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In search of "America's Fastest Chihuahua"
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As one of two novices preparing to compete in a field of veteran competitors, Cuppycake won the Boston Regional Championship earlier this year in just 2.6 seconds.
But she’ll have to do better than that at the national championships at San Diego, California, if she wants to win against Los Angeles Regional Champion, Tiger, and San Francisco Regional Champion, Chloe, who both won their semi-finals in 1.6 and 2 seconds, respectively.
Cuppycake, Tiger, Chloe, and others are not competing for gold, silver of bronze, but a trophy and bragging rights for the title of "America’s Fastest Chihuahua" in the 4th annual PETCO Unleashed Chihuahua Races.
All year long, more than 2,900 Chihuahuas have quietly been competing in 15 regional competitions (check out the 15 regional champs) -- some dressed in less than aerodynamic pink tutus, a tactic, no doubt, to distract other competitors who quickly run off to sniff out the latest in racing attire.
Thankfully, Chihuahua races are not really races at all, but a friendly competition in which these high-strung canines demonstrate what happens when you take them off your shoulders and put them on the ground. They bolt.
And if anyone has ever tried to catch one of these little sprinters, you know that you can only grab them when they have run out of speed. And, that doesn’t always happen on a 15-foot track, so it’s fun to watch their owners try to get their dogs back. (Check out New York Regional Championships in the video above.)
In fact, according to Elizabeth Estlick of Mashapee, Massachusetts, the most memorable moment of the Boston games was when Cuppycake momentarily disappeared and “ran to a different owner's arms!"
Held at one end and then beckoned frantically for by their owners at the other, the dogs dash as soon as they are released and basically criss-cross a carefully designed straight-lined track to create the illusion of racing. No penalties apparently for taking the scenic route.
The 4th annual PETCO Unleashed Chihuahua Race is billed as the nation’s largest and fastest growing Chihuahua race, which begs the question: there are other Chihuahua races?
PETCO says the races are held to encourage all animal enthusiasts to consider adoption as a first option when adding a pet to their family. People who are devoted to these dogs tend to be delightfully-insane though and don't often give them up to shelters.
But like any pet, some Chihuahuas can be found at animal shelters. In fact, 25% of shelter dogs are purebreds. So if you're looking for a dog, Chihuahua or otherwise, an animal shelter or rescue group are the best places to start.
The 15 regional champs will compete and one will be crowned as "America's Fastest Chihuahua" between the first and second innings of an upcoming San Diego Padres baseball game over Labor Day Weekend.
Check back here for a video of that race and to learn whether Cuppycake, Bones, Cricket, Mia, Piccolo, Tiger, Maddy, Mijo, Brownie, Kahlua, Isabelle, Puka, Chloe, Pancho Villa, or Poppy (aka Papageorgio) takes the 2008 national title.
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