Up to 300 Chihuahuas will complete in the 35-foot course in League City. Last year, nearly 2,800 pint-sized pooches took aim at the prize in regional contests across the country.
PETCO spokesperson Marta Karpinska-Dean says Chihuahuas are suited perfectly for the races.
"They are fun and very popular across the country, 12th most popular breed according to AKC," she told us. "Like most dogs, they do enjoy running and socializing with other dogs. It's also easier to have 300 Chihuahuas at one location than, say, 300 German shepherds!"
From the race in League City, one Chihuahua will represent southeast Texas in the finals. It usually takes between two to three seconds for the competitors to cross the finish line. Last year's overall winner, Maddy out of the New York brackets, finished with a blazing time of two seconds flat.
You can come out with your Chihuahua to compete or just take in the fun.
And while the races are tons of fun, at each race locations, PETCO works with local Chihuahua adoption groups to raise awareness about pet adoptions and to find loving families for homeless Chihuahuas. They also want to encourage people to consider adoption first when looking at family pets.
