Running of the Chihuahuas

many dogs there were at the venue, I thought the vet aid was a very thoughtful addition on the part of the event organizers. The event is sponsored and run by Hits 96, the Chattanooga radio station. DJs from the station were the emcees of the event.

The main attraction is the dog races. There are 4 sets of bleachers for spectators, but that's not enough to support all the guests. Many of us were standing on the floor flanking the edges of the race lanes. Visibility is very low if you're in the back rows, especially since the competitors are so small, haha!

The first round of races takes the longest time. Chihuahuas are split into groups of about 5 and are taken out onto the racing lanes by two of their owners/guardians. One guardian takes the pooch to the starting line, and the second waits at the finish line doing everything to get their dog's attention in order to coax it over the finish line first, thus winning the heat and moving on to the next round. Many of the dogs in the first round seem to be ambivalent, confused, or maybe a little nervous about the race. Only a few dogs each heat will actually make it across the finish line, many will scuttle around their starting line guardian unsure of what to do. First guardians, when sending their dog off at the signal, which do a small tossing of the dog in the right direction, which doesn't seem to faze the dogs. Even though athletic ability was a rare sight during this part of the event, it was fun to watch because of the funny situations that would come about (two dogs almost started getting it on!).

Once their dogs fail in the first round, many of the owners and spectators will leave the event. By halftime after the first round, the crowd had thinned out a lot. My friends and I were able to have a much better view, and we were able to get some of the many empty spots on the bleachers.

The third, fourth, and final rounds of the races are much more competitive. The dogs involved usually know the deal by now, and there's real excitement and anticipation to see which dogs will win. This half of the races also goes much faster, and not just because the dogs are actually running instead of dawdling. At the end, the fasted dog is crowned winner. There are also competitions for best team spirit and best costume (awarded during halftime, I believe). I know at least one of the prizes was tickets to see Adele.

Parking nearby cost us $5, but the event itself is free. There were many, many dogs and not just chihuahuas. I brought my beagle mix, my sister brought her great dane mix, and I saw many other varieties. Suffice it to say: DON'T COME IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DOGS. I didn't see any misconduct from any of the dogs, but some of the chihuahuas were yappy and aggressive with some of the other dogs. No fights ever broke out that I saw, which was good.

All in all, it was a fun event, especially for a first timer like myself. Since I don't have any friends or dogs racing, I'm not sure if I'd go again, especially if it were out of my way and cost $ for parking. I'd recommend it for the fun spectacle, thought.