How Fast Can a Chihuahua Run? Vet-Verified Facts & Info

The Chihuahua is the smallest dog breed and while it might be feisty and playful, its short legs and tiny stature mean that the little breed cannot achieve great top speeds, at least compared to a lot of other dog breeds.

They run at an average speed of around 5 miles per hour, which is slightly faster than a brisk walk for most people. But they can achieve top speeds of up to 10 miles per hour, which is a little slower than the top speed of a lot of people, although elite-class sprinters can reach speeds as high as 25 miles per hour.

The Chihuahua Breed

The Chihuahua is believed to have originated from the Techichi breed of dog that was kept by the Toltec people of Mexico in the 9th Century. The Chihuahua was likely bred from this small breed and became popular in Mexico before making its way to the U.S. and then on to Europe.

It was bred as a companion dog and was never really used as a working or service dog. Today, the breed is still kept as a companion animal.

How Fast Can Chihuahuas Run?

While some people might describe it as being feisty and prone to fits of energetic zoomies, it isn’t surprising to learn, considering its tiny legs and small frame, that it is not a particularly fast dog compared to other breeds - their legs might move fast, but they don’t cover much ground!

The breed will typically run at average speeds of around 5 miles per hour but can reach top speeds of 9 or 10 miles per hour, but only for very short distances.

Compared to Other Animals

The Chihuahua is slow compared to most other dog breeds, and it doesn’t fare much better when pitted against other species, either.

Not even elite sprinters like Usain Bolt can reach the dizzying speeds of Greyhounds, which have been clocked at 45 miles per hour. Other fast breeds include Salukis and Afghan Hounds, which can reach 42 and 40 miles per hour respectively. Looking elsewhere in the animal kingdom, rabbits are slightly slower than Greyhounds, with top speeds of around 35 miles per hour, but even Greyhounds can’t outrun lions at 50 miles per hour or Cheetahs at 70 miles per hour.

However, it is the Peregrine Falcon that is considered the fastest animal in the world, reaching a peak speed of 200 miles per hour while diving vertically to catch prey.

What Is the Fastest Dog Breed?

The Greyhound is widely considered the fastest dog breed and can reach top speeds of 45 miles per hour. The breed is also known as the world’s fastest couch potato because while it can achieve very high top speeds, it can only do so for a couple of minutes, and prefers to spend the majority of its time stretched out, asleep on the sofa, at home.

Do Chihuahuas Like to Run?

Chihuahuas are fun little dogs that enjoy playing and seem to enjoy cheering their owners up. Although they are happy falling asleep on their humans’ laps, they do enjoy running around, and if you can coax a Chihuahua away from the sofa, it will usually happily run around after a toy or for a treat.

Can Chihuahuas Swim?

Like most dog breeds, Chihuahuas are capable of swimming, but this small breed isn’t usually at home in the water. They were bred as lap dogs, which means they don’t really have the breeding to swim, although some Chis really enjoy getting wet.

The size of the breed means they should never be allowed in water unsupervised, however, as they can tire very quickly and find themselves struggling to get out of the water.

Conclusion

The Chihuahua is a lap dog that was bred to be a companion to its humans. It is the smallest breed of dog, and it has short legs that are not well-formed for running. As such, they can only reach top speeds of around 10 miles per hour and are more likely to run at average speeds of around 5 miles per hour.

They do enjoy charging and zooming around the house, however, especially if it gets a positive reaction from their humans or if they are rewarded with a tasty treat for their efforts.

Featured Image Credit: anetapics, Shutterstock