who stayed close all day long. But some can also be attributed to the club itself.
"Being with a group of people who own dachshunds," she said, "you get a lot of support. A lot of people have gone through that with their dogs. For me being a part of the club is like being part of a family.
"And hey, we're getting pretty big. Five years ago when the club started there was literally four of us. Now look at us."
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