America’s Fastest Dog is Local

Anne Arundel County Rescue Pup Crowned World’s Fastest Dog 

By Cheryl Costello 

The country’s fastest dog can run 32 miles per hour. That’s speedier than the world’s best sprinter. And she lives and trains in Anne Arundel County. 

Phelan, from Crownsville, crowned America’s fastest dog, is a mixed breed. She has greyhound, Scottish deerhound, and borzoi in her blood—all breeds known for their long, fast legs. 

Her owners, Krista Shreet and Ted Koch, brought her to a local fenced-in property to show Bay Bulletin her speed. In motion, she looks more like a racehorse than man’s best friend. 

Shreet says, “We knew just from seeing her out in the yard that she was speedy.” So the co-owners started taking her to competitions. In 2019, she participated in 30 events. 

“She was the top—what American Kennel Club (AKC) calls—All American dog breed, which is any dog that doesn’t fit into one of their recognized breeds. So, it might be a mixed breed, or another breed that AKC doesn’t recognize.” Shreet explains. 

From that standing, Phelan earned an invitation to compete in Orlando in December. She won the 100-yard-dash in the AKC’s inaugural Fast CAT (Coursing Ability Tests).  

It only took Phelan 6.3 seconds to complete it, running about 32 miles per hour. AKC compares that to the speed of one of the greatest (human) sprinters of all time, Usain Bolt. He has been clocked at almost 28 miles per hour. 

Phelan beat out more than 100 other dogs, earning a trophy and a ribbon that is longer than her legs. 

Her owners emphasize that this super-dog is a rescue. They adopted her about two and a half years ago. 

“Rescue dogs have so much to offer,” says Koch. “And just really the talents and what they bring in terms of love and gratefulness and skill is immeasurable, so please don’t rule out rescues.” 

Phelan just likes to keep moving—so her owners will keep her racing. 

“We will continue going to the Fast CAT events; she loves them,” says Shreet. “You could tell afterwards she definitely had a little bounce in her step. She knew she did something great. She was getting a lot of attention that day.”