WIENER DOG A WINNER; PALMDALE DACHSHUND CONTINENT'S CHAMPION.

Byline: Greg Botonis Daily News Staff Writer

For more than a decade, sisters Mary Pyle and Irva McDougald have dreamed of bringing one of their dogs home from a World Dog Show with the title of 1999 American and Mexican World Champion.

This year they have done it.

A long-haired dachshund with the show name Raisin'L Keeper of the Flame, affectionately known as Flame, earned the title at the show held in Mexico City against 10 other champion dogs. He also earned the chance to compete for other international titles as well.

Pyle and McDougald, owners of Reigning Cats & Dogs boarding and grooming kennel in Palmdale, have bred and trained more than 30 champion dogs.

The pair say they are just getting started.

The next step for 2-1/2-year-old Flame will be a move to Scarbourough, England, where he will stay with a husband-and-wife team of breeders and dog show judges, who will prepare him for English championships - the final goal.

``Flame can go all the way with it,'' Pyle said. ``He has been planning to go England ever since he was a puppy.''

Although Flame is now known as a world champion, his living arrangements are pretty typical, McDougald said.

He plays in an open yard area with other dachshunds and dogs boarding at the kennel. Like the others, he sleeps in a cage-like indoor kennel and eats the same dog food all the boarders get: Nutro Lamb and Rice, a specially balanced food.

``All of our dogs get a cookie twice a day and they sleep indoors,'' McDougald said. ``All of our boarders get the same treatment our show dogs get because all dogs should be treated like champions.''

Pyle, a certified master groomer, handles Flame's dog show appearance personally. Both sisters trained him for shows.

Their kennel now holds nearly 30 dachshunds ranging in age from 3 weeks to 15 years old.

The pair also handle a dachshund rescue, taking in dogs abandoned or given by their owners and finding them new homes. They place more than 300 dogs a year.

The pair plan to implant the dogs with microchips containing identification information, increasingly popular among dog owners as a way to increase their dogs' chances of getting home if they end up in a shelter.

``We've kept busy with the kennel and the rescue but we can't bear to see dachshunds go homeless, especially ours,'' McDougald said. ``All of the dogs that come from here can always come back. I don't care if they're 14 years old. They can always come back.''

Training is also in progress for two other dogs owned by Pyle and McDougald. Tanska's Talk of the Town earned the title of 1999 Champion of America, and Raisin'L Just Right took 1999 Junior Champ of America at the World Dog Show.

``Champions or not, we've worked hard at getting lots of titles for these dogs but the biggest requirement for us is that they be cuddly,'' McDougald said.

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3 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color in AV Edition only) Sisters Mary Pyle, left, and Irva McDougald dote on show champion Raisin'L Keeper of the Flame, a 2-1/2-year-old long-haired dachshund.

(2--Color) (Ran in AV Edition only) Champion dachshunds Raisin'L Just Right, left, and Tanska's Talk of the Town hail from the Reigning Cats & Dogs kennel in Palmdale.

(3) (Ran in AV Edition only) Raisin'L Keeper of the Flame of Palmdale is the reigning American and Mexican World Champion.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News