Retired Paralympian Ellen Keane on her dogs Denny and Rafa: ‘I needed a dog I could lift easily with my one hand, so a small dachshund was perfect’
The gold medallist swimmer says it’s lovely to see people smile when they see two sausage dogs strolling around town with her
Retired Paralympic swimmer Ellen Keane with her dogs Rafa, left, and Denny in St Anne’s Park in Dublin. Photo: Frank McGrath
My dogs are my babies. They are dachshunds, but they’re the long-haired type. Denny will be five this summer while Rafa, who’s the blonde one, is two years younger. Denny is called Denny because, well, he’s a sausage dog! And Rafa? That’s for Rafael Nadal, the tennis player.
I got Denny during the Covid-19 lockdown. I was living in an apartment at the time and my landlord said a small dog would be OK. To be honest, I always thought I’d get a schnauzer, but when I saw my friend’s gorgeous dachshund puppy I changed my mind. I also needed a dog I could lift easily with my one hand, so a small dachshund was perfect. Nowadays, when the two of them are misbehaving, it’s no problem to lift them up to keep them out of trouble.
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