Dog owner Minh Trung (right) holds the champion. (Photos courtesy of the organisation board)

It was the first race for the Corgi dogs, aged three months and older, and took place at Ho Xuan Huong Gymnasium in District 3, HCM City, last weekend. The event was held over one-hour, luring more than 70 contestants and hundreds of spectators.

"It [Cat] is very active," said Minh Trung, owner of the champion. "It runs around the house with me every day".

The event was held by Glow Inc For Paws, a professional pet care system that connects the pet-lover community.

Aside from the Corgis, other breeds such as Poodles, Phoc Socs, Chow Chows, and Dachshunds came along to make friends and watch the race.

The race had six qualifying rounds and one final round. Before the judge blew the whistle, the dogs were placed in the cage. Once the race started, dogs with unusual names such as Lé, Romand Teo and Meo ran with all their might towards the finish line.

However, many dogs simply chose to lie down and rest when they were just a few yards from the finish line, leaving the audience in hysterics, as organisers rushed to find the lazier dogs a place to relax.

An organiser said that the race would be held in other cities and provinces with the participation of many other dog breeds in the future.