NATCHEZ — Wilhelmina is not afraid to show her pantaloons.

As she trotted demurely and dutifully next to her owner, Jessica Coffmen, in a green antebellum dress, the longhaired dachshund was the portrait of the Old South.

So much so, Wilhelmina won first place for Best Costume at Bark in the Park Saturday afternoon.

Coffmen set out to win the contest, too. The homemade dress was inspired as something uniquely Natchez that the judges would appreciate.

Last year when she entered the contest, she handmade an Elvis costume for Wilhelmina, complete with rhinestones, but only took home second place.

“I always make the costumes myself,” Coffmen said, to ensure a better fit.

Coffmen snapped a few pictures of Wilhelmina in front of the first-place trophy before quickly removing the dress, gently folding it and tucking it away and then moving on to the talent competition.

Here, Wilhelmina shook hands and high-fived with both paws, sat, laid down, and rolled over both ways.

Coffmen said training her dog was not too difficult, that every day when she comes home from work, she has Wilhelmina sit on a designated mat and they work their way through the tricks together.

A lifelong dog lover, Coffmen said the German origin of Wilhelmina’s name comes from her being a German breed.

Receiving honorable mention for their costumes, 12-week old boxers took their costumes straight out of Disney.

Junior was Peter Pan and Macy was Tinkerbell.

Vicki King said her 9-year-old daughter, Macy, chose the dogs’ outfits with a specific idea in mind for Junior.

“He acts like Peter Pan because he never wants to grow up, he always wants to play,” King said was her daughter’s reasoning.

Though they didn’t win the costume competition, Junior won Most Handsome Puppy and Macy won Most Beautiful.

King said her daughter didn’t participate in the event because she has a competitive nature. She just loves the two puppies.

“She lives for this stuff,” King said.

So devoted to the puppies and the other animals the King family owns, Macy wants to grow up to be a vet, King said.

Bark in the Park is one of the major fundraisers the Natchez Adams County Humane Society has each year.

Staged at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, owners brought their dogs out for a relaxing day in the sun and canine camaraderie.

Humane Society board member Nan Garrison said she was very pleased with the turn out.

“To tell you how much people love their animals, 18 owners entered their dogs in (the) Most Handsome (competition,)” Garrison said.

She said children love their dogs, and love bringing them out to show them off and that’s truly the heart of the event.