Every dog owner thinks their little fuzzy-wuzzy-cutie-patootie-shnookums of a pup is the most adorable, lovable, sweetest bundle of furry joy in the world. As a general rule of thumb, dog owners think their pooch is the best!
Owners love their pups so much that it really doesn’t matter what they look like, and this unique contest proves the theory tenfold. Instead of rewarding a beautiful dog, there’s a competition in Petaluma, California, that rewards dogs who aren’t so pretty. It’s still a beauty pageant but way uglier.
It’s the World’s Ugliest Dog Competition, and before it rubs your fur the wrong way, this contest isn’t a cruel joke. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. These ugly pups are brought in by their doting owners to get judged on their ugliness. Plus, these underdogs get the full red carpet treatment.
Brian Sobel is the chief judge at this wacky event that draws a dedicated crowd. “The idea behind the contest is to celebrate these animals who are really well cared for. And they have a special ugliness to them. The audience gets into it. The dogs are just happy to be someplace where they are being petted and [are] taken care of. It’s a fun contest.”
The contest has been going on since the 1970s, increasing in popularity every year. This event isn’t only centered around the appearance of dogs, it’s meant to push awareness for the adoption of rescue pups, as well. A lot of the competitors are rescues who have been saved from shelters and puppy mills!
Each entry is judged on first impression, personality, unusual attributes, and audience reaction. Plus each owner has to provide a document from a veterinarian approving the animal’s health. Not only does the first prize winner get some major bragging rights (“The World’s Ugliest Dog” is a seriously coveted title around here), the winning duo gets $1,500, a trophy, and a trip to New York City. And lots of media coverage.
In the video, Virginia Sayre took home first place with her dog, Quasimodo. Quasimodo has Short Spine Syndrome, so the pup has no neck, no butt, and appears to be truncated, making her look like a hyena. Happy to take home the esteemed title, Virginia says there’s more to the contest than just winning.”We’re trying to shed some emphasis on the dogs that are available for homes that aren’t exactly perfect to show people that they make good pets.”
Click on the video below to watch this hilarious parade of underdogs make their way to the top. I just love everything about this.
