It was mid afternoon at Laurelhurst Park, and a small chocolate blur was rushing around, pausing occasionally to pee on one of his canine fellows.

The dog in question is Ira, “This American Dog”, and his owner Julia says that despite his diminutive size, he often finds himself dominating his dog park peers.

Getting a clear picture of Ira was a challenge due to his constant activity. A border collie/dachshund mix, Ira is the product of a perverted dachshund being housed too closely to a prize border collie bitch. If Ira is aware of his illegitimacy, it doesn’t seem to bother him. As I speak to his owner, Julia, Ira happily trots around the park proudly displaying a stick that he has found.

Julia and Ira have been together for over two years; and recently celebrated Ira’s birthday (June 18th) with a kayak trip. Ira is a natural swimmer, who’s giant webbed paws allow him to surprise onlookers with his distance swimming ability.

Ira’s unusual pedigree has contributed to his unusual nature- he seems to have the adventurous spirit of a border collie crammed into the squat body of a dachshund. But it’s not all action for Ira; one of his favorite activities is cuddling with his best friend, Julia’s cat. They’ll often curl up on top of the couch together, much to the delight of their owner.

Ira may be a cuddly lapdog sometimes, but just as often he is wreaking havoc; he especially enjoys getting into the trash. This has necessitated Julia bolting her kitchen trash can to the wall, an unusual measure to be taken for such a small dog. If anything, the ability of Ira to conquer a trashcan many times his size speaks to his determination and indomitable spirit. It also suggests that getting into Julia’s trash is a really exciting activity. Luckily for Ira, the world is full of sticks to hold and butts to sniff, and other more acceptable adventures.