The pitter-patter of tiny paws has brought joy – and more than a little chaos – to Hyde Park in London as hundreds of dachshunds and their owners gathered for the annual sausage dog Christmas walk.

Now in its eighth year, the event was started by Ana Rodriguez as a way to help her dachshund, Winston, socialise as a puppy. Meeting at noon by the Physical Energy statue in the centre of the park, the dogs – well, the owners really – competed in a best-dressed competition before enjoying an hour of play and socialising before the parade. Rodriguez said previous years’ events had ended up attracting as many as a thousand people and dogs.

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The dachshund gathering at Hyde Park. Photograph: Martin Belam/The Guardian

Dachshunds may only have little legs, but the Royal Kennel Club still recommends they enjoy up to an hour’s exercise a day. Koda was making his debut at the event with his owner, Alice. “We’ve been to dachshund cafes before,” she said. “It’s so cute. I’ve got spare costumes for him in case he gets wet, and a sling to carry him home on the tube. He’ll probably fall asleep.”

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Koda at the Hyde Park sausage dog walk. Photograph: Martin Belam/The Guardian

Ian had travelled from St Albans with Daisie. “It brings everyone together,” he said. “It’s just lovely, isn’t it? Dachshunds migrate towards each other, don’t they?”

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Daisy at the Hyde Park sausage dog walk. Photograph: Martin Belam/The Guardian

Costumes included a dog wearing a box to resemble a present, and another dachshund dressed as a reindeer pulling a miniature sleigh. The breed is not known to be cooperative with clothes, although three-year-old Otto tolerated his owner, Berfin, putting a Christmas scarf on him as they waited for a bus at Green Park to head to the event. “He’s used to posing for photographs though,” she added, as her boyfriend is a photographer.

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Otto waiting to attend the Hyde Park sausage dog walk.Photograph: Martin Belam/The Guardian

Mo and Jen, who were there with Pedro, sporting a fetching tinsel necklace, said they had always had dachshunds and that Pedro was their third.

“The previous two both lived to 17,” Jen said, leading Mo to joke that Pedro might outlive him. “They are so human,” Mo said. “They just want to spend time with their owners.”

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Pedro at the Hyde Park sausage dog walk. Photograph: Martin Belam/The Guardian

The dachshund breed originated in Germany, where it was developed as a hunting dog, adept at tracking wounded prey or entering tunnels to seek out badgers and rabbits. It has undergone a huge rise in popularity in the UK in the last decade, with registration on the breed soaring. But the only thing the sausage dogs in Hyde Park were hunting for on Sunday, however, were treats. “They are really special,” Rodriguez said. “Loving, protective, and the most loyal dogs ever.”

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A dachshund looking for treats in Hyde Park. Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe/AFP/Getty Images

Exactly the same for me. Full fat coke is basically the only option now if I do want one.

Right?! So basically now I drink water when I am out and about because so much stuff has fake sugar now

The god-awful taste of sugar substitutes.

A lot of people can taste things like saccharine I think? But I can taste any fake sugar, even when there is a mix of real and fake sugar in the same thing.

Aspartame/acesulfane is definitely the worst of them all, but sucralose, stevia… all of them taste like medicine kind of.

I can also taste the difference between cane and beetroot based granulated sugar. Beetroot sugar is sharper.

Why not just allow them to work? Even if it’s after a waiting period or something. Honestly the system is so messed up.

Man it has been ages since I had to exchange, I’m shocked at how different it is, although I have to remember it’s been bloody 12 years since I left 😱

I’m old.

Uhh, is no one going to ask why this is like $18??

I feel like Prime is way more terrible.

Actually came across a useful thing the other day… if you go back 20-30s because you missed something (because you didn’t have CC on), when it restarts it will add captions for 20s.

Left unanswered: Why would anyone intentionally swallow one magnet, let alone 100? This is like blaming Temu for someone drinking gasoline.

Pica?

Unfortunately that doesn’t appear to be in our corporate-approved suite 😭😭

I wonder if I can use copilot in outlook to do something similar

Didn’t use cortana directly, but the “auto block out focus time” in my work diary was a freaking game changer and I am pissed they took it away.

It quickly gets dissolved into the abyss of the mind, I get that! I lived in Japan for 4 years and can only remember a few useless bits.

Not too bad overall if you don’t know any French though!

Sorry… it says sorry not sorry 😅😅

Don’t they have like postal police or something? I feel like that is a thing and they are pretty serious.

My brother did the same thing with the cigarette lighter in our car when we were little. I don’t think that one ever grew a full fingerprint back 😅😅

My grandparents came over from the states as they were taking a cruise from Southampton so had a few days down there.

Had a volleyball match in Loughborough yesterday which went well, super excited about the season having started now!!

Next weekend is Saturday: another match (in freaking Stockport…) then some live commentary on Sunday. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking for the first few minutes in a new season but I’m mega excited about getting back to it.

keep in mind, you fuck up a steak at a cooking job you’re out the cost of the meal + time.

What? Where?

Generally some sort of meal replacement shake about 30 mins after the meds.

I have found that eating with the meds dilutes the effects for me, so waiting helps.

The meal replacement shake approach helps because I am generally not hungry by the time I remember to be having some food. Drinking it is easier than making myself eat.