The 5 Unbelievable Secrets Behind The World's Ugliest Dog Contest (And Meet The 2024 Champion)

Every June, the world turns its attention to Petaluma, California, for an event that celebrates the beauty of imperfection: the annual World’s Ugliest Dog Contest. Far from being a cruel spectacle, this competition—which has been running for nearly 50 years—is a heartwarming and hilarious tribute to rescue dogs, mutts, and the unique, endearing qualities that make them lovable. The core mission is to promote dog adoption and show that every animal, regardless of its appearance, deserves a loving home.

The 2024 contest, held on Friday, June 21st, brought a fresh wave of attention to the event, crowning a long-time competitor with a truly unique story. The winner, an 8-year-old Pekingese named Wild Thang, finally claimed the coveted title after five attempts, proving that persistence and a truly distinctive look pay off.

The 2024 Champion: Wild Thang's Unforgettable Biography

Wild Thang is not just a dog with a fluffy coat; he is a survivor whose appearance tells a profound story of resilience. His victory in the 2024 World's Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair was a highlight of the year.

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• Name: Wild Thang
• Breed: Pekingese
• Age: 8 years old (as of 2024)
• Owner: Ann Lewis
• Hometown: Coos Bay, Oregon
• Competition History: 5-time competitor; first victory in 2024.
• Unique Feature: He contracted canine distemper as a 10-week-old puppy from a rescue foster.
• Permanent Condition: The distemper left him with permanent nerve damage, which prevents his tongue from sitting properly in his mouth, causing it to loll out constantly. It also affects his teeth and causes one of his legs to paddle constantly.
• Winning Prize: $5,000.
• Runner-Up: Rome, a 14-year-old Pug, who took home a separate People's Choice Award.

Wild Thang's owner, Ann Lewis, used his previous competition appearances to raise money for other dogs in Ukraine who had contracted distemper, turning his unique appearance into a powerful force for good.

The Bizarre and Heartwarming Judging Criteria

The World's Ugliest Dog Contest is judged by a panel of three judges, often including celebrities and media personalities, who use the American System of Judging. This is not a beauty pageant; it’s a celebration of character, charm, and the quirks that make a dog truly one-of-a-kind. The judging is not based on breed standards, but rather a set of five peculiar and specific categories.

The contest requires a veterinarian's note to prove that the dog is healthy and that its unique "ugliness" is natural, not the result of abuse or neglect. This rule ensures the focus remains on celebrating genetic anomalies and rescue stories.

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The 5 Official Scoring Categories:

1. First Impressions: A dog's ability to grab the judges' attention immediately with its overall look.
2. Unusual Attributes: The most critical category, focusing on specific, unique physical features like a perpetually dangling tongue, crooked teeth, missing eyes, hair challenges (patches of fur or wild coats), or deformed limbs.
3. Natural Ugliness: The dog's overall genetic disposition toward being "ugly," celebrating the natural mutations and mix-breeds (mutts).
4. Personality: How the dog interacts with its handler and the crowd, rewarding a good sense of humor and "sad-sack" charm.
5. Audience Impression: The dog's connection with the crowd and its ability to elicit cheers and applause. The "People's Choice" award is a separate honor voted on by the public.

For Wild Thang, his high scores came from his unusual attributes—the effects of distemper that cause his tongue to hang out—and his long, extremely fluffy coat that gives him a wild, unkempt appearance.

A Hall of Fame: The Most Memorable Ugliest Dog Winners

The contest has historically been dominated by a few specific breeds and mixes, most notably the Chinese Crested, which frequently features prominently due to its often hairless body, spotted skin, and unique dental structure. However, the last few years have seen a wonderful mix of mutts and other breeds take the crown.

These champions are more than just titleholders; they become global ambassadors for the contest’s core message: "Advocate, Adopt, Adore."

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Recent World’s Ugliest Dog Champions:

• 2024: Wild Thang (Pekingese)

  Known for his long, wild coat and permanently loll-out tongue due to distemper.

• 2023: Scooter (Chinese Crested/Mutt)

  A Chinese Crested mix whose hind legs were backward, requiring him to use a cart for mobility. He was almost euthanized as a puppy.

• 2022: Mr. Happy Face (Chinese Crested/Chihuahua)

  A 17-year-old rescue with a Mohawk, a twisted head, and a perpetually lopsided mouth. His owner, Jeneda Benally, adopted him from an Arizona shelter.

• 2019: Scamp the Tramp (Mutt)

  A rescue dog with a severe case of "bed-head" hair and a unique, unkempt hairdo.

• 2018: Zsa Zsa (English Bulldog)

  A massive, drooling English Bulldog with a pronounced underbite and a barrel chest.

• 2016: Sweepee Rambo (Chinese Crested)

  A blind, 17-year-old Chinese Crested-Chihuahua mix with a blond Mohawk and a tongue that hung out of her mouth.

• Notable Historical Winners:

  The contest also features iconic past winners such as Sam (a 3-time Chinese Crested winner in the early 2000s), Peanut (a mutt whose features were a result of abuse), and Walle (a beagle/boxer/basset hound mix with an unusually large head and duck-like waddle).

More Than Just "Ugly": The True Intent of the Competition

While the title is "Ugliest Dog," the true intention of the Sonoma-Marin Fair is to shine a spotlight on animal welfare, rescue, and the celebration of differences. The contest’s motto, "Advocate, Adopt, Adore," is a powerful message that resonates globally.

Many of the contestants, including Wild Thang, Scooter, and Mr. Happy Face, were adopted from shelters or rescued from difficult situations. The competition provides a platform for their owners to share their uplifting stories, generating thousands of dollars in donations for animal rescue organizations and encouraging potential pet owners to look beyond breed and appearance.

The dogs that compete often have conditions that would make them less likely to be adopted—missing eyes, severe underbites, fur challenges, or mobility issues. By celebrating these "flaws," the contest reframes them as unique attributes, demonstrating that love and companionship are not dependent on conventional standards of beauty. This positive, quirky approach makes the World's Ugliest Dog Contest a beloved, high-profile event that delivers a crucial message about embracing imperfection in the world of pet ownership.