A Canadian man spreads joy in his community by walking his dachshund while wearing an inflatable dachshund costume.
We see the busyness in our lives growing bigger and bigger as days go by. Maybe it’s our work that keeps us tied down, or our family commitments. But in all this rush, we often forget to say a simple hello or give a smile to the random faces we see.
That kind interaction not only makes our day brighter but also theirs. Here’s a man who decided to do something unique to bring a smile to his entire neighborhood.
Rich Lutchford, a roofer from Oshawa, Ontario, started something special when he bought an inflatable dachshund costume on Amazon. He put it on to walk his beloved dachshund Maya (also called Mia in some accounts).
“I just thought it would be funny,” Lutchford said. “People kind of look at me like, what is this? Other people are smiling, and I point at them and say, that’s what it’s all about — that smile.”
The neighbors couldn’t believe their eyes. Here was a grown man dressed as a wiener dog, walking his actual wiener dog down the street.
People started stopping their cars. They took pictures. Some even screamed in surprise. But everyone smiled. That’s exactly what Lutchford wanted.
“Just the way her ears flap when she’s walking or running…it brings me joy,” he explained. “So me dressing up like a dachshund walking a dachshund, I figured that would be pretty funny.”
Word spread quickly through social media. Lutchford posted videos of himself at the dog park and even grocery shopping in his costume.
The mayor of nearby Whitby, Elizabeth Roy, saw the videos and invited him to city hall. She didn’t tell her staff he was coming.
“He went to check in in the costume and asked for a dog license,” Mayor Roy said. “It was a great way to start the day.”
The mayor gave him a certificate of joy from the town council. “It’s about the purpose of giving people something to smile about,” she said. “He left our town hall and everyone was laughing about it.”
Now Lutchford gets invitations to school assemblies and charity events. Dog groomers want to pay him for appearances.
His wife and daughter want to get another dachshund because of all the positive attention.
“If I could make some money at this and quit my job and stay home with two dachshunds, I will definitely get two dachshunds,” Lutchford said.
Even Maya seems to enjoy the whole thing. “I think she actually likes me more as a dog than as a human,” Lutchford joked.
Winter weather won’t stop him. As a roofer, he works outside year-round. But he worries about Maya staying warm. Her small size makes it hard to find winter clothes that fit. He hopes local artisans can make custom outfits for her.
Rich Lutchford didn’t set out to become famous or make money. He just wanted to make people smile during tough times. His inflatable dog suit became a tool for bringing light into people’s days.
WATCH: Man Dresses as a Dachshund and Brings Smiles
