Time for some good natured racing-dog fun! Here are the adventures of Baron, the Dachshund who loved racing, winning, and smoozing for cameras during his star-studded "media career".

Go Baron GO! (double-click to hear Baron's sound clips)

Undefeated lifetime in Championship racing

"Baron's an all-time great who's considered the greatest in the history of the sport. The wiener racing equivalent of Muhammed Ali, Baron shredded his way through the competition with such efficiency that he was retired against his will by race organizers".
-Shane MacDougall, director of the movie "Wiener Takes All: A Dogumentary."

"Baron is hands down the strongest, fastest, most dominant ever".
-Orlando Gutierrez, Los Alamitos Race Course (home to America's largest Dachshund race).

1999 Ultimate Match Race Champion
1998 Champion of Champions
1997 Wienernationals Champion
1997 Tonight Show Champion
1997 Holiday Bowl Champion




Video Clips

Click a link to view a Baron video (flash format)

1998 Champion of Champions Race

1997 Wienernationals Championship Race

1997 Wienernationals Championship Race (video by a "somewhat excited" friend)

1999 Ultimate Match Race Championship (video courtesy of Animal Planet)

1997 Tonight Show appearance: Jay Leno introduction

1997 Holiday Bowl Championship: Baron wins and rides a parade float

Baron at speed: training

Baron at speed: race loop


Baron's Facts and Figures:

*Size: A 34 pound whopper

*AKC Name: CarrDox's Bear Mountain Baron

*Pedigree: Over 20 Show and Field Champions in his dog family tree

*Favorite Activities: Sleeping, Running, Playing, Eating

*Speed: 50 yards in 4.22 seconds, faster than the human world record holder

*Undefeated Lifetime in Championship Races



Baron "at speed" during a sub-5 second 50 yard practice run


The "Latest"






Baron stars in "Wiener Takes All"

Baron made a special appearance in the new Dachshund racing movie, "Wiener Takes All, A Dogumentary", which is slated to premiere at several film festivals in the United States and Canada in September/October 2007. Baron, who was "interviewed" for his cameo appearance, is also recognized as a Dachshund racing legend by various experts in the movie.








Baron's taking it dog-gone easy in retirement since celebrating his 14th birthday in November, 2006. With encouragement from his howling legion of fans, I hope to update this page to include recent pictures, plus pictures/videos from his two Animal Planet "Breed All About It" and "Amazing Tails" specials, his Hard Copy segment, his commendation from the Mayor of Placentia, and his feature on NBC's "Fred Roggin's Sunday Night Sports".


Following are Baron's "dog career" highlights in chronological order: enjoy!


Let's kick things off by embarrassing Baron with a picture of the World's Fastest Dachshund when he was only 2-1/2 weeks old.

 







June 14th, 1997: Baron Wins Wiener Nationals Championship
Baron charged through a field of 64 Dachshund finalists to win the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals at Los Alamitos Race Course! There were 255 entries, with 64 qualifying for the finals. His "booty" included a $500 cash prize to buy lot's of dog snacks, a beautiful etched glass trophy, and a media tour for Wienershnitzel. He was fast qualifier, and "crushed the field with a powerful run" according to the track announcer. Baron ripped his saddle cloth partially off during the race, and then ran hard despite having his legs tangled in it for most of the race. Film of the event was featured on various Los Angeles television stations and Hard Copy on Monday June 16th. Baron subsequently appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday June 19th, where he won the Tonight Show race on stage.

Click any picture to enlarge it





June 16, 1997: Baron appears on TV show "Hard Copy"


June 19, 1997: Baron makes his first appearance on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno!

Baron, the dog celebrity that he is, appeared on the Tonight Show on Thursday June 19th along with Ron Rowland, his dog daddy. Baron was "interviewed" by Jay on stage and had a short match race against 5 other Dachshunds from the race. The "race" was only a 20 foot romp across the stage instead of the usual 50 yards, with the last half spent slowing down. Although Baron is as fast as any at the start, he usually dominates the second half of a 50 yard race. Baron won the first Tonight show run in a close photo finish with last years champion, Pea-Nut second. Jay then set up a 2nd race with just Baron and Pea-Nut, which Baron won by a nose. Pea-Nut, who starts very quickly, finished 4th at this year's Nationals.




July 15, 1997: Baron receives Commendation from Placentia California Mayor Norman Eckenrode




December 29, 1997: Baron wins the Holiday Bowl Parade Championship Race!

Baron streaked down the San Diego pavement in front of 100,000 parade spectators for his latest victory! The nationally televised race, sponsored by Wienerschnitzel Restaurants and PetSmart, was held before the start of the Holiday Bowl Parade. In addition to scoring a host of doggie goodies for the victory, he also earned a ride on the Wienershnitzel Restaurants float, and thoroughly enjoyed waving to his fans along the way. The picture above, taken along the parade route, shows Baron's "dogs-eye" view from the top of the float. The 9 Dachsie's who challenged Baron in the final were determined by qualification races at 3 Wienerschnitzel locations. To Baron's disadvantage, the race was shorter than the advertised 50 yard distance that he had prepared for, and with people crowding the finish line, it was tough, but he led wire to wire to remain undefeated. Go Baron, GO!




Baron rides a Holiday Bowl Float following his race victory


Sunday, February 22, 1998: Baron Appears on NBC's "Fred Roggin's Sunday Night Sports"!


Baron poses with Fred Roggin, in front of Jay Leno's
Dodge Viper at NBC Studio's in Burbank, California


Saturday May 30, 1998: Baron Wins Wienernationals  "Champion of Champions" Race!

