Phoenix : Features
Quick on the Paw
By Eric Rumble
May 1, 2008

As a recipe for social interaction, the 11-year-old chihuahua race in the suburbs of Phoenix is a true melting pot. Take the heart of a bustling small-town swap meet, marinate it in Hispanic culture and customs, add a few shakes of Westminster pooch prom and a dash of farmers' market harmony, and finally a healthy dose of Gong Show unpredictability. Bake in blazing desert heat for an afternoon and serve to a grinning crowd of a thousand or so, spanning all ages, ethnicities and eccentricities. The excited (yet largely oblivious) canine competitors are as motley in breed and charisma as their multicultural masters. But for all their tongue-wagging enthusiasm, these 100-plus chihuahuas only get a whiff of what's really happening here: their owners are celebrating diversity, creating community and, ultimately, fetching new friends.