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By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin
Angel took the best-trick gold medal home for riding a
skateboard down a hill in the Chihuahua Olympics.

Competition:
The speed, the jumps
...the Chihuahuas

Some 30 tiny dogs vie in obstacle
courses, a dress-up relay and
a luau eating contest

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By Treena Shapiro
Star-Bulletin

If you have a Chihuahua, you have to have a sense of humor, especially when it comes to a Chihuahua Olympics.

Hawaii's Chihuahua Club president, Tracy Lehmann, said owners of some 30 little dogs turned out yesterday at Kauluwela Elementary School to cheer and coax their dogs through obstacle courses, a dress-up relay and a luau eating contest.

The white-and-tan Gizmo chowed down poi, shredded chicken, sweet potato, banana and lettuce faster than the others, and also won the hurdle course.

Last year's champ, the white long-haired show dog Angel, took the best-trick gold medal home for riding a skateboard down a hill.

Lehmann owns one of the club's smallest dogs, 2-pound Pepito, a tan dog she says looks nothing like the Taco Bell Chihuahua.

"The Taco Bell dog isn't good-looking," she said. Pepito, on the other hand, meets the standards with a short snout and an "apple head."

Pepito held his own during the luau eating contest, finishing just half a shoyu container of poi behind the winner, but had more problems during the dress-up relay because the tiny dog had trouble keeping his teensy baby pants on.

Lehmann said Pepito was on the prowl for a girlfriend at the event and also spent some time picking fights. "We took him off to the side and let him walk off his anger."

Other events included the Chihuahua Tunnel of Love, in which owners had to coax their dogs through a tunnel, some with food and some relying on love.

"The Tunnel of Love is pretty slam dunk," said Terry Olival, who managed publicity for the event. "Chihuahuas notoriously love their owners; it's just who does it the fastest."

The dogs all managed to jump 6-inch hurdles as well, despite fears that some of the smallest dogs would try to go under instead.

And come October, there will be an even more diverse range of Chihuahua looks, when the club hosts its Halloween costume contest.

For more information about the club, call Kim Matsuzaki at 239-6979 or visit http://www.geocities.com/cchonline.