The 1998 "Champion of Champions" championship race consisted of 1997 Wienernationals Champion Baron, 1996 Champion Peanut (the year before Baron started racing), and 1998 Wienernationals winner Spike (the first Wienernationals Baron was banned from competing in). Spike finished 2nd to Baron in 1997 and second to Peanut in 1996. Each had to beat 64 dogs to earn a trip to the Championship final. The spectacular race had Peanut out of the gate first in a blazing start, with Spike a close second and Baron a distant third. Peanut held his lead until the halfway point. Baron quickly passed Spike, then ran Peanut down, and won by a large margin, going away. Peanut finished 2nd and Spike a distant 3rd. All three dogs ran hard wire to wire, like true champions. (Note from Baron's Dog Daddy and Official Trainer: This may have been Baron's best race. Because Los Alamitos had banned him from the 1998 Wienernationals due to his dominance, I was worried that they would never let him race again if he easily won this race. So I gave Peanut and Spike a head start by momentarily holding Baron back at the start. I thought my plan had backfired when I saw the huge lead I had given Peanut and Spike. But Baron found another gear and found a way to win big again, anyway.)






February 16, 1998: Baron makes his 2nd Tonight Show appearance

After winning the Holiday Bowl, the Tonight Show wanted to spoof Baron's racing by matching him and other Dachshunds against racing pigs, (yes, racing PIGS). Unfortunately, Baron tried to break into the pigs dressing room.

 




Baron steals a smootch from supermodel Veronica Webb before the show


June 12th, 1999: Baron Wins The Ultimate Challenge Championship And Remains Undefeated



 

 
Baron in the "Wieners Circle" following his Ultimate Match Race victory on June 12, 1999

Baron returned to California's Los Alamitos Race Course on June 12th 1999, and successfully defended his 1998 Champion of Champions title by winning the 1999 "Ultimate Match Race". After Baron won the 1997 Wienernationals by a wide margin, track officials changed the rules. In 1998, Baron was excluded from Wienernationals eliminations and competed instead in a "Champion of Champions" race that matched him against prior champions and the Wienernationals eliminations winner that night. This year that format was refined to match Baron heads-up against Jesse, the 1999 Wienernationals Champion. To earn the right to face Baron, Jesse had to defeat a 64 dog field consisting of 8 dogs in 8 elimination races. In an excellent race, Baron started slightly behind, caught the quick Jesse by mid-race, then used long, powerful strides to stretch his winning margin to 4 lengths at the finish.

The "Ultimate Match Race" was run for charity, with SuperCar Specialty, Blakes Place, and Los Alamitos Race Course combining to donate $500 to the Children's Hospital of Orange County's Caring K-9's program. The Caring K-9's program, which depends on donations for it's survival, provides specially trained dogs to lift the spirits of hospitalized children. We are proud to assist this worthy cause.


June 19, 1998: Baron receives Commendation from Placentia California Mayor Connie Underwood

August 14, 1998: Baron Appears in Animal Planet Network's "Amazing Tails"

October 18, 1999: Baron Appears in Animal Planet Network's "Breed All About It"


Baron, the ham he is, poses for photographer Dan from Animal Planet's Breed All About It


May 24, 2000: Baron the Racing Dachshund Retires Undefeated


Here he is in his "I'm Retired" pose

PLACENTIA, California - May 24, 2000
Baron the Racing Dachshund has announced his retirement after a stellar 4 year "racing career". His racing titles include 1999 Ultimate Match Race Champion, 1998 Champion of Champions, 1997 Wiener Nationals Champion, and 1997 Holiday Bowl Racing Champion. Baron’s ability to run 50 yards faster than a world class human sprinter amazed everyone, and is no easy feat considering that his legs are only 4 inches long! He has run 50 yards in only 4.22 seconds, the fastest ever by a Dachshund, and has never had a close race at that distance. Baron is retiring because Los Alamitos Race Course no longer allows him to compete in the Wienernationals, due to his dominating performances there. Says Jeff True, Los Alamitos Marketing Director: "He’s just too much dog for the competition". His media adventures include two appearances on NBC’s "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", plus appearances on "Hard Copy", Animal Planet Network’s "Breed All About It" and "Amazing Tails", NBC’s "Fred Roggin's Sunday Night Sports" and various news and sports programs. He has twice received Certificates of Accomplishment from the Mayor of Placentia, and raised money for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County in a 1999 Charity race. Baron is now enjoying a "dog-gone-easy" retirement, and enjoys receiving email from his web page. (Background: according to Jeff True, Director of Marketing for Los Alamitos Race Course, Baron will no longer be allowed to race there. Jeff has refused Baron entry into the Wienernationals since 1997, saying that he is "just too much dog for the competition", that his winning every year isn't "good for publicity", and that both Los Alamitos, and the media,"want something different every year". So in 1998 and 1999, Baron was featured in match races against the Wienernational "Champions" instead, all of which he won easily. Participants, fans, and the press have never been told that Jeff has been keeping the fastest past champions, including Baron, from racing in the Wienernationals. As one track worker said: "It would be embarrassing if people knew they are keeping the best ones out".  All good things must end eventually. Although Baron has had great fun racing, it's a blessing that he retires healthy and happy after never losing a Championship race or having a close race.

Baron is a big baby at home, unless he's in watchdog mode. His real passion has always been running. If he knows that it's time to practice or race, he gets so excited that we can hardly hold him. He enjoys running on any surface, and can start on voice command.

And Now?

Baron's over 100 dog years old, and still remains the only Dachshund to never lose at the 50 yard championship distance. He now sports some gray on his muzzle and paws (we call it "character"), but still thinks he's a racing pup in his dog-mind!


Baron enjoying the thrill of a Champion's retirement with a well earned snooze

Stay tuned, Baron fans: more to be posted later..

(Baron answers all email, but especially likes to hear from kids)