Dog Names Meaning Speed

When it comes to being fast in the dog world, there seems to be little confusion as to which breed reigns supreme: the Greyhound. Of course, topping out at 45 miles an hour will certainly help develop a reputation, which is why there’s a billion dollar industry based on racing them. While there seems to be some debate as to whom is the fastest dog — Shakey Jakey going 520 meters in 29.07 seconds or Fanta who was clocked at a whopping 50.5 mph — the breed alone has seemed to leave the competition in the dust (although by comparison, the Vizsla is a close second at an average of about 43 mph). 

But Greyhounds also aren’t the only breed to hold speed records. Despite having the aerodynamics and length to generate both great power and speed, there are several other dogs that hold less traditional speed records, including one that sports a name similar to one on our list of speedy titles: Jiffpom. 

At first glance, Jiffpom might not look like a speedster at all. In fact, the little Pomeranian looks more like a stationary teddy bear than a record holder. But his looks belie his true talent: Jiffpom actually holds two Guinness World Records but neither of them are for top speeds on four legs. At just four years old, after a fair amount of training, Jiffpom set the record for running 10 meters on his hind legs and five meters on his front legs, zooming to the finish line at an impressive 6.56 seconds and 7.76 seconds respectively. Because of it, he also holds the record for the most Instagram followers by an animal at 8.8 million, a record that was over a year ago and is still counting. 

Much of it should come as little surprise, as Pomeranians are both smart and active dogs, though they often lack the attention spans for long training sessions and have to be handled with care, as their feisty personalities also bear some fragility in handling. But none of that seems to stop Jiffpom, who, on top of having a top notch two-legged scamper, is also able to bow like a gentleman (gentledog), shake hands, stamp his own autograph and even ride a skateboard. And while his records might not be as fast as a Greyhound or as traditional as a four-legged race, there’s no doubting this adorable Pomeranian has some undeniable talent and speed.