With their little legs sprinting across the racetrack, and their ears flapping in the wind, only one word could describe Saturday's wiener dog race -- hilarious.

"They're just too cute, and too funny," said Ann Hubbard, whose dog, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, competed.

"There's just something about those short little legs and floppy ears," she said.

Nearly 100 hot-dog-shaped pups, or dachshunds, took part in the third annual wiener dog races Saturday at Stonewall Jackson Middle School as part of FestivALL.

Wiener dogs competed in four categories: puppy, adult divisions I and II, and senior. The dogs also strutted their short-legged stuff in a costume contest.

Hubbard's 1-year-old dachshund, Reese, came in second place in the adult II race.

"She's done real well for this being her first race," Hubbard said.

Her three grandsons began training Reese a few weeks before the race, with a squeaky toy in the back yard.

"I'm proud," Zachary Meadows, 12, said. "I thought she was going to run backwards, but she ran for it."

Reese did have one hiccup: She stopped just before crossing the finish line, Meadows said.

"She almost didn't get second place," he said. "I was yelling go, go, go and she went."

With their little legs sprinting across the racetrack, and their ears flapping in the wind, only one word could describe Saturday's wiener dog race -- hilarious.

"They're just too cute, and too funny," said Ann Hubbard, whose dog, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, competed.

"There's just something about those short little legs and floppy ears," she said.

Nearly 100 hot-dog-shaped pups, or dachshunds, took part in the third annual wiener dog races Saturday at Stonewall Jackson Middle School as part of FestivALL.

Wiener dogs competed in four categories: puppy, adult divisions I and II, and senior. The dogs also strutted their short-legged stuff in a costume contest.

Hubbard's 1-year-old dachshund, Reese, came in second place in the adult II race.

"She's done real well for this being her first race," Hubbard said.

Her three grandsons began training Reese a few weeks before the race, with a squeaky toy in the back yard.

"I'm proud," Zachary Meadows, 12, said. "I thought she was going to run backwards, but she ran for it."

Reese did have one hiccup: She stopped just before crossing the finish line, Meadows said.

"She almost didn't get second place," he said. "I was yelling go, go, go and she went."

First-place winners received $50 and second place won $25. There also was a raffle for gift certificates donated by PetSmart.

Proceeds from the races went to the Kanawha Charleston Humane Association and to West Side Main Street.

This year, nearly 100 hot-dog-shaped dogs took part in the race, up from 87 last year, said Pat McGill, director of West Side Main Street.

This year's event drew people from across the state and Ohio, North Carolina and Florida, she said.

"People are just rabid about their dogs," she said.

 Ella and Dewy Boggess traveled from Ravenswood Saturday to take part in the race. Their 2-year-old dachshund, Ruby, came in second in adult division I.

 "I just thought we would get a big kick out of seeing all the wiener dogs," Ella Boggess said. "It also gets all the wiener-dog owners out here too."

The couple set up race lanes with string in their back yard to train Ruby, and next year they have their eye on taking first place.

"All you have to say is 'go' and this girl is gone," Dewey Boggess said.

Saturday's wiener dog winners:

Ruby, owned by Lindsay Dawson of Pittsburgh, won the puppy race. Saugy Bottom Boy, owned by Liza Coderio of Charleston, won the adult division I race. Casey, owned by Karen Shearer of South Charleston won the adult division II race. Jagr, owned by Kelli Smith, won the senior division race.

Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.