Tiny Terror Kicks Tail: San Francisco's Top Chihuahua Advances to America's Fastest Chihuahua Championship Race in San Diego
June 03 2006 - 5:53PM
PR Newswire (US)
Chihuahuas Scamper to Local PETCO to Compete for Regional Title SAN
FRANCISCO, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- They might be America's smallest
breed of dog, but they sure are lightning-quick. Chihuahuas of all
sizes came together today to compete for the coveted title of
America's Fastest Chihuahua in the second annual PETCO Unleashed
regional qualifying races. Nearly 120 dogs participated in the
event Saturday in the San Francisco market, held at the PETCO store
in Santa Rosa. Tiger, a 2-year-old, 8-pound Chihuahua owned and
trained by Cathy Smith of Bakersfield, Calif., prevailed in the
four-dog final race down the 1/18th furlong (35-foot-long) track.
"I had total confidence and I was so sure that we drove six hours
to compete," Smith said after the victory. Tiger next will compete
closer to home as he secured one of only seven spots in the PETCO
Unleashed 2006 National Chihuahua Race, to be held at PETCO Park in
San Diego on Sept. 3. The championship race will be run during a
San Diego Padres baseball game in front of tens of thousands of
cheering fans. Besides earning the bragging rights of being
"America's Fastest Chihuahua," the national winner will receive a
trophy, $300 PETCO gift card and more than 12 times the average
Chihuahua's weight in Royal Canin Chihuahua food (a year's supply).
"The PETCO Unleashed Fastest Chihuahua race is about getting people
and their pets together for a few hours of fun to celebrate what we
call the human-animal bond," said Clint White, PETCO Manager of
Strategic Partnership and Promotions. "Chihuahuas are great
companion animals, and we hope the races will bring added attention
to the adoption of these great pets." The Chihuahua is the 11th
most popular purebred dog breed in the United States, according to
the American Kennel Club. Measuring 6 to 8 inches at the withers
and weighing in at 2-1/2 to 4-1/2 pounds, the dogs are considered
the smallest and lightest dogs in the world. Saturday's event in
San Francisco featured a dozen preliminary heats of 10 Chihuahuas.
Trailing winner Tiger, Martina placed and Clarabelle finished
strongly to show. Martina, a 2-year-old, 10-pound short hair
Chihuahua owned by Debra Myers of Menlo Park, Calif., received a
one-year supply of Chihuahua food from race co-sponsor Royal Canin.
Clarabelle, a 2-year-old, 11-pound short hair Chihuahua owned by
Travis and Kristel Krepelka of Boulder Creek, Calif., received a
$25 PETCO gift card. All competitors took home a 2006 PETCO
Unleashed goody bag, a T-shirt for their owner and a 3-pound bag of
Royal Canin Chihuahua food. Tiger -- who does agility training and
competes in "fly ball" (where dogs race down a track with hurdles
to retrieve tennis balls) -- stood out in a field that included
competitors in a polka-dot dress and a lime-green sweater. "I made
sure he saw me at the other end [of the track], and just cheered
him on, saying: 'Run, run, run,'" Tiger's proud owner Smith said.
Regional races also took place Saturday in Chicago, Los Angeles,
Dallas and Miami, with races in New York City and San Diego
scheduled for June 10. One regional winner from each race will
compete for the championship title. PETCO is sponsoring the race to
celebrate America's fastest-growing small breed of dog and to
encourage customers to consider adoption as a first option. For
nearly 40 years, the company has worked with local shelters
nationwide to find homes for millions of homeless animals. "People
in PETCO stores throughout San Francisco are passionate about doing
the right thing for animals, and we regularly work with local
animal care organizations to hold adoption events in our stores to
help find good homes for abandoned animals," White said. PETCO and
the PETCO Foundation work with Chihuahua Rescue & Transport,
Inc., across the country to create hundreds of adoption
opportunities. To find out more about how you can adopt a
Chihuahua, visit http://www.chihuahua-rescue.com/. Fast Chihuahua
Facts: * Chihuahuas are said to be able to travel up to 7 mph for
short distances. * Due to its diminutive size, the Chihuahua is
considered the ultimate indoor dog. * The smallest living dog ever
recorded is a Chihuahua. * In 2005, the Chihuahua was the 11th most
popular purebred dog in the U.S., according to the American Kennel
Club. The other most popular dogs are 1) Labrador Retriever; 2)
Golden Retriever; 3) Yorkshire Terrier; 4) German Shepherd; 5)
Beagle; 6) Dachshund; 7) Boxer; 8) Poodle; 9) Shih Tzu; 10)
Miniature Schnauzer. * The Chihuahua has become a popular pet among
celebrities. Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Hilary Duff and Jennifer
Lopez are just a few of the stars who own a pampered Chihuahua.
PETCO (NASDAQ:PETC) is a leading specialty retailer of premium pet
food, supplies and services with a commitment to quality animal
care and education. PETCO's strategy is to offer its customers a
complete assortment of pet- related products and services at
competitive prices, with superior levels of customer service at
convenient locations, by hiring pet lovers and training them to
become counselors to our pet-loving customers. PETCO operates
approximately 800 neighborhood stores in 49 states and the District
of Columbia, as well as a leading destination for online pet food
and supplies at http://www.petco.com/. Contacts: Melissa Levy Erin
Mathe Don Cowan Carmichael Lynch Spong Carmichael Lynch Spong PETCO
(612) 375-8533 direct (612) 375-8572 direct (858) 657-2086 direct
(612) 251-7081 cell (952) 261-8148 cell (619) 417-5244 cell
DATASOURCE: PETCO CONTACT: Melissa Levy, +1-612-375-8533 direct,
+1-612-251-7081 cell, , or Erin Mathe, +1-612-375-8572 direct,
+1-952-261-8148 cell, , both of Carmichael Lynch Spong, for PETCO;
or Don Cowan of PETCO, +1-858-657-2086 direct, +1-619-417-5244
cell, Web site: http://www.petco.com/
http://www.chihuahua-rescue.com/
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