Dachshund owners invited to the biggest sausage dog group walk in Northamptonshire

Bring your Dachshund along to meet around 50 other Dachshunds from across the county once a month
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If you have ever stumbled across a group of 50 small dogs of the same breed in Northampton's Abington Park, you are about to find out why.

Once a month, a large group of Dachshunds and their owners meet up at Abington Park in Northampton to mingle and em-bark on a walk.

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The Northamptonshire Dachshunds Facebook Group was created in October 2014 by Safi Thi-Kim Dub and, over the last eight years, it has accumulated more than 700 members.

The monthly Northamptonshire Dachshund walk.The monthly Northamptonshire Dachshund walk.
The monthly Northamptonshire Dachshund walk.

Safi, 47, from Parklands, said: "I’ve always loved and owned dachshunds since I was a little girl. They weren’t very popular during the 70s and 80s and I didn’t see many others about. Due to social media, I heard of sausage dog groups and walks so decided to set one up in my home town to meet other owners who really love the breed as much as I do

"The group has grown so much over the years and I think that, when I ran it, I counted over 35 sausage dogs. I can’t believe how many are about now and how popular the breed has become."

Safi ran the group for seven successful years before stepping down in 2021 as she is a carer for her mother. She passed the reigns - leashes, even - into the trusted hands of Ashleigh Liversage, 31, from the village of Denton. Safi still remains a member of the group.

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Ashleigh said: "I couldn’t bear to lose the group as the walks are wonderful for the dogs, so I volunteered to take over and continue running the monthly walks and the Facebook group.

The monthly Northamptonshire Dachshund walk.The monthly Northamptonshire Dachshund walk.
The monthly Northamptonshire Dachshund walk.

"Dachshunds are unique characters so to bring them together to play, as well as giving owners a chance to share stories and advice is perfect."

Around 45 to 50 members turn up to each monthly walk from all across the county.

The biggest walk carried out by the Northamptonshire Dachshunds group to date took place last month with a total of 53 dogs turning up to the walk.

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Ashleigh continued: "The look on everyone’s faces as we walk through the park is priceless, we definitely turn many heads!

"The Facebook group provides a place for us all to ask and share advice as well as share stories of the adventures and mischief of our dogs."

One member of the group is Silvie Sterland, from Wellingborough, who has an 18 month old Dachshund called Treasure. She said: "It is just good fun and quite a spectacle when we walk across the road from one side of the park to the other.

"Dachshunds seem to know their own breed and there's never any fighting."

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After going on the walk, the owners sit down at The Park Café to grab some lunch and get to know one another.

Silvie continued: "It is a good way to make new friends as well. I lost my husband a while ago and I live alone and it's just so amazing to have [my dog]. Through him, I have made so many amazing friends so I don't feel alone. I called him Treasure as that was my nickname for my husband."

Dachshund owners additionally use the Facebook group to introduce their dogs and arrange play dates with other fellow pooches.

Treasure, in particular, has made friends with another female Dachshund through the group.

Silvie added: "We are hoping he will be a daddy soon."

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The biggest Dachshund walk in the UK to date is believed to have taken place in Manchester's Heaton Park in 2018, where a grand total of 1,239 Dachshunds gathered. It was hosted by the North West Dachshund Owners Group.

The latest Northamptonshire Dachshund walk is taking place tomorrow (Saturday, January 22). Owners are asked to meet at the Abington Park cafe at 2pm.

The date of the monthly walks varies from month to month, depending on weather and members' availability but they tend to take place between Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon.

To keep up to date with the monthly Northamptonshire Dachshund walks, visit their Facebook page.