Basset Hound Olympics Kick Off Ocean City's Doo Dah Weekend

Hundreds of basset hounds gathered Friday afternoon for a little friendly competition before they strut in Saturday's in Ocean City.

The sheer athleticism of basset hounds on obstacle courses provided a light-hearted start to Ocean City's annual celebration of humor — the Doo Dah Parade.

The hounds competed in the various events of the Basset Hound Olympics on Friday on the grounds of the , and they will be the stars of the Doo Dah Parade starting at noon on Saturday.

Each year, the local "Olympics" attracts hounds from throughout the region. They compete sprints, hurdles and on an obstacle course. More than 500 are expected to march in the parade on Saturday.

Check out our video and photo gallery of the fun on Friday, and if you have your own photos from the event, add them to the gallery by clicking on "Upload photos and videos" above.

• Penny the Basset Hound arrived by plane and car in a journey from Olean, NY, to the in Ocean City. See video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTtDO1f0aDw. See photo in gallery above of reunion with other hounds at the Coral Sands.
• Volunteers of Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue were at the event with three basset hounds who made a circuitous journey from Knoxville, TN, via the Pilots and Paws Program. See video.
• "It's funny to see the basset hounds do the high jumps," said Dana Mania of Keyport, NJ, who has been involved with Tri State Bassets since 2003. 
  "We always bring our dogs that are up for adoption." To adopt, visit tristatebassets.org and click on the adopt link, or come out to the Doo Dah Parade and get a form. "I love basset hounds, because they look like your everyday dopey sloppy funny dog. They are very loyal and family-oriented. You wanna go outside? They follow outside. You wanna lay around the house? They lay around the house. You have to have a sense of humor to have a basset hound."

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