SAN JOSE, California: On your mark, get set, go! Dogs come in big and small packages. Some can really be speed demons and will literally leave you in their dust if you're not careful.
Be they long or short-legged, all dogs will run their hearts out for you. We all know about Greyhounds and other fast canines, but other pooches can really surprise you.
The top three speed machines of the doggie world are the Greyhound, the Saluki and the Afghan Hound. The long and lanky-bodied Greyhound is considered as the fastest dog in the world. This breed can reach a top speed of 45mph (72km/h) and can be found on racetracks the world over. The Saluki is said to be able to outrun any other land mammal over a three-mile course, while the Afghan Hound was originally bred to hunt down wolves, foxes and even gazelles.
However just because you have short legs doesn't mean you aren't fast. One good example is Clarabelle, the three-and-a-half year-old Chihuahua which recently took home the bacon in the Bay-area regional championships held recently. The Boulder Creek native beat out 240 other mini-speedsters and is now in the hunt to becoming the fastest Chihuahua in America.
According to MercuryNews.com, Clarabelle's winning time was 2.69 seconds, or 8.87 mph - not to shabby. This pocket-rocket's proud owners are the husband and wife team of Kristel and Travis Krepelka. Clarabelle trains by walking two miles every day through the redwoods near her home and runs as fast as she could once a week.
Clarabelle recently raced in the 3rd Annual National Chihuahua Race, and even though she tried her doggone best, she did not emerge as this years winner. It was an all-star event - 15 contestants, previous winners of Chihuahua races all around the country.
Americas Fastest Chihuahua 2007 is none other than two-year old Maddy from New York City. Second place honors went to four-year old Cricket from Rowland, Texas. while Papageorgio of Annapolis, Maryland took third.
While there are many speedy canines out there, what about slowest of the pack? The slowest dog breeds include Basset Hounds and Dachshunds. They would rather sit back, relax and spend their time probably eating ice cream or maybe even drinking doggie beer...
I'd love to see a racing chihuahua dog - what a funny thing that must have been to see
small dogs aren't my thing, but more power to these little guys for trying. It must have been hysterical to see these little guys skittling along on their tiny legs
those little dogs aren't made to run or race... they are just meant to sit quietly in front of the tv. if you want to race dogs then use breeds which are designed for the purpose
aw come on, all dogs love to run. give them a break - they aren't going to hurt themselves by stretching their legs a bit - they are going to have the time of their lives!!
hey, i've seen chihuahuas run and they are really fast for their size! i never thought such small dogs could cover so much ground so quickly
guys, guys guys - these are dogs. nothing to get too upset about. let 'em run
there is something noble and beautiful about watching a dog running across a field at full speed - maybe its pure enjoyment of movement, maybe its single-minded canine obssession with getting whereever it is going RIGHT NOW :)
i wonder who would win a running race - a human or a chihuahua?
is this a novelty act or are the organizers of the race really serious? i hope they're doing this just for fun because these little dogs could be hurting themselves a lot.
next thing you know they'll be asking chihuahua's to pull something heavy, so they can crown the world's strongest chihuahua. ooops! did i put the idea in somebody's head?
i'm sure chihuahuas and other small dogs would love to run, they need some stretching and exercise also. as for the organizers of this racing event, i hope they didn't stress the dogs much,though!
it's no wonder the bus company was named Greyhound. they're both just as fast
:D