Lolling tongues and resting snarl face: The World's Ugliest Dog contest in pictures

Jinny Lu, a pug rescue, prepares to compete in the World's Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. - Copyright AP Photo/Noah Berger Copyright AP Photo/Noah Berger Copyright AP Photo/Noah Berger Lolling tongues and resting snarl face: The World's Ugliest Dog contest in pictures Published on 17/08/2026 - 14:01 GMT+2 The 50th edition of the American competition saw a six-year-old pug named Jinny Lu take home the top prize. Lolling tongues, gnarly overbites and haywire hair — the contestants of the annual World's Ugliest Dog contest have all been dealt a ruff hand in the genetics department. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT This year's event took place on the 14th August at the Sonoma County Fair in California, United States, and saw a six-year old pug named Jinny Lu take the top trophy. Her owner, Michelle Grady, won $5,000 (€4,312) along with a trip to New York, where they both will appear on NBC's Today Show. In second place was Pinky, an albino pomeranian-chihuahua cross with a glassy stare, while Otto, a chihuahua mix with a double cleft lip, came third. Founded in 1976, the goal of the contest is not to mock animals, but to promote adoption of all dogs — no matter their imperfections. As the saying goes: Beauty is in the eye of the pug holder. Here are some pictures from the event: Go to accessibility shortcuts Read more