The queue of vehicles into Tocal homestead on Sunday morning - stretching hundreds in a steady crawl to get inside - said it all. At the gate, Pauline Coote was overwhelmed.
Countless puppy parents and their herds of pups converged on the historic homestead at Paterson to celebrate one thing: the love of the longdog.
Mrs Coote has been volunteering with the Queensland-based charity DISA, established a decade ago to support the little dogs that suffer from a genetic back condition that can cause paralysis. She flew from Queensland at the weekend to help run the event, overwhelmed by the longdogs of all kinds and their owners.
Mrs Coote said it was around the fourth year that the festival, dubbed Dashtober, had visited the region to bring owners together and support the charity, but she was astounded by the numbers.
Near the entrance, Suzy Roe and her close friend Tracey Morris of Laguna were preparing for the day inside with Mrs Roe's pup, Lilly Little Legs. Lilly had a pair of ladybug wings that she would wear for the fashion event (a hotly contested itinerary item for those who came dressed to impress in capes, hats, and at least one vibrant party shirt). She also had plans to enter her in the races but was kind about her chances. Lilly would probably come last, she said with a loving smile. Aside from Lilly's fierce attachment to Mrs Roe, she also has tiny legs.
By some accounts, the dachshund was bred as a hunting hound for rabbits and badgers and has been the pet of royal courts across Europe. Their distinctive ears and tail are considered deliberate breeding choices, the first to keep out grass seeds and other matter from the ear canal and the latter so they could be more easily found among the long grass.
They're sometimes stubborn, clever, and courageous little dogs that can bond closely with one person and develop unique personalities.
"They are the type to get into your heart whether you like it or not," Mrs Roe says as she fussed over Lilly in her little stroller.
Under the shade of a large tree just inside the gate, Anthony and Tracey Cross of Warners Bay had sat down for a break with their pack of five doxies - Choc, Chip, Peanut, Maple and Coco.
"I wanted a Cookie," Mr Cross says and smiles. "But it hasn't happened yet."
They are a breed of dog that takes all sorts, he says, as he spins the yarn of how the couple's beloved pets gradually accumulated in their home. "They rule the roost."
The Dachshtober Longdog Festival began in 2022 to bring together owners of sausage dogs from all over the country. The Paterson event at the weekend followed an earlier July festival at Beenleigh in Queensland.
